Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
I could tell my answer threw her and her husband for a second, but they regrouped pretty quick. “I’m sure it’s in there that I’m doing pretty well in my studies. I don’t plan to spend my life on the field. Right now, it’s the most important thing because of my dad, but I have a contingency plan for the future, not to worry.”
“Your father’s going to be fine. We spoke just yesterday, and he seems in much better spirits now that he knows there’s help coming.”
“You talked to my dad?” I’d have expected her husband, the doctor, to be in contact with my parents, but her? I have to call dad and find out if he’s okay.
“Of course. Weren’t you planning on taking my daughter there in a few weeks?”
“How do you know all this?” I knew Lisa hadn’t told her or her dad because she was afraid of them knowing how far our relationship had gone, and going home with me might springboard their imaginations into overdrive.
“Mr. Baxter, Cody, the girl sitting beside you is my pride and joy, her father’s too. There’s nothing we own that’s worth more than her. Everything you see here has been insured.” She held out her arms with the huge rocks on her fingers and the widest bracelet I’d ever seen on her wrist. “What do you think I will do if my daughter is going hundreds of miles away from home?”
“I’m not following.”
“Jessica, Alexis, come in here, please.” I watched Lisa’s two friends walk into the room, but they looked way different from what I remember. For one, they were dressed in combat gear or something close to it. And gone were the looks of fresh-faced college freshmen. They hadn’t changed much about their appearance, mind you, but it was in their eyes. Their eyes and the way they held their bodies.
“Mom, what’s going on?” Lisa looked as surprised as I was.
“Did you ever wonder why I liked Jessica so much? Have I ever liked anyone?”
“Well, no!”
“Jessica wasn’t meant to be your friend; she was hired to protect you. But the two of you hit it off so well things changed, and I allowed you two to get close. Now before you go blaming her, Jessica genuinely adores you, had it not been so, I would’ve sent her far away from you by now.”
“And Alexis?”
I could hear the tremble in Lisa’s voice. “Same deal. We couldn’t have you rooming with just anyone now, could we? And the school had some kind of stupid mix-up when you got sick just before school started, so we had to improvise. Your father and I decided on all of this together, so don’t go playing favorites.” Jess and Alexis looked anywhere but at the two of us, and I was still trying to wrap my head around everything we’d just heard.
“No wonder you two were so good at finding out stuff. What about Melissa?” Lisa asked her mom.
“She’s not one of ours, at least she wasn’t before. We’ll see.” And I just fell down the rabbit hole. Lisa was still looking back and forth between her two friends, and I wasn’t sure what to make of what I’d just learned.
“I don’t understand; what’s Jess supposed to be, like a bodyguard? And Alexis too.” I had to ask; I couldn’t keep it in any longer.
“Yes, to both. I know, they don’t look it right. Jess can take you and your whole football team down single-handedly without breaking a sweat, and Alexis, well, her strengths lay elsewhere, though she can hold her own as well.”
I was afraid to ask what that meant, and she didn’t offer an explanation, so we left it at that. Jess looked sheepish, and I almost felt sorry for her, but I felt worst for Lisa. “You okay, baby? I don’t think Jess was faking your friendship. You heard what your mom said; she grew fond of you.” I’d forgotten for a second that the others were there, but she was looking so down I couldn’t stand it.
“I know, but. Mom…you. Dad!”
“Don’t look at me; it was your mother’s idea.”
“Lies, we both decided.”
“I don’t understand; why do I need protection? Why keep it a secret?”
“You’ve met your grandparents? My mother and father?”
“Well, yes, what does that have to do with this?”
“How many grandchildren does your grandfather have?”
“There’s just me. Mom, I don’t understand; what are you trying to say?”
“She’s saying be grateful we stepped in, and you only have these two. If your grandfather had his way, well, you get the idea.”
“I like it. How many more of you are they?” I looked at Jessica and Alexis before turning back to Mrs. Davenport. “Tell your dad to send more.” I didn’t expect to get a laugh out of my new mother-in-law; I was being very serious when I said that shit. She laughs like her daughter, tinkling sleigh bells on a cold winter’s day.