Escaping the Past

“Give the boy some credit. He was brought up to know what’s important, even if he forgot for a while. He can’t run from everyone who loves him.”

****

Lou walked around in a fearful trance. The most taxing thing she did over the next few days was help some of the ranch hands herd the wild mare into a foaling pen. Her delivery date was quickly approaching and Lou was afraid for her to foal in the wild because of animals that would pose a threat to the new foal. They were able to move her with enough riders on horseback that they didn’t even need to rope her. They just herded her into a fenced area close to the barns.

During the day, Lou jumped at non-existent shadows; at night, she fought demons that clutched at her throat and stole her breath. Between the bad dreams, she also fought the memories of Brody that crept across her skin like a gentle breeze.

On Saturday afternoon, Sarah woke and wanted to go play outside. Lou wouldn’t let her out of her sight, so she grabbed a book and went to sit on the front porch so she could watch Sarah play in the yard. The child could entertain herself for hours on the swing set or in a pile of dirt. John came out and joined Lou on the porch.

He sat down in the rocker beside her and asked quietly, “You doing all right?”

Lou responded absently, “Fine.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” he asked, his hand covering hers.

Lou felt the tears threaten to spill over her lashes and dashed them away with the back of her hand.

“You know she’s going to be just fine, Lou. She’s going away from here with Jeb and Sadie. No safer place she could be.”

“I know. I’ve just never been away from her before,” Lou pouted.

“You need to stop,” he cajoled gently.

“Can you watch her while I go and wash my face?” Lou asked as she got up from her chair and reached for the screen door.

“Sure thing. Won’t take my eyes off her.” He made the Boy Scout sign with his fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

Lou went into the house to the bathroom and splashed some cold water onto her face. She took a long look in the mirror and was surprised by the dark circles under her eyes and the frown lines. She rubbed her cheeks to add some color and fluffed her bangs. She tightened her ponytail and went back outside. As she stepped through the screen door, she raised a hand to shield her eyes so she could block the sun’s glare and get a better look at the car throwing up dust as it came down the long driveway.

The red convertible stopped in front of the house and the driver turned off the vehicle. Beautiful feet in strappy, high-heeled sandals hit the ground first, followed by legs that were a mile long. John whistled low under his breath as the driver bent over to retrieve something from the passenger seat, her black miniskirt rising to an almost indecent height.

The beauty stepped up onto the porch and extended a hand to Lou as she swung her head, causing her long, blond, perfectly sculpted hair to fall back over her shoulders.

“You must be Lou,” she said boldly as Lou reached to shake the offered and.

“Yes, I am. I think we met at Mrs. Wester’s funeral, although your name escapes me.” Lou tried to sound just as haughty and well put together, but failed miserably.

“Elizabeth Patton. Brody and I grew up together.” She snickered delicately behind her hand and whispered as though it was confidential, “We actually did a little more than just grow up together.”

“Boy, did they,” John said under his breath. Lou shushed him by slapping his arm.

Lou tried to keep her composure. “Well, what can we do for you, Miss Patton?”

“Actually, I’m here to see Brody. We have a date to prepare for.”

“A what?” Lou asked.

“A date?” Elizabeth sounded almost like she was asking the question herself when she looked into Lou’s eyes.

She tried to sound polite. “I guess no one told you Brody went back home. He’s not even here at the farm anymore.” Lou thought she could one-up Elizabeth. She failed at that, too.

“He just called me this morning. It was a kind of a last minute thing.” Elizabeth twittered her hands in front of her, clutching a clipboard. They both heard the car coming up the drive at the same time and Elizabeth turned and pointed.

“See. There he is now.”

“Sure enough,” John said. “There’s a cab.”

“I see that, John. Thanks.” Lou ground her teeth together.