What Happened That Night

7

Ruth Anne

Texas - 2018

Standingon the Congress Avenue bridge in downtown Austin, I questioned my sanity in allowing Brandy and Lia to drag me across town to see the bats. I wasn’t a risk-taker, which was why my girls were so good for me. Still, bats? How could I not worry despite the experts insisting that these little mammals were far more interested in eating insects than taking a bite out of me?

“Here they come.” Brandy lifted her phone to video the hundreds of bats flying up from beneath the bridge.

I started to close my eyes, but then curiosity kept them open. There was something incredibly majestic about the way these creatures soared into the sky. As they ascended higher and higher, I let go of my fear and just enjoyed the moment.

“That’s amazing,” Brandy said.

I nodded. “It really is.”

Lia fanned herself with a tourist map the hotel had given us. At five months pregnant, she was deeply bothered by the heat. Perhaps I should’ve discouraged her from coming down to Texas where it was so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.

Actually, I knew that wasn’t true. Cheryl and I had tried frying an egg on the sidewalk that summer we lived with the sheriff and his wife while our dad was in rehab. After an hour, Cheryl got bored and gave up. I lasted a little longer only because I had a good book to read.

I read a lot that summer, thanks to Mrs. Enquist who was the school librarian and provided us with an endless supply of books. Later in life, when I’d grown tired of working at the restaurant with Salvador and his grandmother, I became a school librarian myself, a credit to the sheriff’s wife.

Over the years, the two of us had kept in touch with the occasional letter or phone call. Several years ago, Mrs. Enquist and the sheriff had retired to Costa Rica where she told me every day was a vacation.

“I think that’s the last of them.” Yawning, Lia peeked over the bridge to confirm that all the bats were gone for the night.

Knowing she was exhausted, I suggested that we head back to the hotel. “It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will be busy as well.”

Lia tugged down her shirt before tapping away at her phone. “Actually, I’m meeting someone for drinks in about five minutes.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Just a client from work. Oliver. I redid his website last spring.”

“The bike shop guy?” Brandy asked.

Lia nodded. “There’s my ride. I’ll see you back at the hotel in a little bit.”

Telling myself not to worry, I watched my daughter hustle through the crowd and jump into a stranger’s car, leaving Brandy and me on our own. “They do background checks on those rideshare drivers, right?”

My niece nodded. “Yes, of course. They’re perfectly safe.”

I rolled my eyes. “Nothing is perfectly safe, honey.”

Brandy laughed and threw an arm around me. “How about we check out that bookstore over on Lamar Boulevard? We can grab a coffee and maybe some dessert.”

“That sounds perfect.”

Brandy and I had always shared an interest in books. Before becoming a mother, she’d been the full-time reading specialist at my school. Now she worked part-time for another school district in order to spend more time with her boys.

After learning that the bookstore was closing early due to a sold-out event, Brandy and I took our dessert back to the air-conditioned hotel with the intention of watching a movie. To our surprise, we discovered Lia showered and already in bed.

“What happened to your hot date?” Brandy asked.

“It wasn’t a date,” Lia mumbled, clearly upset. “I didn’t feel like hanging out, so I came back early.”

I didn’t believe her, but getting Lia to open up these days was impossible. Deciding to give her space in case she wanted to talk to Brandy, I excused myself and went downstairs to ask the front desk about breakfast options. Tomorrow morning, we’d be leaving early to drive to Mayford for my meeting with the lead voter on the parole board. Both Brandy and Lia had insisted on coming with me to show their support, which was super sweet.

By the time I returned to the room, the girls were propped up in bed watching a movie. I brushed my teeth and washed my face before crawling into my own bed. As much as I wanted to stay up and watch TV with my girls, I fell asleep right away. Unfortunately, that meant I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back asleep.