A while? I thought. We'd been here a long time. What was he doing all that time?
He turned to Robert. "I'll back my truck in. I've got a chain on it. We'll hook it to the axle and pull you out. Get in and put the car in neutral," he ordered. Robert got back into the car quickly. "And make sure you don't have any brakes on," Cary warned before returning to his truck.
"I can't believe . . your brother," Robert mumbled. We turned and watched Cary turn the truck around and then back it up toward us. He approached with the chain and crawled under Robert's car. "Why would he follow us like this?" Robert whispered.
"Lucky for us he did," I replied, choosing not to even think about his question at the moment.
"It's all set," Cary called. "Get ready."
He returned to the truck and slowly drove forward. We felt Robert's car jerk and then lift out of the holes he had dug with the tires. The car bounced along the beach road until we were on more solid ground. Cary stopped and returned to detach his chain.
Robert stepped out.
"Thanks a lot," he said sheepishly.
"I didn't do it for you. I did it for Laura," Cary replied. He stepped over to my side of the car. "You better come home with me, Laura," he said.
"I'll take her home," Robert said.
"It looks like it's safer if she drives with me," Cary said, and even in the darkness, I could see Robert turn bright red.
"If I don't come home with Robert, Daddy will wonder why, Cary."
"So?"
"You're not going to tell him about this," I pleaded.
"No, of course not," he said quickly. "Okay, but it's getting late," he warned. He looked at Robert. "And I'm not going to hang around here to bail you out again."
He strutted back to his truck and then drove away. Robert got back into the car and pulled out, driving slowly.
"Why did he follow us, Laura?"
"He was bored, I suppose," I said. It was weak, but it was all I could think to say.
"Was he there all the time, sitting in his truck right behind us? Watching us? Spying on us?"
I started to speak, but just shook my head instead.
"Those idiots back at the dance were right, you know. He was in the parking lot. You've got to help him, Laura. You've got to help him realize you can't be his little sister forever," Robert said.
"I know, Robert. Let's not talk about it right now, please," I begged. Just thinking about Cary's weird obsession with Robert and me brought tears to my eyes and put a lump in my throat.
"Okay," he said, and we were both
uncomfortably silent until my house came into view.
"I'm sorry for what happened," Robert said after he parked in our driveway. "Cary was right to bawl me out for it. I just hope it didn't ruin your night."
"No, it didn't. I had a wonderful time, Robert. Really, I did."
"Me too," he said. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Let me call you. It'll be easier that way," I said.
"Okay. If that's what you want." He looked worried.
"I'll call. I promise," I said. He smiled and we kissed quickly before I hopped out of his car. "Thanks for a wonderful evening, Robert."