same pretty girl you were before the fire.”
I think of her as a plot of land; its trees and foliage being burned to ashes, thus creating nutrient-rich soil for flowers and other plant life to thrive in.
“I’m beyond repair,” she says in a childish voice. I place a hand on her knee.
“You will be okay. I know it,” I say. She sighs, tears in the corners of her large tawny colored eyes.
“You are a really smart kid. Which makes me wonder, why are you hanging out with people like us? You are going to be something. And us, well we will just be lucky to not die of a drug overdose,” she says.
“Don’t be fooled,” I say. “I’m like a present: shiny and sparkling on the outside, maybe even a little thrilling, but when you tear off the paper, there is something rotten underneath, maybe a pair of socks, or underwear. The gift that no one wants on Christmas morning.”
I expect her to laugh but she just looks more depressed.
The heavy traffic disperses as we pull into the Lee Memorial Hospital. The emergency parking lot is empty and I park as close to the building as possible.
“My mom is probably worried sick about me. She hasn’t known where I’ve been all night. It’ll be a wonder if she hasn’t sent the cops looking for me yet,” I say, putting the keys back in Ashten’s pocket, knowing it would hurt too badly for her to hold them. “I would love to stay with you, but I got to get back home.”
I open the door, and help her out. She gives me a light hug, careful not to put too much pressure on her damaged arms.
“Thank you,” she says, and I give her a weak smile.
Holden and Trenton have just arrived, their eyes red, and their faces worn out from the night. I follow Trenton back to his car and Holden stays behind with Ashten.
I sigh heavily once seated and belted in. “Rough night,” I say.
“My night was great,” Trenton boasts, stretching. “I had a pretty girl sleeping on me all night.”
“Ashten is burnt beyond repair,” I say, using her exact words. “And all you can think about is how you enjoyed me sleeping with you?”
“I was only saying. I didn’t know it was so bad. In case you’ve forgotten, I was asleep when it happened,” he says, wounded by my words.
“I didn’t forget. How could I forget that I was the only one who gave a damn to get up and help her?” I say, recalling her scream. It would have been impossible to have slept through it, unless by choice.
“Don’t be so modest. I would have jumped right in and saved her if I had woken up,” Trenton says defensively.
“I screamed too. We were both screaming loudly. You didn’t get up,” I argue.
“I’m a heavy sleeper,” he says as we reach my apartment.
“It doesn’t bother you that she will be scarred for life?” I challenge him.
“ It’s not my problem ,” he says.
I slam the car door after I get out, fuming from his lack of sympathy.
“Ah, come on baby, don’t I get a goodbye kiss?” he asks, leaning his head out the window. I push his head back in as I pass him to the stairs.
Mom is sitting outside the door, her face red, puffy, and tear stained like a flash-steamed tomato. There is a box of Kleenex on her lap, and she is in a stupor. I run to her.
“Mom, I’m home,” I say softly and throw my arms around her neck.
“God, Bailey. You scared me to death. You don’t know what was going through my head all night. I haven’t slept a wink.”
She pushes me away, to look me in the face.
“It really is you,” she laughs, tears returning to her eyes.
“I’m here Mom,” I say, and sit on her lap.
“I thought… I don’t even want to say it. I thought Saint kidnapped you or something, or hurt you or killed you.”
“But he left before I did,” I say in a logical manner.
“I didn’t know that. I was tripping. I was on acid. Might as well come out with it, you already know I’m sure.”
She tosses the Kleenex box to the floor and pulls me tighter to her
I think of her as a plot of land; its trees and foliage being burned to ashes, thus creating nutrient-rich soil for flowers and other plant life to thrive in.
“I’m beyond repair,” she says in a childish voice. I place a hand on her knee.
“You will be okay. I know it,” I say. She sighs, tears in the corners of her large tawny colored eyes.
“You are a really smart kid. Which makes me wonder, why are you hanging out with people like us? You are going to be something. And us, well we will just be lucky to not die of a drug overdose,” she says.
“Don’t be fooled,” I say. “I’m like a present: shiny and sparkling on the outside, maybe even a little thrilling, but when you tear off the paper, there is something rotten underneath, maybe a pair of socks, or underwear. The gift that no one wants on Christmas morning.”
I expect her to laugh but she just looks more depressed.
The heavy traffic disperses as we pull into the Lee Memorial Hospital. The emergency parking lot is empty and I park as close to the building as possible.
“My mom is probably worried sick about me. She hasn’t known where I’ve been all night. It’ll be a wonder if she hasn’t sent the cops looking for me yet,” I say, putting the keys back in Ashten’s pocket, knowing it would hurt too badly for her to hold them. “I would love to stay with you, but I got to get back home.”
I open the door, and help her out. She gives me a light hug, careful not to put too much pressure on her damaged arms.
“Thank you,” she says, and I give her a weak smile.
Holden and Trenton have just arrived, their eyes red, and their faces worn out from the night. I follow Trenton back to his car and Holden stays behind with Ashten.
I sigh heavily once seated and belted in. “Rough night,” I say.
“My night was great,” Trenton boasts, stretching. “I had a pretty girl sleeping on me all night.”
“Ashten is burnt beyond repair,” I say, using her exact words. “And all you can think about is how you enjoyed me sleeping with you?”
“I was only saying. I didn’t know it was so bad. In case you’ve forgotten, I was asleep when it happened,” he says, wounded by my words.
“I didn’t forget. How could I forget that I was the only one who gave a damn to get up and help her?” I say, recalling her scream. It would have been impossible to have slept through it, unless by choice.
“Don’t be so modest. I would have jumped right in and saved her if I had woken up,” Trenton says defensively.
“I screamed too. We were both screaming loudly. You didn’t get up,” I argue.
“I’m a heavy sleeper,” he says as we reach my apartment.
“It doesn’t bother you that she will be scarred for life?” I challenge him.
“ It’s not my problem ,” he says.
I slam the car door after I get out, fuming from his lack of sympathy.
“Ah, come on baby, don’t I get a goodbye kiss?” he asks, leaning his head out the window. I push his head back in as I pass him to the stairs.
Mom is sitting outside the door, her face red, puffy, and tear stained like a flash-steamed tomato. There is a box of Kleenex on her lap, and she is in a stupor. I run to her.
“Mom, I’m home,” I say softly and throw my arms around her neck.
“God, Bailey. You scared me to death. You don’t know what was going through my head all night. I haven’t slept a wink.”
She pushes me away, to look me in the face.
“It really is you,” she laughs, tears returning to her eyes.
“I’m here Mom,” I say, and sit on her lap.
“I thought… I don’t even want to say it. I thought Saint kidnapped you or something, or hurt you or killed you.”
“But he left before I did,” I say in a logical manner.
“I didn’t know that. I was tripping. I was on acid. Might as well come out with it, you already know I’m sure.”
She tosses the Kleenex box to the floor and pulls me tighter to her
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