you come with me? Arizona, you’re fine here with your dad, aren’t you? What have you told him?” Kevin asked.
“Well, he’s not actually here,” I replied sourly. “But, yes, I’m totally fine here.”
“You should go and stay with one of your friends or with the Goldens until he gets back,” David said.
“Oh, I’m used to it. I’ll be fine.”
“Arizona, do you have money for essentials? I’m not happy with you staying here on your own, especially after what you’ve been through,” Kevin said concerned.
I was touched. And tired, which made me overly emotional and a tear escaped down my cheek. “Ignore me, I’m just tired.”
“Dad, I’m going to stay here until her dad gets back. I’ll come see you after that.”
“Good. Walk me out?” Kevin asked. “It was really nice to see you, Arizona. Try not to worry. I know that’s hard under the circumstances, but try. I’ll be back tomorrow night with more news, I hope, and we’ll take it from there.”
I nodded. I was very grateful. I didn’t feel as lost as before. I was very worried, though, especially for Ella. And Harry. They were still missing.
“Be back in a little while, Poppet,” David assured me, before he walked outside with his dad. I sat down and cuddled into my blanket.
~
“Dad, it’s going to be so hard not to tell her about the Wanderers,” David said, as his father stepped into the car to head back to the airport.
“I know, but you absolutely can’t. You understand that, don’t you,” Kevin said firmly.
“Yes, I do,” David said reassuringly. “I’ll try to keep her calm and safe. I’ll head back to Mom to try to get some more information before you get back here tomorrow. I’ll meet up with you before you see Arizona again.”
“Sounds good, Son.”
David watched his father’s car drive into the distance before he headed back to watch over Arizona.
I woke up to the impatient toots of a car. The TV was still on and I was still sitting snuggled in David’s arms. We must have fallen asleep watching True Blood . I carefully stretched out my legs trying not to disturb David, who looked so peaceful. The doorbell sounded twice–very impatiently. So much for trying to let David sleep.He was wide awake, sitting up with his brows shaped into a questioning furrow.
“Wassup?” he mumbled. The doorbell sounded again. This time in a long, uninterrupted assault.
“Okay, okay! I’m coming!” I shouted and ran to open it. “Hey, M ! A fire somewhere?” I asked an impatient Monica whose finger was still on the doorbell.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said and punched my shoulder. “What took you so long? We have school, come on!” Then something caught her attention behind me and her expression completely changed to one of amusement. “Stevens, what’s this?”
I felt David’s hand on my shoulder. “It’s a boy, M . That’s what it is.
“Really, not a camel then?” she mused cheekily.
“Oh, give it a rest, get inside,” I said, and shut the door before Mrs. Golden popped her head out to see what was going on. “This is David, an old family friend. He’s moved into the area and has just started at our school.” I couldn’t help but wonder where David had moved, which address is he using? “Give us five minutes and we’ll be ready to go,” I said, pointing David to Dad’s bedroom to freshen up. I jumped into the shower. It took me fifteen minutes–so Darley! My old self would have been ready in five. Monica didn’t look the least bit pleased.
“We’re not gonna have time to stop for coffee. I’m gonna be a grump for the rest of the day,” she warned.
“Rest of the day…,” I chuckled.
She rolled her eyes and punched me again.
“Can David ride with us?” I asked.
“Of course. I want details. Get into the car and start blabbing.”
Good luck with getting David to blab, I thought to myself. I climbed into the front with Monica while David sprawled out on the back
“Well, he’s not actually here,” I replied sourly. “But, yes, I’m totally fine here.”
“You should go and stay with one of your friends or with the Goldens until he gets back,” David said.
“Oh, I’m used to it. I’ll be fine.”
“Arizona, do you have money for essentials? I’m not happy with you staying here on your own, especially after what you’ve been through,” Kevin said concerned.
I was touched. And tired, which made me overly emotional and a tear escaped down my cheek. “Ignore me, I’m just tired.”
“Dad, I’m going to stay here until her dad gets back. I’ll come see you after that.”
“Good. Walk me out?” Kevin asked. “It was really nice to see you, Arizona. Try not to worry. I know that’s hard under the circumstances, but try. I’ll be back tomorrow night with more news, I hope, and we’ll take it from there.”
I nodded. I was very grateful. I didn’t feel as lost as before. I was very worried, though, especially for Ella. And Harry. They were still missing.
“Be back in a little while, Poppet,” David assured me, before he walked outside with his dad. I sat down and cuddled into my blanket.
~
“Dad, it’s going to be so hard not to tell her about the Wanderers,” David said, as his father stepped into the car to head back to the airport.
“I know, but you absolutely can’t. You understand that, don’t you,” Kevin said firmly.
“Yes, I do,” David said reassuringly. “I’ll try to keep her calm and safe. I’ll head back to Mom to try to get some more information before you get back here tomorrow. I’ll meet up with you before you see Arizona again.”
“Sounds good, Son.”
David watched his father’s car drive into the distance before he headed back to watch over Arizona.
I woke up to the impatient toots of a car. The TV was still on and I was still sitting snuggled in David’s arms. We must have fallen asleep watching True Blood . I carefully stretched out my legs trying not to disturb David, who looked so peaceful. The doorbell sounded twice–very impatiently. So much for trying to let David sleep.He was wide awake, sitting up with his brows shaped into a questioning furrow.
“Wassup?” he mumbled. The doorbell sounded again. This time in a long, uninterrupted assault.
“Okay, okay! I’m coming!” I shouted and ran to open it. “Hey, M ! A fire somewhere?” I asked an impatient Monica whose finger was still on the doorbell.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said and punched my shoulder. “What took you so long? We have school, come on!” Then something caught her attention behind me and her expression completely changed to one of amusement. “Stevens, what’s this?”
I felt David’s hand on my shoulder. “It’s a boy, M . That’s what it is.
“Really, not a camel then?” she mused cheekily.
“Oh, give it a rest, get inside,” I said, and shut the door before Mrs. Golden popped her head out to see what was going on. “This is David, an old family friend. He’s moved into the area and has just started at our school.” I couldn’t help but wonder where David had moved, which address is he using? “Give us five minutes and we’ll be ready to go,” I said, pointing David to Dad’s bedroom to freshen up. I jumped into the shower. It took me fifteen minutes–so Darley! My old self would have been ready in five. Monica didn’t look the least bit pleased.
“We’re not gonna have time to stop for coffee. I’m gonna be a grump for the rest of the day,” she warned.
“Rest of the day…,” I chuckled.
She rolled her eyes and punched me again.
“Can David ride with us?” I asked.
“Of course. I want details. Get into the car and start blabbing.”
Good luck with getting David to blab, I thought to myself. I climbed into the front with Monica while David sprawled out on the back
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