True
Chapter Two
(Two
days later…)
Chloe
stood in her room packing the last of her things into the black suitcase that
Nancy and Craig had given her to take on the school trip.
Lying to both of them was not an easy thing to do.
She felt guilty for lying to Nancy, but not nearly as guilty as she
felt for lying to Craig. Nancy
had told her own lies to Chloe, but Craig had always been a hundred percent
honest with her, and Chloe felt pangs of guilt in her heart when she had to
play along that she was heading to Puerto Rico with the rest of her class.
Chloe
heard a soft knock at the door. “Yes?”
She
heard Nancy’s muffled voice on the other side. “Chloe… can I come in?”
Chloe
quickly glanced to make sure that the file on Nancy had been hidden away in
her backpack, and opened the door for Nancy to come in.
“So,
Chloe… you almost all packed then?”
“Are
you sure you don’t want Craig and I to take you to the airport?
We don’t mind at all.”
“No,
I’m sure. Thank you though.
It’s just I hate goodbyes and all.
I’d rather do them here in private instead of in front of everyone.
Okay?”
Nancy
nodded and smiled weakly. “Yeah,
I understand. I’m really glad
you’re going on this trip. I
think it’s such a great opportunity.”
Chloe
smiled at her mother. “Yeah.
Me too.” The doorbell
rang downstairs, and Chloe looked at Nancy and sighed.
“Well… that’s my cue…”
“Here,
let me help you…” Chloe handed Nancy her backpack and Chloe took a hold of
the big suitcase and dragged it downstairs.
Brady and Craig were chatting in the entryway, and Craig ran over and
took Chloe’s suitcase down the last few steps.
Chloe took her backpack from Nancy and gave Brady a quick smile.
He winked back at her, but stayed out of the way.
Nancy
turned to Chloe and gave her a tight hug.
“Be careful out there, Chloe. Have
fun though… but be safe… and call me.”
Chloe
chuckled softly and let go of Nancy. “I
will, Nancy. Thank you.”
Chloe
turned to Craig and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug.
“Bye Craig…”
Craig
pulled back and smiled at her. “Have
fun, Chloe… we sure will miss you around here.”
Chloe
grinned at him. “Oh, I doubt
that…. You two behave yourselves, please.”
Craig
winked at her slyly. “Always….”
Chloe
laughed and went to stand next to Brady.
Brady grabbed her suitcase and opened the door for her.
She and Brady waved goodbye as they walked out and Craig and Nancy
watched them go, before shutting the door behind them.
Once
they had stepped off the porch, Brady put his arm around her and whispered in
her ear. “You alright?”
Chloe
nodded slightly. “Mostly…
that was a lot harder than I thought it would be.”
They
reached the van and put her bags inside, and as Chloe sat in the front seat
waiting for Brady to pull away from the house she realized the impact of what
was about to happen. For better
or worse, whatever she would find out on her trip would most likely tear them
apart. Sometimes the truth will
set you free, but she knew it could also destroy the only family she had ever
known.
Brady
pulled the car away from the Wesley house and headed down the road towards the
highway.
“Hey
Chloe… there’s something in the glove box for you. Belle put it in there before she left for the airport.”
Chloe
reached in the glove box and found a folded up note on Belle’s pink
stationery. She unfolded it and
read it to herself.
To
Chloe:
Good
luck on your adventure. I hope
that you find what you are looking for, Chloe.
You deserve the truth, and I just know that you will find it.
Shawn and I wish that we could be there for you, but it’d probably be
pretty suspicious if we all ditched the trip to Puerto Rico.
I gave Brady the numbers for the hotel here if you need to get a hold
of us for any reason. Take care
of my brother for me, cause I know he will be too busy taking care of you to
watch out for his self. You will
be in my thoughts and prayers every day.
Have a safe trip, buckle your seatbelt and remember… it’s only 1100
miles to Boston.
Much
love and luck,
Belle
Chloe
smiled and folded it back up. She
muttered under her breath. “Only 1100 miles…”
Brady
glanced at her quickly and smiled. “Yeah,
it sounds farther than it really is.”
Chloe
groaned. “I hope so… I
don’t want to get carsick.”
“And
believe me, I don’t want you to either.
I just cleaned the van.”
Chloe laughed and settled herself more comfortably in
her seat. She glanced out the
window at the town of Salem passing her by.
She had a feeling deep down in her stomach that when she returned
here, she would never be able to look at it the same.