The car ride home was long and silent. I really hadn�t realized just how far I had travelled on that bus. Oh well, it gave me time to fill Uncle Billy in on why I had left home in the first place.
�... and then I hid and hid and hid. And I hid some more, but she never found me Uncle Billy. Then I heard her on the phone and she called me a brat, and I didn�t do anything to her.� I explained, feeling my throat clench up. I don�t like it when people don�t like me.
�And so you just left.� Uncle Billy sighed. He was worn out, I could tell, and he just wanted to go to bed. But then again, he looked rather pensive.
I nodded as I glanced into the sideview mirror of Uncle Billy�s car. I could see the head lights of Merry�s car behind us. Uncle Billy had wanted Orlie, Merry, Elijah, and Mr. Bean to come home with us. I still hadn�t a clue why. I bet they were almost as tired as I was.
�And then what happened?� Uncle Billy asked, shaking me from my thoughts.
�Then I got Bert, some cookies, and left.� I told him, remembering that I still had one cookie left. I would save it for later, I wasn�t hungry right now at all, I still felt sick to my tummy.
�How did you know where I was?� Uncle Billy continued to question. I answered the best I could, he seemed to want to know every detail. I told about how I gave the bus driver a cookie and she let me on the bus. Uncle Billy muttered something about suing the bus people or something for letting a little girl be dropped off downtown, alone at night time.
I continued on, telling him about my first encounter with the white haired man. I then told him about the toy store, an� how there was that doll that looked like him.
Uncle Billy just nodded a few times while I told my story. He seemed deep in thought about somethin�, but I didn�t know what. He didn�t look happy either, which all ways told me to be careful of what I did around him.
After a few minutes, Uncle Billy seemed to have decided something.
�Now Alex.� he started, his voice stern, �You do realize that what you did tonight was wrong and very dangerous.�
I gulped. Lecture time.
�The fact that I told you to be good, and you delibratly disobey me by leaving the house. How Kaylee treated you is no reason to runaway, understand?� his voice was in a very serious tone now, and I nodded just so he wouldn�t start yellin�. Today had been a big day for Uncle Billy gettin� angry.
�Running away doesn�t solve anything.� he continued, �If Kaylee did do all those things that you said she did, Kaylee will get in trouble soon enough. That doesn�t mean you should come looking for me. Look what happened!� There was a slight quiver in his voice as he said the last part.
I nodded, not sayin� a word. I knew now to never go out by myself, especially with bad guys everywhere. I wondered if this could ever happen in Scotland?
�You scared me tonight Alex. You really did. you know well enough not to talk to strangers...�
�But he wasn�t evil then.� I protested quietly.
�They never are Alex. Who knows what he could of done to you, look what he did to Dominic! For goodness sake, look at his arm.� Uncle Billy continued, his voice raising a bit. I slunk back in my chair.
�I�m sorry Uncle Billy, it�s just that... well...� I stammered, unsure of what to say.
�Yes, I know Alex, and I feel rotten for leaving you in the first place if I had known all this would happen.�
�It�s my fault, isn�t it? It�s my fault that Merry�s hurt? Isn�t it?� I asked, the feeling of guilt making my stomach turn in knots.
�Alex, things happen all right? Look, you running away was a mistake that you�re allowed to make, because you�re so young. But Kaylee should have been watching you. And don�t you ever think for even one second that it is your fault Dom�s hurt, all right? It was the bad guy that did it, and the bad guy is gone now. I promise you this Alex, he will never lay a finger on you ever again.�
I whimpered at the mention of the white haired guy. I didn�t want to think about what had happened. I just wanted to push it out of my mind forever.
�I�m sorry Uncle Bobo.� I finally said after a moment of silence. �I promise that I will never run away ever again. Never ever again.� I held up my hand in mock swearing.
Uncle Billy smiled a bit, the first real smile I had seen on him since he had left the house. I knew then that he wasn�t mad at me any longer. �It�s okay kiddo. I�m just glad Dom was there.�
�Me too.� I agreed, glancing again into the mirror at Merry�s car.
Just then Bobo�s mobile rang. He grabbed it with his left hand and switched it to his right, pressing a button on the mobile as he did it. �Hullo?� he asked.
Uncle Billy talked on the mobile for a while. I didn�t understand what he was talkin� about, but I knew it had to do with Kaylee. I also knew that it was Orlie on the other end, because Uncle Bobo handed me the small device and said it was Orlie.
�Hullo?� I mimicked Uncle Bobo. I saw Uncle Bobo smile again when I said this.
�Hey love, how are you holdin� up? Billy�s not going to hard on you is he?� I heard Orlie�s voice, he sounded excited about somethin�.
�I�m fine. Me and Bobo were just talkin�.� I replied, �Is Merry there?� I asked.
�Yes he is, but he�s driving at the moment. Would you like to say something to him?�
�No.� I replied. �Could you just tell him that I�m sorry?� I asked. I saw Uncle Billy look at me, his face softening a bit, but still determined.
�Don�t you worry love.� Orlie said, I could tell he was smiling just by the way he talked. That�s what I liked about Orlie, all ways lookin� at the bright side of things. �You can tell him later on. How�s that?�
I nodded. �Okay Orlie. So, are you guys coming home with us?� I asked.
�Yup.� Orlie replied, �Your Uncle Billy has somethin� special planned for Kaylee.�
�A suprise?� I asked, my eyes widening.
�Uh-huh. A suprise. But trust me on this one love, you wouldn�t want this suprise. It�s not a good one, I can tell you that.� Orlie replied.
�Okay Orlie. I�ll see you at home then.� I smiled, glad that Kaylee wasn�t gettin� a good present for being so mean.
�Okay love, you just let me know if Uncle billy is goin� too hard on you...� Orlie paused then and I heared a muffled voice in the back ground. Orlie laughed and then came back on the phone. �Merry says Bobo better be nice to you because he doesn�t want to have to beat up another person tonight.�
My eyes widened. �Nah Orlie. My Uncle Billy is the bravest, most strongest person ever. Merry wouldn�t have a chance.�
Orlie told this to Merry and I giggled as I heard Elijah start laughin� and Merry start hollarin� about somethin�. I couldn�t make out what he was sayin� though, and I�m pretty sure I didn�t want to.
�Okay love,� Orlie finally said after he was done laughin�, �I�ll see you back at home.�
I nodded. �Bye Orlie.� I handed the mobile back to Uncle Billy who took it and hung up. He set it back down in the cup holder and sighed.
�You know Alex,� he began, �You�re right about one thing.�
�What�s that?� I asked cautiously, silently hoping the lecture was finished.
�I could take Dominic, any day.�
I smiled. Now that�s the Uncle Bobo that I knew.