“But I’m hungry…”
The faint whisper penetrated my foggy mind. Pain throbbed in my skull, steady and insistent. I wanted to drift to sleep again, but I heard Liam’s solemn answer.
“Mimi’s head hurts.”
At five, Liam knew the power of my pain. In the past, Blake had used it to gain my obedience. It worked just as effectively as threatening the boys.
“It’s okay, buddy,” I mumbled lifting my head. I pretended it didn’t feel like it would fall off. “I’m hungry, too.” I blinked, and it took a moment to focus.
They stood beside the bed already dressed in swim trunks. I wondered if we would still go to the lake after yesterday’s discord.
I pulled back the covers and stumbled from the bed. Aden backed up, giving me space, and held up my swimsuit. I smiled shakily and took it from him, unable to disappoint him.
“I’ll change after we eat, okay?” He nodded and led the way to the kitchen. When he turned the corner, I tossed the suit over my shoulder, not caring where it landed as long as he didn’t notice.
In the kitchen, I opened cupboards only to stare at their empty cavities. The refrigerator equally disappointed me. I looked at the boys. We would need to beg from our neighbors again. I hoped that Nana and Jim had worked out their differences yesterday and there wouldn’t be any lingering tension.
Forgetting about personal hygiene, I shuffled to the door. The boys followed. I heard Aden’s stomach growl.
“We’ll see if Emmitt has some food. ‘K?” He had been the coolheaded one of the bunch yesterday.
The stairs challenged me, and I needed to grip the railing to keep my balance. I rolled my shoulders, subconsciously trying to ease the pain. Liam moved beside me and held my other hand. I tried smiling again and gave his hand a light squeeze.
Before the end of the day, I would be babbling and crying. I needed to get rid of the information.
Emmitt stood at the bottom of the steps, waiting for us. He tilted his head slightly as he monitored our slow progress. The concern from yesterday crept back into his eyes.
When we reached the bottom, he stepped forward and gently touched my forehead. He pulled his hand back before I could lean into the comfort of it. His light touch, though brief, lingered on my skin.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just a headache,” I said clutching the railing.
Liam stayed beside me, but Aden stepped forward, craning his neck to meet Emmitt’s eyes.
“I’m hungry,” he said with quiet uncertainty.
Emmitt smiled down at him. “Of course you are. You skipped your supper. Would you like some pancakes?”
Aden nodded enthusiastically and reached up to hold Emmitt’s hand. I looked at their joined hands, and my heart ached for Aden. He obviously wanted a man in his life who could care about him. I empathized.
“Would you like some aspirin or something?” Emmitt asked as Aden tugged him toward Jim’s apartment.
I shook my head—very gently—and followed them, still holding Liam’s hand. Jim stood at the stove, cooking. When he glanced back at us, he caught my eye and winked. Had my head not hurt, I would have smiled. Whatever happened after we left yesterday hadn’t changed Jim’s mood.
The smell of the grilling pancakes turned my stomach, but I sat with the boys at Jim’s kitchen island. Emmitt nudged Jim to the side while talking to the boys.
“If you add a big scoop of batter in the middle,” he turned slightly to show Liam, “and add two smaller scoops to the top on each side, do you see what we can make?” Liam shook his head, and Emmitt’s lips twitched in a smile. “No? Well, we’ll see if you can guess it when we’re done.”
We all watched Emmitt reach into the refrigerator and pull out the can of whipped cream. He set it on the counter in front of Liam then turned to flip the pancake. He let it in the pan for another minute before he put it on a plate.
“Ready, Liam?”
Liam nodded, and Emmitt uncapped the can. Within seconds of applying the cream, Liam began giggling.
“Know what this is, yet?” Emmitt asked tilting his head to look at his creation.
Aden laughed with Liam. For a split second, it’d looked like a famous mouse, but then the heat of the pancake had melted the cream so it looked more like a bear with a grimace.
“Well, that didn’t work so well,” Emmitt said, sliding the plate toward Liam. “Try a bite and let me know if it tastes better than it looks. I’ll start another one for your brother and sister.”
I struggled to swallow down the bile that rose at the thought of eating. Sliding back, I nudged Aden off my lap and onto the stool then quietly excused myself.
I escaped outside into the fresh air. On the porch, I leaned against the column near the stairs and looked out at the yard. A warm, early morning breeze swept away the smell of cooking food, easing my stomach but not my head. My eyes watered with the increasing pain.
Inside, a phone rang. The sound chipped at my skull. Thankfully, Nana answered on the second ring.
Emmitt came out to stand next to me. “Liam said your head really hurts. Are you sure I can’t get you something?”
Liam didn’t understand the cause, only the level of pain I endured.
“No, I’m fine.” I didn’t move.
I could hear Nana’s conversation. “Sam, I don’t know any better than you do. I thought all you did was research the trends, read financial reports, and watch for promising growth opportunities. When I read the paper, I look at the funnies. Now that I can help you with…”
My ears perked up.
Emmitt moved down to the step in front of me, bringing him closer to eye level as he faced me. “If not aspirin maybe Nana has something that could help.”
I shushed him and turned slightly to look at Nana’s window, fully listening. He tilted his head, watching me.
Nana rattled off four characters, paused, and said four more. “Just pick?” she questioned the person at the other end.
“Pick the first one,” I said over the pain. Emmitt’s eyes widened slightly at my volume. I could barely hear myself over the thumping in my head. The information spilled from my mouth. “Ride for a one point six increase then drop it.”
The pain abruptly disappeared, and I sighed before I could catch myself. Emmitt still watched me, his expression carefully blank. His striking, dark blue eyes saw too much. My pulse picked up as I noticed details my headache had obscured. His damp hair. How close he stood. The concern still in his eyes.
In the background, I heard Nana repeat my recommendation and wanted to cringe. Instead, I forced my face to relax, keeping it blank. How could I have been so stupid? So obvious?
Emmitt’s calm gaze gave nothing away. “We were still thinking of going to the lake after breakfast. Nana went for groceries this morning. Will you come with?”
I nodded slowly, waiting for what would come next. Questions I couldn’t… wouldn’t… answer. But he didn’t say anything about my headache or spontaneous yelling.
Instead, he nodded at my clothes. “You might want to change.”
I looked down at myself and winced. I still wore lounge pants and a baggy t-shirt. Fuzz coated my teeth. A blush crept into my cheeks as I looked up at him again. Amusement twinkled in his eyes.
****
Driving to the lake posed a bit of a problem. My truck, technically, fit three; Nana’s cute car fit four; Jim apparently didn’t own a vehicle; and Emmitt had his bike. Clearly, I didn’t want to drive, which meant tagging along with someone else. Jim suggested we leave the truck because it drank gas and go with the motorcycle and car. Everyone looked at me, and I didn’t immediately understand why.
Nana spoke up. “It would be safest if the kids rode in the car. That leaves the front seat open for someone while the other two follow on the motorcycle.”
Oh. I looked at Emmitt and Jim. Well, I couldn’t see them riding together. Jim had a smirk on his face as he watched me have my epiphany. It would serve him right if I insisted on driving with the kids. I shifted my attention to Emmitt’s ever-watchful gaze. He hadn’t questioned me when I acted weird before. I owed him. The thought of being so close set my stomach twisting and jumping.
“Do I need to go change, again?” I wore shorts over my swim bottoms and a t-shirt over the top. Sandals covered my feet.
“No,” he assured me. “You’ll be completely safe.”
I didn’t contradict him but knew differently. Not about the bike but about the stupidity of going to the lake or anywhere public now that my headache was gone. However, after agreeing to it and my weird behavior this morning, I didn’t think there was a way to back out quietly.
Mentally sighing, I smiled slightly at my brothers who excitedly spoke to Jim. If our freedom was limited, I couldn’t rob them of today’s adventure. The problem of Blake would still be there after the lake.
I helped the boys buckle in and told them I would follow them. They didn’t seem to care as they began to pepper Nana and Jim, who had already claimed his spot in the front seat, with questions about sand castles, swimming, and picnics. This whole experience would be new to them.
Emmitt waited for me by the bike. He sat first and held it steady while he pointed out where I should place my foot to swing my leg over. He didn’t say anything about where to put my hands once I was on, though, and my palms started to sweat. I mounted quickly without touching him and landed with a thump that bounced the bike slightly. I mumbled an apology and reached behind me to hold on to the bar back there, not completely comfortable with wrapping my arms around him. My stomach dipped in disappointment. Stupid thing wouldn’t settle down around Emmitt. Just another reason not to get too close to him. I wasn’t sure how I’d really react.
Nana’s car pulled out, but Emmitt didn’t start the bike. Instead, he turned to look at me. “Are you sure you can hold on like that?”
I nodded, blushing, not meeting his gaze.
He hesitated, opened his mouth as if he would say something more, then turned around. He slid sunglasses on and handed me a pair. I would have rather had a helmet. I loosened my hold briefly to put on the sunglasses. The engine purred awake, and he eased the bike forward.
Nana waited at the end of the driveway. When we approached, she turned right, and Emmitt smoothly did the same.
I discovered a love for motorcycles. The wind whipped my hair in my face with stinging lashes, and bugs occasionally hit my shins with brief piercing bites. But, I learned to crouch a little and tuck myself closer to Emmitt, who shielded me from the wind and bugs. By doing so, I could revel in the freedom of the open ride.
At the first stop sign, I asked Emmitt to wait and struggled to braid my hair quickly. Knots and tangles slowed my progress. When I finished, I tucked it into the back of my shirt and told him to go. The car had already disappeared.
He pulled away smoothly and sped up, quickly catching up to them. Jim held something out the window—a camera—and Emmitt nodded. He twisted the throttle slightly and pulled around the car. I looked over in time to see two grinning boys in the back, cheering, and a bright flash from the front seat.
Emmitt pulled ahead, taking the lead.
A few minutes later, we turned onto another gravel lane, much nicer than their driveway, and followed its length to a sun-speckled body of water. A sandy beach lined the shore beyond the empty parking area. Seeing the vacant lot, I felt relieved that I’d offloaded my ticker information before arriving.
Emmitt pulled to a stop. I quickly hopped off and stood on shaky legs as I waited for the boys.
“Did you like it?” Emmitt asked, studying me.
I nodded. Far too much.