Six hours later
Chapter One Index Chapter Three
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| Chapter Two��������������� A New Home | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha woke up to the heavenly scent of eggs filling her nostrils.� She slowly lifted her body and looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings.� The events of the past day came back to her like a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.� When at last she realized that she and Lucas had fallen asleep she smiled.� Just like old times, she thought. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha got off the bed carefully to make sure that she didn't wake up Lucas, he was never a morning person.� She wandered her way into the modernly decorated kitchen and found Sara leaning over the stove cooking.� She cleared her throat to make her presence known. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Morning Mariaha." Sara said sweetly, she hadn't even needed to turn around to know who it was. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How did you know it was me?"� Mariaha asked taking over stirring the pancake mix. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Lucas is never up before nine thirty on Saturdays, that is, unless I wake him up.� Did you sleep well?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Like a baby.� Do you think I'll have to wake Lucas up so that we get to practice on time." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Without a doubt," Sara laughed.� There was a long pause as Sara tried to think of a polite way of asking what was on her mind.� "Mar," Sara started, using her nickname from when she was little, "what happened?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We fell asleep playing videogames."� Mariaha said trying to act as if nothing was wrong. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That's not what I meant.� Why did you come over last night?� And don't try to get around my question, I know all your tricks,' Sara warned lovingly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha's shoulders slumped and she let out a defeated sigh.� "My father kicked me out yesterday after school."� Her voice was soft and ashamed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh, sweetheart," Sara cooed.� She wrapped her arms around Mariaha and held her tightly as soft sobs shook her body.� Sara whispered soft and reassuring words as she stroked her head.� She pulled back and wiped the tears from Mariaha's face.� "It's going to be okay.� You can stay here as long as you need." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can't," | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have no choice, I insist," Sara said in mock sternness. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes ma'am."� Mariaha playfully saluted her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'll set the table if you go wake up sleeping beauty in there."� Sara said indicating the direction if Lucas's room. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Right, give me the hard job."� Mariaha joked as she disappeared down the hall. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sara set the table with pancakes, eggs, bacon and toast, a traditional Saturday breakfast in the Kirby house.� A few minutes latter Mariaha and Lucas came into the kitchen.� "It's alive."� Sara joked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lucas gave her a playful dirty look and ran his hand through his short messy hair. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two hours later Mariaha and Lucas left for practice.� Sara took half and hour to clean up the kitchen. �When she was sure that everything was clean and put away she grabbed her purse and left the house.� She was going to get to the bottom of this mess once and for all. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She pulled up to the cream house about twenty minutes later and got out.� If things went badly then Mariaha might get mad at her, but that was just a risk she was going to have to take. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Steve Jones answered the door.� He was a mess, he was unshaven, his clothes looked like he had been wearing then for days and he smelled like he hadn?t showered in a while. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sara," he said gruffly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sara smiled sweetly.� "Hello Steve.� Is Mariaha home?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No, the little tramp isn't here, why?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sara swallowed; this wasn't the Steve that she knew; this wasn't the man who had coached her son in baseball.� "Oh, no reason.� I just wanted to talk to her to see if she was interested in taking any gardening classes with me," Sara covered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well she isn't interested.� In fact she's going to be cutting down on her extra things.� I need her home more while her mother is in Africa," Steve told her.� His voice was slightly slurred and he was leaning on the door for balance. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Something in the air tickled Sara's nose causing her to sneeze.� "Excuse me," Sara said apologetically.� She wiped her nose with her hankie when the smell caught her attention, it was marijuana.� She recovered quickly from the shock and smiled sweetly once more.� "Well thank you for your time.� I'll talk to Mariaha some other time then.� Goodbye."� Steve nodded and closed the door in her face.� Sara stood for a second trying to think of what to do next.� She went back to her car and drove home.� It would be a few hours before Mariaha and Lucas would come home, giving her time to do everything that she had originally planed on doing. Six hours later |
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| "You did what?"� Mariaha asked quietly, almost unable to believe her ears. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I went to see your father.� Don't worry I didn?t tell him you were staying with us.� After talking to him I realized that would be a big mistake.� Dear, do you know why your father has been acting so odd?" Sara asked soothingly.� Mariaha shook her head slowly, no, she didn't know why.� Sara gave her a soft smile.� "Well I think I found the answer.� You might want to sit down for this dear," Mariaha sat down weakly into one of the kitchen chairs, Sara sat across from her.� "Lucas, sweetheart, could you make us some tea?" Lucas did as his mother asked.� "I don't know if it's my place to say it or not, but I believe that your father has been using marijuana." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha's face filled with disbelief, "That can't be true, he knows what it can..." her voice trailed off in tears.� Mariaha's breath started coming in short gasps, she opened her mouth but nothing came out.� | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lucas rushed over to her and took her hands, "Mar, what is it?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| �Mariaha started to shake.� How could this be?� Her father had seen what it had done to her sister, it had killed her.� How could he do the same thing?� Questions were running through her head non-stop.� Her shaking subsided.� "Excuse me."� She said in a shaky voice.� She got up and ran into the bathroom and got sick. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lucas and Sara stood outside the door worried about her.� Sara tried to think of how she could have made the news easier for her and blamed herself for not thinking that Mariaha would have this kind of reaction.� Lucas, on the other hand, wasn't thinking anything like that.� "Mom, why did you go to Mariaha's house?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I wanted to know what was going on.� I certainly didn't expect what I found."� Sara told him bewildered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Before Lucas could say anything Mariaha emerged from the bathroom holding a cold washcloth to her face.� "Sara, do you think I could use your phone and call my mother?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sure dear, go right ahead." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha called her mother and told her everything that was going on.� She said that she would fly home right away but Mariaha told her to stay where she was and finish her work, with one exception, she had to be home for the opening night of her play.� Her mother happily agreed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha hung up the phone with a sigh, then smiled weekly.� "She said I could stay here and she'll be back for opening night." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That's wonderful.� I guess that means we better get started."� Sara said clearing up the dishes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Get started with what?"� Mariaha asked looking to Lucas for the answer.� He was no help, Lucas knew just as little as she did. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well, getting your room set up silly.� We can't have you sharing a room with Lucas any more.� Now come on let's get cracking."� Sara clapped her hands excitedly, just like a child.� She walked down the hall leaving Mariaha and Lucas completely bewildered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She planned this didn't she?"� Mariaha joked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You know her.� She's probably been thinking about this ever sense you stayed the night that fist time."� Lucas laughed shaking his head.� Mariaha gave him an accusing look.� "Hey don't look at me like that.� I had nothing to do with this." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Some how I find that hard to believe."� Mariaha poked Lucas in the ribs playfully. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No really, I had nothing to do with it.� Come on, let's get in there before she does something drastic." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha insisted that the room would be done simply.� Sara had wanted to do it elaborately, but Mariaha vetoed that right off the bat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I want to keep the room simple." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sara gave in and smiled.� "What ever you want dear."� She smiled and ran her hand over Mariaha?s hair.� "I have a garden club meeting to go to, so I'll see you in a few hours, okay?"� She ran her hand over Mariaha's hair one more time and kissed Lucas's cheek.� "Bye." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mariaha looked up at Lucas.� "Is it just me, or is Sara acting a little odd?"� Lucas rolled his eyes in agreement.� "Okay, as soon as Sara's gone were going on a little trip." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Huh?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We're going to my house to pick up the rest of my stuff.� Do you still have all those empty boxes in the attic?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yep, just one question.� How are we going to get past your father?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Leave that to me.� Now, we're going to have to use the van.� Your car is to small." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What ever you say." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good you go get the boxes and I'll take care of Steve." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 45 minutes later they pulled up outside Mariaha's house.� "How do you know if he's home."� Lucas asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Easy, the truck's gone.� Come on, I want to get this done and over with."� They carried the boxes into Mariaha's room and quickly began to empty her selves into the boxes.� They had the room empty in two hours.� Mariaha had even taken the posters off the walls.� "I think we're done."� Mariaha said closing the last drawer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I never knew you had so much stuff."� Lucas joked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Steve came home at nine that night grumbling something about a dirty trick and having to drive all the way up to Bellingham for no good reason. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So are you going to tell me how you got Steve out of the house?"� Lucas asked as they unpacked some of Mariaha's things into her new room. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm kinda ashamed that I did this but I called home from a pay phone and said that his brother, Chris, had been in an accident up in Bellingham.� I knew Steve would go right up there to the hospital.� It was the only thing I could think of."� Mariaha added sheepishly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That sound like something you would do.� I remember when we were growing up you always seemed to get us into trouble one way or another." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hey I seem to remember you being the one who came up with the idea of sneaking into the old Foxgrove house." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You were the one who told me it was haunted."� Lucas pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yah, and you were the one who ditched me in that condemned building." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I did not ditch you.� You were the one who took off with out telling me." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Enough talking," Mariaha joked.� "I want to get this room finished before it gets too late." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lucas looked at his watch and was surprised to see it was already 10 o'clock.� "I'll put these empty boxes away.� Mom should be home any minute and I don't want her finding this place a mess." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sara and Mark were sitting in their room reading later that night.� Sara put down her book and looked at Mark with a funny look on her face.� "Is there something you wanted to say?"� Mark asked without looking up from his book. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I just think that it's funny how things have turned out." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How do you mean dear?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I just mean the kids.� I've always expected that they would end up together, but it took something this terrible for them to come together." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mark put down his book and looked at her sternly.� "Now Sara, I don't you to start jumping to conclusions with the kids.� They are friends, the best kind of friends I've ever seen.� If anything else is going to arise it will be up to them.� I don't want you to try to push them together, you hear me?"� Sara sighed and picked up her book and resumed reading, but in the back of her mind she couldn't help but think about the kind of future Mariaha and Lucas could have together. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home Other Fiction E-mail Author Chapter One Index Chapter Three |
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