Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
She looks to him then back to me.
I keep laying it on. “They have the most comfortable lounge chairs. He can swim and you can catch some sun or take a nap.”
Without asking, I go grab a basket right as the washer ends on her first load. I automatically start taking the clothes out.
“I didn’t think this through,” she mutters to herself. “Fuck. He’s gonna get him and I’ll never get him back. I need to think.”
I reach out and she jumps, and I back off. “I’m sorry. You look like you could use a break. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t need to know.” I pause deciding if I’m really going to do this. “I get it. I got something I gotta run from too. My place, they don’t have cameras, they don’t ask questions.”
She takes in my words.
“Look babe, woman to woman,” I look to her son, “mother to mother, “I lie, “we are shit if we aren’t well rested. Let me help you and at least you can get a little sleep while your clothes finish. If you want to go, I’ll pack you and your boy a snack bag and send you down the road. If you want to stay, I’ll book a room for you under my name. No questions asked.”
Her eyes light up. “You would do that for me?”
I look to her son, “for him, yes.” I tell her the truth. I’m not a mom. I don’t know what she’s feeling. What I do know is Hellions take family to heart. That boy of hers, he’s family. For him, I’ll do anything including face my ex.
I don’t know much about Karma, but everything anyone has ever said is he’s a good dad. I don’t know this woman and I don’t know why she has taken off. What I do know is her son seems sad.
The Hellions coming here means I can’t stay even though I want to.
I can hold her off and bolt just before they come. If I time it right, I’ll be in the wind before Wes can pin me down and ask questions I don’t want to answer.
That is my plan. While I get her situated at the Oasis, I’ll pack my shit and hit the road as soon as they get close. This was good while it lasted, but this is the life I’ve chosen.
For Wesson to be untouched by my baggage, I’ll stay on the move until I can find a solution for everyone.
Gathering her things, I load them in my car trying to do anything to keep her on the path to stick things out with me. She doesn’t question it. The more I study her the more I don’t think she’s on something. I think she’s exhausted. Without asking for details, she gets in her car with her son and follows me down to Suds for Ya Duds. We put her clothes in the dryers as I give her the directions to my motel and the key card.
“I usually walk. Since we have your clothes, I’ll take you over to Oasis. Leave your car here, when the clothes are done, we can put them in your car. Your son, I’m sorry, I didn’t catch his name or yours, he can swim until they are done.”
She smiles softly, “Hollis, his name is Hollis. My name is Anna.”
“I’m Emmalee, I told you that already, but it seems to fit in as the proper reply.” I try for nonchalance. “Although, I’m not good at proper.”
“Your child? Boy or girl,” Anna inquires, and I’m stuck.
I don’t have a kid. I did tell her that, though, another lie has to be told. “I have a daughter. Sophia. She’s with my mother.” The lies roll off my tongue but inside it burns to do this.
“How old?” She’s really trying to be sincere. I study her son and take a guess.
“Nine, your son?”
She smiles while wrapping her arm around him, “he’s nine too. Maybe they can meet.”
“My mom doesn’t live here,” I explain. At least that isn’t a lie. “She’ll bring Sophia back to me soon though.”
Anna smiles brightly, “it’s never fun to be away from them even with family.”
I nod moving about the task of getting the dryers going for her. Leading the way, I get her and Hollis in my car to go the block to the motel. How am I going to get word to Wesson and how will I know when they get close?
Questions go crazy in my head. How can I convince her to stay overnight? It’s going to be at least ten hours before they can get here driving. And flying, well, I don’t fly enough to know how long a flight will take to book much less arrive.
I’m in too deep.
Anna and Hollis look around as we exit my car. “I’m in lucky number seven,” I explain leading them to my door. “It’s not much but it’s home for now.”