caught it, but Newton’s Second Law kept her going right into the road. And that’s when I saw the car coming. Kayla was there, and I wasn’t. I couldn’t stop her, and I couldn’t stop the car. I saw her go down, and I’ll never forget it. Never ever.
The police asked a million questions, but I was shaking so hard I could barely talk. I pointed at the driver.
“She’s the one. Ask her. She called you. She told me to get a blanket for Kayla.”
That was true. The woman—her name was Sarah something-or-other—had to take charge. I wasn’t too proud of myself but glad she knew what to do. I thought she’d really kept her cool until I saw her vomit after the cops showed up. Then she fell to the curb, her arms and legs shaking as hard as mine. Maybe she was the one in shock. In the end, it was all about angles and velocity and coincidence.
“Not your fault, man.” My friends gathered round all through the following weeks, their presence needed, their loyalty matching the Marine Corps code. Without Danny and the guys to lean on, I would have gone nuts. Sometimes, they couldn’t hide their pity; sometimes they still couldn’t, but I’d rather hang out with them than be at home. My senior year of high school had gone down the sewer.
“Hey, Ian. Give it a break, will ya?”
“Huh? What?” I looked around. Danny was on the sidelines, watching me play alone, watching me take all the shots, catch all the rebounds, dribbling and driving.... I was soaked with sweat. I looked over at him then down at myself. My legs began to shake just like on that day, and I slowly folded to the ground.
Stay with her, Ian. I don’t want her alone in the house.
But, Mom, I’ve got my own life. Danny’s waiting. We’ve got practice and projects. C’mon. I’m not a friggin’ babysitter!
“Oh, shit, Ian! Don’t die on me.” Danny was hauling me to my feet. “Come on inside. You need some Gatorade. And we’ll have something to eat.”
“You sound like your mother.
Have something to eat
,” I mimicked, trying to regain my composure.
Danny roared. That’s exactly what I liked about him. He could laugh at everything, especially at himself. “So, maybe she has the right idea,” he countered. “Food’s always good.”
I began laughing too. And for a moment, it was like old times at Danny’s house or mine.
We washed up and dug into leftovers that could pass for a meal anyplace else. Chicken drumsticks, meatballs, and Italian bread. I filled up. Now I wouldn’t have to eat with my folks.
“So, if you’re not going to work with your dad in the business, where are you going to work?” asked Danny, continuing the conversation we’d started in the locker room.
“I’ve got some ideas floating in my brain. I went to the career office today, and the staff is helping me get organized for that job search.”
“I didn’t even know we had a career office. So, you gonna work on the Geek Squad at Best Buy?”
“Nope. At least I don’t think so. The counselors are lining up an interview for me at Gulf Coast Oil Refinery.”
Danny’s eyes almost popped out of his head. “An oil refinery? Hell, Ian. That’s crazy! What do you know about oil plant operations?”
“Not much, but we figured out in the career office that I’m hot with a computer, great in math and science, know something about the construction trades, and I’m used to tackling projects and organizing information.” That last one definitely came from the counselor. My mom would appreciate it too.
Yeah, Mom, I can organize some things.
I had Danny’s full attention now and gave him the clincher. “The most important part is that the job’s fifty miles away from here, and that’s absolutely perfect.”
I didn’t care about being an apprentice, about the low pay. All I cared about was leaving the dark days behind me and escaping my mother’s gaze.
Chapter 7
CLAIRE
Ian’s decision to “postpone” college and move out had
The police asked a million questions, but I was shaking so hard I could barely talk. I pointed at the driver.
“She’s the one. Ask her. She called you. She told me to get a blanket for Kayla.”
That was true. The woman—her name was Sarah something-or-other—had to take charge. I wasn’t too proud of myself but glad she knew what to do. I thought she’d really kept her cool until I saw her vomit after the cops showed up. Then she fell to the curb, her arms and legs shaking as hard as mine. Maybe she was the one in shock. In the end, it was all about angles and velocity and coincidence.
“Not your fault, man.” My friends gathered round all through the following weeks, their presence needed, their loyalty matching the Marine Corps code. Without Danny and the guys to lean on, I would have gone nuts. Sometimes, they couldn’t hide their pity; sometimes they still couldn’t, but I’d rather hang out with them than be at home. My senior year of high school had gone down the sewer.
“Hey, Ian. Give it a break, will ya?”
“Huh? What?” I looked around. Danny was on the sidelines, watching me play alone, watching me take all the shots, catch all the rebounds, dribbling and driving.... I was soaked with sweat. I looked over at him then down at myself. My legs began to shake just like on that day, and I slowly folded to the ground.
Stay with her, Ian. I don’t want her alone in the house.
But, Mom, I’ve got my own life. Danny’s waiting. We’ve got practice and projects. C’mon. I’m not a friggin’ babysitter!
“Oh, shit, Ian! Don’t die on me.” Danny was hauling me to my feet. “Come on inside. You need some Gatorade. And we’ll have something to eat.”
“You sound like your mother.
Have something to eat
,” I mimicked, trying to regain my composure.
Danny roared. That’s exactly what I liked about him. He could laugh at everything, especially at himself. “So, maybe she has the right idea,” he countered. “Food’s always good.”
I began laughing too. And for a moment, it was like old times at Danny’s house or mine.
We washed up and dug into leftovers that could pass for a meal anyplace else. Chicken drumsticks, meatballs, and Italian bread. I filled up. Now I wouldn’t have to eat with my folks.
“So, if you’re not going to work with your dad in the business, where are you going to work?” asked Danny, continuing the conversation we’d started in the locker room.
“I’ve got some ideas floating in my brain. I went to the career office today, and the staff is helping me get organized for that job search.”
“I didn’t even know we had a career office. So, you gonna work on the Geek Squad at Best Buy?”
“Nope. At least I don’t think so. The counselors are lining up an interview for me at Gulf Coast Oil Refinery.”
Danny’s eyes almost popped out of his head. “An oil refinery? Hell, Ian. That’s crazy! What do you know about oil plant operations?”
“Not much, but we figured out in the career office that I’m hot with a computer, great in math and science, know something about the construction trades, and I’m used to tackling projects and organizing information.” That last one definitely came from the counselor. My mom would appreciate it too.
Yeah, Mom, I can organize some things.
I had Danny’s full attention now and gave him the clincher. “The most important part is that the job’s fifty miles away from here, and that’s absolutely perfect.”
I didn’t care about being an apprentice, about the low pay. All I cared about was leaving the dark days behind me and escaping my mother’s gaze.
Chapter 7
CLAIRE
Ian’s decision to “postpone” college and move out had
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