I run into the house and throw myself down on my bed feeling so confused.
Chapter 6
My Saturday morning is just peachy, my mother can’t find her long black wig and that is Mr. Saturday Night’s favorite look on her. And I am an ungrateful burden whom she has to drive to her babysitting job. I am going to make her late for her date she says yelling at me. I know she has been drinking today and you would think her words would hurt me but they don’t. I have grown used to it over the years. With Nancy, you never know what kind of week she is having. If it is a good week you get overbearing loves you more than life Nancy but if it is a bad week you get raging lunatic Nancy who swears a lot.
We manage to get into the car and make it to the Miller’s house in complete silence. She doesn’t even ask if I need her to pick me up later and the Millers live too far out for me to walk back home. I could ask Penny and Aaron to pick me up, they have before, but I really don’t want to go to his party. Hell, he probably wouldn’t leave his ‘party’ to give me a ride anyway.
Penny sent me a picture of the dress she is going to wear tonight, deciding against the outfit I picked for her and said she thought tonight was definitely the night they would finally do it. I tried telling her it was a bad idea but she got defensive.
I wanted to talk to her about Becks, but I don’t get the chance to.
I knock on the door and Mrs. Miller greets me with a sour look on her face.
“Katie I’m so sorry, I meant to call you. Chase has been vomiting nonstop for the past hour. I hate that you came all this way for nothing. Let me get Jason to drive you home.” I stand awkwardly in the foyer. I really wish they could have called before I made the trip. But I get it, the kid is sick. I really can’t afford the gas money my mom will ask for if I call her to turn around and come back for me since I’m not getting paid now. Yeah, my mom makes me give her gas money for driving me. I have my license but she won’t let me drive her car ever, unless it benefits her.
Mr. Miller smiles at me. He is a dentist so of course he has perfect white teeth. “Let me grab my coat then we can head out. Jenny, you need anything from the store while I’m out? Want me to get Chase some juice or crackers.” He shoves his arms through the sleeves of his tweed blazer.
“That’d be great. If I think of anything else I’ll text you.” She kisses him on his chiseled jaw. The man looks more like he stepped out of a J Crew catalog than a dentist. Actually, they are the picture perfect family. Even their dog is good looking. I wrap my scarf tighter around my neck preparing to be blasted by the cold once more.
Mr. Miller steps around me opening the door and the chilly air hits the back of my throat as I breathe in. A few snowflakes have started to dance in the wind. His keyless entry clicks unlocking the doors of the minivan his wife normally drives. He is a true gentleman opening the door for me. I slide into the seat and secure my seatbelt. Jason opens his door and another blast of blustery cold whips across my cheeks. Blowing his warm breath over his large masculine hands as he rubs them together, he looks over at me and winks. “Getting nasty out. Looks like we would have been staying in tonight either way.”
The snow has already began to cover the windshield in a thick wintery blanket. I smile back at him, ready for him to get the van started so it can warm up and I can get home. There is a marathon of Valentine’s Day themed movies coming on the Hallmark channel; I was looking forward to watching, even if that channel is fuzzy. Clipping his belt across his shoulder, he finally gets the keys in the ignition and turns the motor over. I guess winter wanted to give us one last show before spring arrives.
“Let’s give it a minute to warm up. Then I’ll get you home before you get stuck here for the weekend.”
“Sounds good.” I dig through my bag for a piece of gum. The windshield wipers are making a grating sound. The snow is covering the glass just as quickly as it is swiped away. We slowly back out of the driveway after what seems like an hour but in reality, it has probably been five minutes.
We make it across the train tracks and he pulls in at the Grab ‘N Go. “I just need to run in real quick and grab some Gatorade and crackers for Chase.”
“Sure.” I fiddle with the radio once he goes inside the store. I could walk from here. My house is just a few blocks away. But the way the snow is falling and the way the temperature continues to drop, I’ll wait it out. An important emergency weather alert starts making that god-awful beep blaring sound. The report says the snow is falling heavier and faster than anticipated. They are advising everyone to get inside and stay off the roads. At least I am almost home. The lights inside the filling station flicker off and on. I really hope the power doesn’t go out. I hear a ping from inside my bag. It’s my mom sending me an iMessage, she will be staying put at the hotel with Mr. Saturday. I tell her I am fine and not to worry. Mr. Miller is driving me home.
This isn’t the first or last time my mom has left me on my own for a date. Jason places a few bags in the backseat and hurries to climb into his driver’s seat. “Really getting bad now,” he states and begins to creep slowly down the street.
We skid and slide across the road a few times. The red light we are stopped at by the church fades to a soft glow before flickering completely off. The engine starts to make a sputtering sound. “Shit,” he curses under his breath. “I forgot to get gas.?
? He turns to me. “I am going to coast us over to the church, I will walk you home then I will head back to the Grab ‘N Go to get gas. Sorry,” he apologizes.
“No biggie.” I shrug my shoulders. “I can walk myself it’s not that far.”
“Katie I will get you home. I can’t just let you go wandering off alone in the middle of a blizzard.” We coast into the empty parking lot of the church.
I figured there would be a shelter set up. Unless the backup generators are down. They are old and I heard Aaron saying something about his father complaining about getting them replaced. Then I remember they started doing the storm stuff at the school’s gymnasium. They only open the church up now if they need the extra space.
The car is completely dead now. The locks click. I wrap my scarf once more and prepare to brace the cold walk home. Only the door is locked. I look over at Jason confused. “Mr. Miller can you unlock my door please.”
He leans across the console. “You know, you look a lot like your mother Katie. You have her eyes.” He sniffs my hair and I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. My hand is gripping the door handle, not that it is doing me any good. If I grip it any tighter, my fingers are going to split open.
“I used to see her. She’s the one who recommended I hire you as a sitter. I think you and I could come to an arrangement. I would be willing to pay you more. I could start driving you home.” He winks at me and I think I am going to be sick. I don’t feel butterflies in my stomach. I feel as though crows are pecking at my stomach walls.
“I’d like to go home now,” I tell him calmly although on the inside I am slowly dying. My worst fear is coming true.
He cups my face, roughly. “Don’t be scared. I want us to be friends.”
“I have enough friends,” I manage to spit out before he clamps his mouth down onto mine, trying to shove his tongue in my mouth. I press hard against his chest, but he doesn’t stop. My back is pressed so hard against the door you’d think I was melting into it. Why couldn’t I have went with Penny to Aaron’s party like a normal kid? Then I’d be snowed in there with them, and not here dealing with this insanity.
Realizing I’m not giving in to his advances he pulls away from my mouth. “Damn it.” He beats his fist on the dashboard. “I’m sorry Katie, I don’t know what came over me. It’s just that I thought…”
“You thought I was like my mother,” I finish for him.