The Boarding House (18 page)

“For obvious reasons, I get that. Sorry she comes on so strong.”

He shrugged. “I can handle her.”

Wyatt poured milk on his cereal then passed the carton to Ellie. They carried their bowls to the table and sat down. After the comfortable silence of sharing food with a loved one, Ellie paused.

“What’s going to happen to us, Wyatt?”

“What do you mean?”

Ellie couldn’t stop the tremor in her voice. “We’re broken
 . . .
so broken.”

“Yeah. I know.”

Ellie pushed her cereal back and leaned forward. “Why do you think bad things happen to some people, when others live their whole lives without a single day of harm?”

“I don’t know.”

“Even when people pray for mercy, why do you think God lets bad things keep happening?”

“I don’t think God lets it happen, Ellie. But I think He’s there to help us through it when it does.”

Ellie sighed. “I never knew you felt like that. You never went to church with Daddy and me when we were little. I didn’t know you believed much in God.”

Wyatt grinned. “Maybe I’ll be a preacher someday.”

“Then you’ll have to stop cussing.”

“Or maybe not,” Wyatt said.

They both broke into laughter—a sound that wasn’t heard much where they lived.

Later, Wyatt rode part of the way to work with Ellie before she dropped him off.

One day ran into another and then they turned eighteen. The magic number that was going to set them free.

“What do you mean?” Ellie asked.

“So, we’ve been hanging out long enough now that I know you don’t have any boyfriend, and Wyatt worships the ground you walk on, so I’m thinking Daddy dearest was responsible for the beating you got.”

Ellie’s shoulders slumped. “He’s responsible for a lot of bad stuff.”

Cin’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. That had been a very telling statement. She wondered if Ellie knew that sometimes it’s not about what you say, but what you don’t that tells the story.

“Then why are you still here?”

“I won’t be much longer. Wyatt and I turn eighteen tomorrow. We graduate in a couple of weeks after that. That’s all I’m waiting for—a diploma and being legally recognized as an adult.”

“What do you want to do with your life?”

“I always thought I’d go to college and figure it out there,” Ellie said. “What about you?”

Cin rolled her tongue around the sucker then yanked it out of her mouth with a soft popping sound. “I never much think about my future.”

Ellie frowned. “Why not?”

“I just never imagined myself growing old.”

Ellie shivered. “You mean you think you’re going to die young?”

“Sooner or later, everyone dies.”

Ellie didn’t know how to respond to that, so she kept folding towels until she was through, then put them in the linen closet.

“So are you through playing Martha Stewart?” Cin asked.

Ellie grinned. “Yes, why?”

“Let’s plan what you’re going to do for your birthday. Eighteen is a big deal, right? Is your dad going to throw you a big party?”

“No.”

Cin frowned. “Why not?”

“I don’t associate with Daddy.”

The stark expression on Ellie’s face was startling.

“Sorry I stepped in the shit again. You’d think one day I’d learn to mind my own business.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Then I won’t.” Cinnamon laughed, and did a little dance in the middle of the floor.

Ellie laughed, which she knew was Cinnamon’s goal.

“Now that I’ve fucked up your day,” she said. “I gotta run. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow, and in the meantime, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Yeah, see you,” Ellie said.

The day ended without note. As soon as supper was over, Ellie snuck back to her room and wrapped Wyatt’s birthday present, then hid it in her dresser.

Later, as she lay on her bed watching TV, she could hear Daddy’s footsteps out in the hall. When he paused in front of her door, her gaze shot toward the lock. It was undone.

She flew out of bed and slammed the slide bolt into place, then leaned her forehead against the door, her heart hammering so hard that it hurt.

The silence outside was almost as frightening as if he’d been kicking it in. She knew he was there. She could hear him breathing.

Then to her surprise, he spoke. “Ellie.”

She held her breath.

“I know you’re listening, so I’m just going to say what I came to say. Tomorrow is your birthday. I know I’ve messed up, but I am so sorry. You are the light of my life. You have always been Daddy’s girl. Please don’t shut me out. Please forgive me.”

Ellie went back to the bed, grabbed the remote, and turned up the volume.

Later that evening, she went to the kitchen to get a snack. She was getting cookies when Wyatt returned.

“Aha. Caught with your hand in the cookie jar,” he said.

Ellie giggled. “Want one?”

“No, but I’ll take two.”

“Help yourself. My hands are full,” Ellie said, and together they went back to their room.

Wyatt walked in last.

“Lock the door,” Ellie said.

Wyatt slid the lock into place then turned around. “Why? Something happen while I was gone?”

“Daddy begged for forgiveness outside the door.”

“What did you say to him?”

“Nothing. I just turned up the volume on the TV.”

“Just be careful,” Wyatt warned. “We know now that he can lose it big-time. Don’t push your luck.”

“Luck? I don’t have luck, Wyatt, and neither do you. If we did, God wouldn’t have put us in this place.”

“I’m sorry. You know what I mean. Come on, Ellie, let’s eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we will be officially old.”

She smiled.

For Wyatt, it was enough.

“Good morning, Ellie. Happy birthday.”

Ellie smiled as she rolled over onto her back to see Wyatt standing by her bed.

“Happy birthday, Wyatt.”

“That never gets old, does it?” he asked.

“You mean being twins?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty cool to be linked with another life.”

“That’s a weird way of putting it,” Ellie said.

Wyatt laughed. “Are we gonna have cake tonight?”

“Doris is making strawberry cake with cream-cheese icing.”

“Oh man, my favorite.”

“And mine, which is why she’s making it.”

“Yeah, but I like it because of the strawberries. You like it because it’s pink.”

Ellie laughed. “True. Did you get me something?”

“Wait a minute and I’ll get it.”

As soon as he left, Ellie sprang out of bed and ran to the dresser to get his gift out of hiding.

He came back carrying a small box wrapped in pink paper with a bow bigger than the box, which made Ellie smile. “This is great.”

“You haven’t seen what’s inside it yet. Open it.”

Ellie pulled off the lid. “Oh, Wyatt.”

He watched her pick up the stained-glass piece by the hook and chain.

“It’s called a suncatcher. You hang it in the window and—”

“. . . all the colors spill onto the floor,” Ellie said, finishing his sentence. “Just like the Jesus window in church. Oh, Wyatt
 . . .
how did you know?”

“Come on, Ellie. I’m your other half, remember?”

Ellie ran to the window, shoved the curtains aside and hung the suncatcher on the curtain rod. Within seconds, flashes of pink and green and violet and yellow were spilling onto the floor at her feet.

She poked a toe into the colors, then stepped all the way in and danced. It was just one little step, but for her, it might as well have been a waltz. “Oh, Wyatt, I love it. I love you. This is the best birthday ever.”

“Thanks.”

“Now you.” She handed him a small oblong box covered in dozens of little gold stars.

“Gold stars?”

She laughed. “Remember how happy you always were when Mrs. Rutherford would give you a gold star for good behavior?”

“Yeah. Good call. Kindergarten was great.”

“So open it,” Ellie urged.

Wyatt tore through the paper then removed the lid. “Oh wow. Oh, Ellie
 . . .
wow.”

“Do you like it?”

Wyatt lifted the silver key chain from the tissue then held it up to the light. The angel hanging on the other end looked like she was flying. “She’s beautiful, Ellie, just like you.”

Ellie’s eyes filled with tears, but again, she wouldn’t let herself cry. Not about this. This was a time for joy.

“Let’s get this birthday in gear. We’ll get dressed and go eat breakfast, then spend the day together at the mall. We can eat junk at the food court or maybe go to a movie
 . . .
whatever we want.”

“What about that birthday cake?”

“That’s for tonight. I’m not willing to spend any more of this day with Daddy than I have to. What better place to get lost than the mall?”

“Sounds like a deal.”

Garrett came back from running
Saturday errands to find the house empty. Doris had obviously come by with the birthday cake because it was in the refrigerator when he put up the milk and butter. She’d left two cards on the counter. He checked the names on the envelopes—one for Ellie and one for Wyatt. He frowned, then shook his head and walked away.

When he poked his head into Ellie’s room, he saw the remnants of wrapping paper and bows, then the suncatcher hanging on her window. He didn’t know the significance it held for her, but it made him sad he hadn’t bought any gifts. It was fairly obvious after their last conversation that she’d throw anything he came up with in his face.

He walked across the hall to Fern’s old room, then changed his mind about going inside and went to his room instead. All he wanted to do was go to bed and sleep until this nightmare was over.

He was so sick at heart that it hurt to breathe and the thought of food made his stomach turn. He kicked off his shoes, stretched out on the bedspread, then closed his eyes. He was drifting toward a semiconscious state when he thought he heard Ellie’s voice.