Just a Little Sincerity (4 page)

“Yeah,” I whispered, knowing there was nothing but truth in his words.

“So,” he continued. “If he’s running from you, maybe you should stop and ask yourself what
he’s
running after. You might just find that it’s time for you to walk away too.”

“I don’t want to walk away from him, Derek—”

“Finding love is an amazing thing, Julie. But sometimes… moving forward means letting go. It’s time to say goodbye.”

“With me and Luke?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, adjusting his glasses. “And with us. I don’t think, considering how I feel about you, we can continue being friends.”

And as his last few words echoed through the gym, a loud clap of thunder shook the gym, knocking out the lights once and for all. The absence of electricity brought the gym into an immediate cave of darkness. I couldn’t see anything… not even the familiar glare from Derek’s glasses.

I sat still, waiting for the power to restore, but nothing happened. Derek rustled in the darkness.

“You need to take some time to really think about your life, Julie. You’ve lost perspective,” Derek said, his voice getting further away. Though I couldn’t see him, I knew he was heading for the door. “Luke should be here soon. And while I don’t want you to chance the storm alone, I can’t walk you through this one myself. But I don’t think you should be here when he arrives either. Get out while you still can, Julie. You’re just going to end up hurt if you keep waiting on him.”

Chapter Four

Friday November 02, 11:00pm

“Back off,” a woman said, her command firm, but kind. “Give the poor girl some space.”

“Do you think she’s dead?” a man asked, his voice so loud that it sounded as though he was speaking directly in my ear.

“She’s not dead,” the woman retorted. “Look, she’s moving….”

Though my head pounded as though I’d been beaten near to death, I managed to open my eyes. Three old faces stared down at me, and only then did it become apparent that I was looking up from a stranger’s couch.

I sat up quickly, but two gentle hands fell on my shoulder. The hands belonged to the female—an elderly, graying woman, whose movements were smooth and purposeful. She had an elegant grace about her that was admirable, and I couldn’t help but feel assured by her touch. As I glanced up at the two men behind her, I instantly recognized one and jumped to my feet.

“Bruno!” I said, throwing my arms around him. “What’s going on? Where are we?”

Detective Bruno wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his chest.

“Lonnie heard you screaming from the street,” he said. “He looked out the window just as you hit the ground, sweetheart.

“Hit the ground?” I asked, feeling the back of my head. “I don’t remember—”

“You had a nasty fall, little one,” the woman spoke up. “A limb fell from the old oak and struck you.”

“Down like a sack of potatoes,” Lonnie added, clapping his hands together dramatically.

The room was dark, only lit by the few candles strewn about on tables throughout the house. Detective Bruno loosened his grip and guided me back to the couch.

“The cell towers are down,” he said. “No one can get calls in or out right now. The power’s been out for a few hours and Main Street is flooded. We can’t get across town. Last I spoke to Charlie, he’d picked up Matt from the restaurant. They were heading home to take cover.”

“Are they safe?”

“They should have made it home in plenty of time,” he assured me. “The wind was bad though. We lost contact.” I nodded as Bruno knelt down to meet my stare. “Why in the world were you out in that, Julie? You were supposed to be at the school. Charlie had sent…
someone
was supposed to pick you up.”

“I didn’t want to wait,” I said. “I thought I could make it on my own.”

“Well, look how that turned out.”

“What about Lu—”

“No word from him,” Detective Bruno said. “But I’m sure he’s fine.”

“Do you want a snack or anything, kiddo?” Lonnie asked. “We’re all stocked up on goodies—”

“No thanks,” I said. “I need to get home. Charlie’ll be worried sick—”

“You’re not going anywhere,” the woman said. “Didn’t you hear? The streets are flooded. There’s no power. It’s pitch dark. It’s not safe for you out there.”

“You can sleep upstairs,” Bruno said. “Grace will show you to your room.”

“Where are
you
going?” I asked. “You’re not going to stay with me?”

“I’ll be on the couch,” he said. “I won’t be far.”

“Are you sure,” I started, but leaned closer to whisper so only he could hear me. “Are you sure we’re safe with these people?”

Bruno glanced behind his shoulder and winked at the woman. “Grace is my sister,” he said, turning back to me. “And Lonnie is the poor schmuck she talked into marrying her.”

I smiled up at Grace and Lonnie, both of them beaming from ear-to-ear.

“It’s just one night,” Bruno assured me. “Tomorrow we’ll get you home.”

Five minutes later—after listening to Lonnie relive an animated and exaggerated version of my fall—I followed Grace up the dark staircase. The family pictures on the wall were masked in all the darkness.

“Watch your step here,” Grace said, pointing at the final step. “It’s creaky. I’ve been thinking it’s going to fall through for years, but it hasn’t given out yet. But you never know.”

“Have you lived here a long time?” I asked, following her to the first door on the right.

“Only five years,” she said. “It was Lonnie’s house before we were married.”

“Ah, newlyweds?” I said, loving the idea that new love could blossom at any given age. I assumed Lonnie and Grace were both well into their sixties.

“We were married five summers ago,” she said. “We didn’t have a big ceremony, just something small and comfortable. It was a second marriage for each of us, so we didn’t find the point in all the frills and thrills.”

“I think that’s sweet,” I said, stepping in the room as she opened the door.

“You can sleep here for the night. I know it’s not a five star hotel, but the bed’s comfortable and the sheets are clean.”

“It’s perfect,” I said. “Thank you.”

She set an extra candle on the dresser and turned out, leaving me alone in the dark, cold bedroom. I made my way over to the window and looked outside, hoping to get a better idea about where I was, but nothing was easily discernible in the dark.

“Knock, knock,” Lonnie said, sticking his head in the room. “Brought you some clothes.”

“Thanks,” I said, coming over to take the folded men’s pajamas from him.

“I took a wild guess that Grace’s clothes would probably swallow you whole,” he said. “These are just some old things that used to belong to my… well, anyway, I hope you can get some use out of them.”

“Thanks again,” I said. “For everything…. You didn’t have to take me in like this. I can imagine it’s unnerving having a stranger sleep in your home.”

“Any friend of Bruno’s is a friend of ours,” Lonnie said. “Besides, I can’t remember the last time someone slept in that bed. It’s a comforting thought to know there’s a grateful soul down the hall.”

I nodded and smiled.

“I’ll let you get dressed,” he said. “Sleep well.”

After Lonnie left, closing the door behind him, I slipped out of my damp, dirty clothes and into the long, flannel pajama pants and tee-shirt.

I pulled back the blankets on the bed and climbed in, remembering nothing before I fell into a dreamless sleep.

Saturday November 03, 8:00am

The morning sunlight shined through the curtains. I turned over, my back to the window, hoping to fall back asleep. When the light continued to pierce my eyes, becoming too unbearable to ignore, I opened my eyes and shot up at the sight of the other person in the room.

“What are you doing here?”

Luke was sitting in a corner chair, just on the other side of the room. He didn’t smile; he didn’t wear anything that even closely resembled a happy expression. He sat still, his lips pursed, his eyes glaring, and his stare unwavering.

“Luke, what are you doing here?”

“What part of
I’ll be right there to get you
got lost in translation?” he asked. “What the hell is wrong with you, Julie? Grace said they found you pinned between the sidewalk and a tree branch—”

“I don’t remember that part—”

“Do you remember the message I sent you?”

“Yes, but—”

“Do you remember leaving the school when I specifically told you not to?”

“Yes, but Luke—”

“But nothing, Julie.” His words were sharp and cold. “I’m sick of this. I’m sick of you blatantly ignoring me when I give you an order. I know you don’t like to think so, but I
do
know what’s best for you—”

“I know you like to think that,” I mumbled, pulling the blankets up. “But look. I’m alive. I’m safe, sound, and well rested. In the end, it all worked out—”

“Well, isn’t that just peachy?” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Sweet little Julie spent her night in a stranger’s house, sleeping in a stranger’s bed, wearing a stranger’s clothes, and ignoring the advice of everyone who wanted to help her. God only knows what could’ve happened to you—”

“Detective Bruno said I could trust them—”

“So you can listen to
him
but you can’t listen to me?”

“He cares about me—”

“Dammit Julie,” he said. “Was this just part of one of your sick plans? You nearly got yourself killed, and for what? Just so, if you happen to pull through, I might
happen
to run to your side and finally profess my undying love for you? Is that what you want? For me to admit that I care?”

“No,” I said. “I don’t care if you tell me you hate me, Luke. At this point, it doesn’t matter anymore. All I’m saying is… your words don’t always match your actions. How was I to know you’d actually show up last night?”

“Real nice, Julie,” he said. “Any excuse to make me the bad guy—”

“What do you want me to say, Luke? I’m not wrong!
You don’t know the meaning of consistency
! You never carry through! I can’t spend my life trying to decipher your hidden messages!”

The door creaked open and Detective Bruno stuck his head in the room. “Everything okay in here?” He flashed a glance at Luke. “When did you get in?”

“Just a few minutes ago,” Luke mumbled, not meeting Bruno’s stare.

“Sorry about the yelling,” I said. “I didn’t mean to disturb anyone—”

“No sweat,” he winked. “Everyone is up and at ‘em anyway. We just got ahold of Charlie. He and Matt are both safe and sound, but you should probably get dressed soon. They’re on their way over to get you.”

“Thanks,” I said, throwing the blankets off to slide off the bed.

“Heads up, Julie,” he said. “He’s pissed as hell that you left the school alone.”

Bruno left the room. I turned back to Luke and shrugged.

“So?”

“What?” he asked, still angry and bitter.

“I need to change.
You
need to go—”

“Right,” he said, standing up. He walked toward the door and stopped short as he reached for the handle. He didn’t turn around, didn’t look back, but rested his forehead on the door.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Julie,” he said, his voice muffled against the wood. “If anything would have happened to you….”

“I know,” I said, figuring this was as close to an apology as I would get from him.

He pushed himself back and opened the door, finally turning around to look at me. “I won’t be here when you come down. So, get home safe and don’t let Charlie give you too much crap.”

“You’re leaving?”

“I can’t stay,” he said. “Lonnie and I don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye. Grace let me in this morning, but he doesn’t know I’m here and it’s probably best if it stays that way.” He rubbed his thumb across the scar on his lip before turning back to me. “Get home safe—”

“Luke,” I said, stepping a little closer to him. “You don’t have to respond to this, okay? Just know that… I
do
understand that I’m not a cat; and you’re not a mouse,” I said, beginning to recycle Derek’s speech. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop chasing you…because I love you, Luke. And when you love someone the way I love you, you don’t give up. I left the school last night because I let an idiot make me believe that you didn’t care for me. I let Derek convince me that you were never going to come for me. And up until about… five seconds ago, I really believed that. But I know you care, despite it all. And no, I don’t know what you’re running from, but I’m here to help you. And if you don’t want my help, that’s okay. I’ll wait. I’ll keep waiting… until you tell me to stop.”

“Jules, I….”

“Do you want me to stop, Luke?”

“No….”

“Then I’ll wait,” I said. “Until you’re ready.”

Luke took a step back into the room, opening his arms up, and pulling me to his chest. He wrapped me in the warmth of his arms, holding me as close as he possibly could without snapping me in two.

A creak at the top of the steps sounded and I sensed that we were no longer alone. I opened my eyes and smiled at a red-faced Lonnie.

“Good morning,” I said, reluctantly pulling away from Luke’s hug.

“Julie,” Lonnie said, tearing his eyes away from Luke long enough to smile at me. “Charlie is here.”

I nodded. “Thanks, I’ll get dressed and be right down.”

“Don’t bother,” he said. “You can take the clothes. We don’t need them here.”

“Are you sure?” I said. “It won’t take but a minute—”

“They belonged to my son, sweetheart,” he said, throwing a glance back at Luke. “He’s dead to me. Keep ‘em.”

Lonnie disappeared back down the steps. I turned to Luke; he stood still, staring expressionless at the floor.

“Luke?” I asked, trying to meet his gaze. “Luke, is Lonnie your—”

“Yes,” he said, finally meeting my stare. “Lonnie’s my dad… this is my old room… and those….” He brushed my hair behind my shoulder and smoothed a wrinkle on the shirt. “Those used to be my clothes.” He tried to mask his hurt with a failed smile. “And now I guess they’re yours.”

“Luke,” I said, lifting his chin. “Do you want to talk about this?”