The end of 2018 (goodbye!) and beginning of
2019 (hello!) has been overwhelming for a lot of people, myself included. The
daily, sometimes hourly, changes in our world make heads spin and hearts seize
with fear or sorrow. Wars. Rumors of wars. Famine. Pestilence. Natural and
man-made disasters. Drug addiction. Human trafficking. Political battles.
Government shutdowns. Mudslinging and immoral, illegal, reprehensible behavior
on both sides of the political arena. Copious amounts of information bombard us
from every type of media platform. The over-stimulation is enough to turn hair
gray and brains to mush.
In my case, the above pushed me away from
social media. The new name should be UN-social media. Some platforms have
digressed into nothing but a constant barrage of negativity. Far left or
extreme right, it doesn't matter. Mud is mud and hate is hate.
The ugliness and rhetoric gave me pause when
contemplating penning another book. Or another blog post. Or another tweet or
comment online. A person's life is on public display now and all it takes is
one wrong word or move to destroy it.
Today, I decided to push past the concern
about how others perceive me or my works. Today, I embrace and celebrate the
blessings from the Lord and thank Him for every milestone.
2018 ended with the completion of the film Ruined
Wings. The book and movie mean so much to me. I know there are millions
suffering from addiction or have a loved one who's an addict. Addiction is one
of the most pressing issues we face as a society. It affects every single
sector of our world. It is my fervent hope the movie touches the lives of those
who watch and precipitates change. Watch it for free here
and remember to share!
The other exciting news is Foreseen,
based on my novel The Lie, is now available to stream on demand on
Amazon for $2.99. Click here to watch.
I enjoyed helping out with the screenplays for
both movies. Hearing words I wrote spoken by the talented cast members is
something I will never forget.
My current work-in-progress takes us back to
1983. Surviving Doodahville is a fun romp into the past. My, how we've
grown as a society from those days! Rebecca Roberts of Atlantis Audio agreed to narrate and I can't wait to hear her version of a Valley Girl!
Enjoy the first chapter of Surviving
Doodahville and remember, it is:
1. An unedited draft;
2. Fiction!
“OH MY GOD, Kee! Gnarly guy was totally
crushing on me! Did you see what he had on? Like, seriously, who dresses so
ratched? How did he even get a job at L.A. Confidential? It’s the place
to shop! He should dress to impress! His clothes looked like something my
grandpa wears on the golf course. Gag me with a spoon!”
Kee Lawson rolled her eyes while taking a
long slurp of her Orange Julius as the duo walked across the parking lot. The
cute guy working the register had been staring at her, not
Liz. There was no way she would mention the mistake to her best friend. Liz
Hendricks had to
be the center of attention everywhere she went, most of the time at the expense
of others.
Kee thought the clothes the clerk had on
were fine. Simple. Trendy.
The stonewashed jeans and green Polo shirt with the collar standing up made him
look preppy. Just Liz’s type. The look didn’t do a thing for Kee. She was in to
bad boys clad in leather and biker boots. A dark, brooding soul with a past and
anger issues, like Ken Gomez, made her knees weak and heart thump. Last year,
every time he came to English or PE class, she’d turned into a tongue-tied,
googly-eyed fool. The guy’s ass and abs were so muscular she dreamed about
them.
She considered pointing out the
similarities of store-clerk guy and Liz’s latest prey yet decided not to start
a war of words. Instead, Kee pointed to the large shopping bags emblazoned with
the names of every expensive store in the mall dangling from Liz’s thin. “Your
parents will freak at
the pool party when you strut out in such a skimpy bikini. They might kill the
fun, afraid you’ll get knocked up from sperm shooting out of all the male
guests’ boners.”
Liz’s dazzling grin, full of a set of
blinding white, perfectly aligned teeth, made her entire face light up as she
laughed.
“Wicked humor. Wicked! It’s why I hang out
with you!”
“I thought we’re still friends because you
like copying my homework?”
“Funny. Every popular girl needs a
Brainiac sidekick and a bodyguard. I get both with you!” With practiced ease,
Liz tossed a lock of thick, ebony-silk hair over her shoulder. Her sable brown
eyes danced with mischief.
Liz said the words as though joking yet
Kee knew the truth skimmed below the surface. She slipped on her sunglasses,
watching the action from the corner of her eye. Liz was one of those girls born
with the ability to make every move seem like a choreographed, sexy motion.
Moves designed to turn males into pliable jellyfish. The exotic combination of
a mother from El Salvador and black father created a stunning individual. Liz
was drop-dead gorgeous in every way possible. Her brothers were so hot they
could melt glaciers. When younger, Kee had an enormous crush on both Hendrick
boys. Though they were tall and good looking, her obsession with them
disappeared after she hit puberty. Both Hendricks boys were preppy types—no
longer her preference.
Whenever Kee tried to mimic Liz’s sexy
movements in front of the mirror at home, she looked like she was having an arm
spasm before poking herself in the eye with her thumb or pinky. The only time
she had complete control over her limbs was when on the track or volleyball
court or dancing alone inside her bedroom.
Unlocking the car door, Liz tossed the
packages into the backseat. They slid across the slick leather, landing on the
floorboard. She motioned for Kee to help her lower the top so they could soak
up some sun on the way home. “My parental units appreciate the fact I take care
of myself, unlike yours. I work hard to look like this. Those Jane Fonda tapes
are hard!
My mother spotted the suit in L.A. Confidential’s catalog. It was her idea
to buy it, not mine. It’s an exact replica of the one Phoebe Cates wore in Fast
Times at Ridgemont High.”
Kee flopped into the passenger seat and
laughed. Liz and her mom were so shallow. Their relationship was the polar
opposite of the one Kee had with her own mother. “She’s moonlighting as your
pimp now? Should I start calling her Madame Hendricks? If her next nugget of
dating advice is to wrap your body around a pole, I’m going to smack you in the
head until her crazy words leave your brain. You aren’t Jennifer Beales you
know.”
Scowling, Liz started the black Mustang.
The dual exhaust rumbled underneath them. Shooting a sideways glance at Kee,
taking in her long, muscular legs, wild auburn hair and bland face devoid of
makeup, she let the nasty jab slide. Kee was jealous over her looks, money, and
lifestyle, and the senior year present of the convertible was green icing on
the cake. “Mom knows what she’s doing. How else am I supposed to snag a rich
husband? How do you think she landed my dad? She pranced her hot self in front
of him at a college frat party wearing the same white bikini the blonde chick
wore in that Bond movie in the Sixties. She still can
fit into it, which is why Dad’s eyes wander yet he always comes home.”
Kee sucked the final traces of her drink
through the straw, lips curved into a wry smile. Liz crinkled her face in
disgust at the slurping noise. “Silly me. I thought love might have something
to do with finding someone special to spend the rest of your life with, not
lust.”
“Girl, you’re so naïve! Only the fashion
styles of the Fifties made a comeback—not the lofty ideals of true love and
soulmates! Those concepts only exist in those sappy books you read. This is the
Eighties—money, sex, and power reign. This body is my weapon, and I intend on
using it to my advantage to live the way I want.”
“Oh, ouch.
Figures you can’t see the irony.”
Liz hated it when Kee acted superior. She
would never admit it to anyone, yet the truth was Kee was smarter
when it came to the books. Liz secretly envied her, which made her angry. The
girl was a sports freak with bad eyesight. She read books for pleasure rather
than skimming through CliffsNotes the night before a test like everyone else.
Since she didn’t understand what Kee meant by the comment, she ignored her
while backing out of the parking lot. The tires barked as she tromped on the
gas pedal.
“It was a joke, girl. Get your panties out
of a wad.” Kee fidgeted in the seat, wishing she’d worn jeans rather than
shorts. The hot leather made her thighs burn. The car was gorgeous and sleek,
yet she preferred Liz’s previous one since it had cloth seats and a
non-removable top. All the wind made her worry she might pop a hard contact
lens out. “You gave me shit for old-school thinking yet you’re doing the same
thing! Marrying for money and
relying on a man to take care of your every need. I’m not the one stuck in the
past.”
Liz shrugged her shoulders as she turned
onto the street. “It worked for my mother so why not for me?”
“Whatever floats your boats, I guess. Me?
Well, there’s no way I’m going to find myself at the mercy of a man. I’ll have
my own money; make my own way in this world. Look at Elizabeth Dole! She’s the freaking
U.S. Secretary of Transportation! Sandra Day O’Conner is a justice on the U.S.
Supreme Court. Margaret Thatcher is the leader of Britain. Sally Ride is an
astronaut who went to freaking outer space! Amazing female role models abound,
capable of doing the exact same things as men. We don’t have to rely on
them for survival. Women can do anything now. We aren’t tethered to roles of
the past anymore! The sky’s the limit!”
“I want a man with no limits—especially in
the credit card department—and the bedroom.”
Kee rolled her eyes. “Bad idea, Liz. If a
relationship falls apart, I’ll still be standing because I’ll have an education
and job to fall back on. Will you?”
Turning on the air to full blast, Liz’s
cherry-red lips curved into a seductive grin as she slid on the new pair of
RayBans. “You bet. Remember, my dad’s the best damned divorce attorney in
Orange County. He hasn’t lost a case yet, and his clients are strangers.
Imagine what he could do for his one and only daughter! You know, if your
parents end up calling it quits, your mom needs to hire him. If she does, she
won’t be slaving away as a secretary at the cop shop any longer and you
wouldn’t have to work at a library. I mean, come on! Today’s the first day in
what—since our trip to Carpenteria on the Fourth of July weekend?—you’ve had
any time off to play.”
Kee sulked in the seat, mentally chiding
herself for getting roped into yet another shopping excursion with Liz. The
girl never worried about money to buy all the extravagant purchases. She
whipped out Daddy’s credit card and signed her name without a thought or care
to the amount purchased. Kee spent the last few dollars of her meager allowance
and paltry paycheck on a sugary drink her track coach would freak if he caught
her guzzling. She’d be forced to run the bleachers for hours if
he spotted her deviating from the strict diet he insisted the entire team follow.
She made a mental note to run an additional mile later.
Turning down the radio even though her
favorite song, Billie
Jean by Michael Jackson, blared from the speakers, Liz snapped her fingers.
“Earth to Kee.”
“What?”
“Don’t be mad at me for pointing out the
obvious.”
“I’m not mad. I’m offended, but I’m glad
you turned down the radio. You know I like funk and heavy metal, not pop.”
“You’re always
offended for one silly reason or another. Anyway, let’s talk about things
that are actually
happening not what-ifs. This party is the last one before our senior year
starts. Harlan RSVP’d to my invitation. There’s no way I’m letting Shay sink
her claws into him again. He got into Stanford on a full ride you know.
Premed—or prelaw?—hell, I can’t remember. Pre-something-or-other.”
Kee groaned while thinking Like
mother like daughter.
Liz wanted to get engaged straight out of
high school. Harlan Kincaid, valedictorian of Los Altos High and former star
point guard of the Raging Lions, was in her crosshairs. The self-appointed
“Dungeon Master Extraordinaire”
and former boyfriend of Shay Foster, Liz’s sworn enemy, didn’t have a clue he
was being stalked. It was so strange since the boy was a lanky nerd. The duo
made an odd pair.
Kee knew the thought of lifting a
manicured finger made Liz cringe. The girl’s plan was to move from one mansion
to another, full of enough staff members to care for her every whim, bypassing
college and heading straight into wifedom. “Liz, you’re seventeen, not
twenty-seven. You’re too smart to get married so young! What about college? A
career? Dating a guy because you like him, not for what he can do for you and
your bank account?”
“Why change the ways of the past when
they’ve worked out so well for centuries?”
“Uh, because this isn’t the
eighteen-hundreds?”
“Whatevs.” Liz grinned. “The concepts from
back then are still true. There are only two men in this world: the ones with
big brains or bulging biceps. The days of being ruled by knuckle-dragging
Neanderthals are over. Jocks are fun to look at, yet they are such prima
donnas! Remember when I dated Stefan?”
“Well duh! He was so hot ice melted in his
presence. You were the envy of the entire school.”
“No doubt! I still get
worked up when thinking about his body! The first time we did it, I creamed
before he ever got inside me. The male body is hot! Well, one’s like his are.
The rest, meh, not so much.”
“Please spare me the details. I’ve heard
them a million times before, remember? Every. Single. Detail. Real gag
me with a spoon stuff. No, with a shovel.”
“Oh please, you loved every juicy morsel.
I know you did.” Liz giggled, flashing a seductive grin at the cluster of cute
guys standing on the corner waiting for the light to change. One guy grabbed
his crotch while licking his lips. She mouthed, As if!
before turning her attention back to Kee. “You know what I didn’t tell you?”
“Seriously, I can’t handle any more
intimate details.”
“Stefan was so obsessed with keeping those
damn muscles he never paid any attention to me! You think I’m vain? Pft. I’m an
amateur compared to him. He couldn’t pass a mirror or glass surface without checking
out his reflection. He was late every single time we went out. Not me, and you
know how long I take to primp and preen! Dating him was like dating myself. If
I wanted to do that, I’d buy a vibrator! There’s only room in a relationship
for one narcissist.”
“True. You are a handful.”
Liz rolled her eyes. “Nerds, on the other
hand, appreciate any attention. Though some lack in the looks and muscle
departments, they make up for it in very interesting
ways! They will do anything
to please a woman. Anything.
Oh, and they are so creative!”
“Ewww. I can’t believe you want to marry a
man just because he enslaved you with his talents in the sack. What happens
when you’re older and can’t chase each other around the bedroom? Sex isn’t the
key to a long-standing relationship. Connection between two minds is what seals
a bond. When boinking isn’t an option, what holds the relationship together?”
“Relationship advice from a virgin.
Thanks, but I’ll pass,” Liz burst out laughing. “My parents will celebrate year
number twenty-five next spring. I guarantee you it isn’t because they ‘connect’
in any way except between the sheets. When they aren’t doing the nasty they
fight like cats and dogs. You know. You’ve heard them on more than one
occasion.”
“Please stop. I’m going to yak. I don’t
want to hear about your parents’ nocturnal activities. Yours are bad enough.”
“Wimp. I’m the one scarred for life from
all the times I’ve caught them in mid-bop in every room
in the house. Scarred!”
“Okay, topic switch before I retch. You
need to rethink your devious little plans for Harlan. He’s a nice guy, Liz.
Don’t hurt him because you think he might be the golden ticket waiting to be
cashed. Have you considered the fact he might be more interested in college
girls?”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I got my
acceptance letter to Stanford last week. Liberal Arts degree here I come. It
will be perfect,
Kee! I’ll learn all I need to be the best party planner, decorator, and hostess—ever!
Better than my mom. Mrs. Harlan Kincaid will be the envy of—”
“You got in to Stanford?” Kee gasped.
“Already? How? Your GPA is like 2.35!”
“Daddy’s got connections and a truckload
of money.” Liz patted the sleek dashboard. “Plus, Elton’s been out of school
for two years and this is Eddie’s final year. Unless they take me, it means no
more tuition from the Hendricks household after Eddie graduates. I didn’t even
fill out the forms! Totally tubular, right?”
“Totally,” Kee whispered, shocked by the
news. She would cut off a leg or arm to go to Stanford. She wanted to be a
veterinarian, which meant a lot of years in college and a boatload of tuition.
Since her parents weren’t rolling in cash, her only hope of attending college
came from winning one of the hundreds of scholarships she’d applied for plus
Pell Grants. She was a good athlete, yet not a strong enough candidate for an
athletic scholarship. Though she made good grades, her mind went blank when
taking the ACTs.
“Don’t be jealous, girl. I’ve got plans
for you, too. Totally rad plans. You may be the book Brainiac yet I’m full of
real-world smarts. Like, totally!”
“Will you please stop talking like that?
We live in San Gabriel’s valley, not San Fernando’s.”
“Guys think it’s bitchen. Harlan told me
so himself.”
“No, they don’t, and he did not.”
“Stop changing the subject. Back to my
plans for you.”
“I don’t want to hear them unless they
include adopting me into your family’s tree so your dad can pay for my
tuition.”
“I’ve got it all arranged, so stop
interrupting me. The party’s theme is Seventies disco night—”
“Disco is dead. Haven’t you heard the
news?”
“I’m aware, but it was the only way we
could convince Dad to let me have a blowout. We agreed to put him in charge of
decorations and music.”
“We?”
“Yes, we. Mom’s
going to spike his first drink with Valium. We’ll only have to listen to maybe an
hour of his boring tunes before he’s out for the night.”
Kee’s mouth gaped open. “Welcome to this
evening’s episode of Wild Kingdom, featuring the hunting techniques of two wily
females. Their quarry is the elusive nerd, though we’ve yet to understand their
reasoning for pursuing the timid creature.”
Liz laughed. “Mom knows this party is the
starting point for my plan to snag Harlan.”
“You two are ruthless.”
“No, we are planners.
Now, Ken’s going to be at the party Saturday, so tonight, I’m overhauling your
look and you won’t argue. I’ve got to figure out which direction to take—hot and
available or seductive and standoffish. A prize to be won! Since you’re wearing
contacts rather than those coke bottle glasses, I’ve got a decent palette to
work with while I pick the right direction.”
Kee yanked off her sunglasses, glaring at
Liz. She ignored the wind and drying effects on her contacts. The smug look on
Liz’s face made her even angrier. If her friend wasn’t behind the wheel, she’d
punch her in the face. “You invited Ken? Are you crazy?”
“Someone’s got to take control over your
love life. You need to pop your cherry before college. Men aren’t
interested in girls with no skills in the bedroom! Besides, rumor has it Ken’s
dad is hiring him on fulltime at the body shop after graduation and opening another
location in Escondido, bringing the total stores to eight. Business is booming,
which means money will flow like hot lava. Have you seen the upgrades they made
on their house on Del Vista? Or the new Jag his dad’s driving?”
“No. I’m not a gold-digging stalker like
you and your mom.”
Ignoring the jab, Liz pressed on. “Give
Ken the time of his life and a great blow job to boot and you’ll be at the top
of the list to become his better half. If you’re worried about certain things,
stop. You’re on the pill and I’ll ply you full of cock tails
beforehand, so—”
“I’m on the pill because I have cramps
from Hell!”
“And a side effect is it keeps your uterus
from housing a kid until you’re ready.”
“I…oh, God…this isn’t happening!
You…you’re supposed to be my best friend! Ken…I…never told you…wait! You read
my diary!”
“Why am I not surprised you still have
one?” Liz winked. “Don’t freak, girl. I didn’t read a thing. There was no need.
You talk in your sleep. On our trip to Carpenteria, you wiggled and writhed all
over the bed, cooing words of lust while
dry-humping my leg. Why do you think I moved to the couch?”
Kee wanted to cry. Heat flushed her
cheeks. She bit her bottom lip so hard blood filled her mouth.
“Oh, stop worrying, will you? It’s just
sex for God’s sake. One little strip of flesh missing in your v-jay won’t
matter to anyone except you. It’s not like you’re Princess Di and a horde of
doctors will check to make sure you’re still intact prior to marriage.”
“Liz, you can’t say a thing to anyone! I
don’t want Ken to find—”
“Your head is too overfilled with school,
books and sports to think straight, so what you think no longer counts. It’s
all in my hands, girl. Trust me. I’m going to create a masterpiece. You’ll
thank me for it later when sipping cool drinks by an inground pool without a
care in the world while your husband
brings home the bacon and the staff prepares dinner and takes care of the
rugrats.”
“I hate you.”
Liz laughed while turning onto the
cul-de-sac where Kee lived. It was a nice, older neighborhood yet she knew her
best friend could do better if she just put some effort into her appearance.
“No you don’t. You envy me. Big difference. I’m putting an end to that today. I
see past the cheap clothes and lack of personal style, though how my tastes
haven’t rubbed off on you I don’t get. No matter. There’s a caged, sexual beast
lurking under all the boring bullshit. Three hours, that’s all I ask. Three
hours and I’ll turn you into a real, live Barbie doll, just one with auburn
hair. You know, a sexed-up, taller, bigger chested, not-as-many-freckles
version of Molly Ringwald. One guaranteed to make your real, live Ken doll jizz
his pants while watching you saunter in to the party.”
Kee scowled. “I don’t know, Liz. It’s not
me.”
“Right, but it will be.
Trust me.”
“Trust you? Why? You don’t even understand
my hidden identity is clad in black and leather, like Joan Jett. Some best
friend you are.”
“Oh stop. Leave the ’rents a note, pack a
bag, and hurry back. I can’t wait to get at those eyebrows. We’re supposed to
have two, you know.”
“You’re so mean. I don’t know why we’re
still friends.”
“You love me and know I’ve got your best
interests at heart, that’s why. I told you the day in fourth grade when you
stopped Tim Bates when he had me cornered in the lunchroom—”
“What in the world?” Kee interrupted,
shocked to see her father’s car in the driveway. It was only three o’clock and
on a weekday which never happened.
Her accountant father was always
at work, and when he was home, he locked himself in his study while hunched
over the desk, crunching numbers.
Before she had a chance to exit the car,
he appeared on the front porch. Normally dapper and calm, hair always in place
and expression inviting, his current appearance was a mess. Sweat stains under
his armpits, mussed hair sticking up in all directions, and patches of red on
his cheeks, made Kee’s stomach tighten up. She noticed he was smoking. Instead
of saying something embarrassing like “Hey, sweet pea,” or similar as he
usually did, he just nodded once, motioning for Kee to come inside.
“Something’s wrong. I’ll call you later,”
Kee muttered while opening the door.
“Excuses, excuses. I’ve waited for years
to transform you into a hot dish. One more day won’t hurt. Tomorrow night
you’re all mine. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Kee flipped her friend the bird before
slamming the door shut. She let out a sigh of relief as the Mustang disappeared
down the street. The thought of letting Liz loose with implements of torture
masquerading as beauty aids made her cringe.
“I’m glad you’re home, Kass. Come inside.
We need to talk.”
Kee stopped at the foot of the concrete
steps. Her father only used her full name when she was in trouble. She tried
yet couldn’t come up with anything she’d done wrong in recent weeks. A chill
ran up her spine—had he found her journal and read it? “Mom’s going to flip if
she catches you smoking. What’s going on, Dad? I thought you quit?”
Stubbing out the butt, Kevin Lawson
noticed the slight tremor in his hand. He quickly shoved the trembling limb
into his pocket instead of caressing his daughter’s shoulder. “It’s Aunt
Lurlene. Come help me get things packed before your mother arrives home from
work. We don’t have much time to spare.”
“Pack? Why?” Kee’s eyes widened. “What’s
wrong with Aunt Lurlene? Did she die or something?”
“No, but she’s very ill. Skeeter called me
at work and said she’s on her death bed and the doctors are asking all
relatives to gather before it’s too late to say goodbye. We’re leaving for
Arkansas tonight.”
Kee almost laughed. Having a cousin named
Skeeter was something straight out of a Mark Twain novel. “I…I can’t go! I’ve
got work tomorrow and Liz is hosting a back to school party on Saturday.”
“You’ll call your boss and request time
off for a family emergency, just like I did and your mother will do once I have
a chance to break the news, and I’m afraid you’ll have to miss the party.”
“Dad, I need the money! School starts in
less than a month and I’ve got to buy new clothes. I’ve only saved up
two-hundred which won’t buy hardly a thing. It’s my senior year!”
“Don’t start with me, Kassandra. I’ve had
a very stressful day and it’s not going to get any better as night falls while
we travel. Aunt Lurlene didn’t fall ill just to inconvenience your active
social life so stop acting as though she did. Besides, she’s kin, and when a
family member is in crisis, no matter where they are, we rally together. End of
story.”
Kee noticed the pain and anger behind her
father’s bright blue eyes. The lines on his forehead seemed more pronounced
than before. He did his best to hide his southern drawl most of the time, yet
it snuck out when angry or stressed. Aunt Lurlene was the closest thing he had
to a mother or father. Her mother once mentioned both his parents were dead and
his aunt Lurlene raised him, alone, in the backwoods of Daltville, Arkansas.
Despite her misgivings about the situation, she felt bad for giving him a hard
time.
Kee sighed. “What time does our flight
leave?”
“We’re taking the red-eye to Dallas then
we’ll rent a car and drive the rest of the way. It was too expensive to fly to
Little Rock on such short notice. I’ve already made reservations. We’ll leave
for the airport right after dinner.”
Following her nervous-looking father
inside, Kee felt relieved she would miss Liz’s party, which was immediately
followed by shame for using a relative’s impending death as a way to escape the
possibility of losing her virginity to Ken Gomez. “I’ll pack my stuff and Mom’s
if you make dinner, then I’ll go ask Ms. Davis next door to feed Tinker, okay?”
Sliding an arm around his daughter’s
strong shoulders, Kevin gave her a grateful smile then tousled her red curls.
“I forgot all about your cat! Good thinking. You’re something else, sugar. At
least you’ve got a good head on your shoulders in a time of crisis. Thank you.
Here.”
Kee’s eyebrows raised in shock while
watching her father extract a wad of cash from his wallet before cramming it
into her purse. “Is this a bribe so I won’t tell Mom I caught you smoking?”
“Let’s pretend it isn’t and is really for
some new clothes when we get back from our trip. Can’t have my girl wearing
styles from last year, right?”
“Sure, Daddy. Thanks. Our little secret.”
Kevin cleared his throat several times,
forcing the lump of tears away. “I knew you’d be here for me. For the family.
You may be a California girl, but your roots are true southern, just like
mine.”
If you knew why I’m
caving, Daddy, you’d flip your lid. Promise. Oh, I can’t wait to write in my journal
about how you saved me from making a big mistake because I don’t think I could
keep my cool—and my virginity—if alone with Ken for too long.
Kee slipped away from her father’s embrace
then disappeared down the hall to her bedroom to pack. Spotting Tinker curled
into a tight ball on the middle of her bed, she flopped next to him, burying
her face in his soft fur. “I’m going to miss you, buddy. You keep watch while
we’re gone. Okay?”
Giving a final smooch on the cat’s fluffy
white head, Kee slipped on her headphones, turning the volume almost to ten.
Golden Earring’s Twilight
Zone blared in her ears as Kee went about the task of packing. Though she’d
only been a young child on the one, previous trip down south, she remembered
enough. Visiting Daltville, Arkansas was like stepping into another dimension.
Kee sang along while tossing clothes onto
the bed, thinking the words to the song were beyond appropriate.
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