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I pull my car keys out of my purse and grip them in my hand, ready to jump from the Uber into my car as quickly as I can. “Thank you for the ride,” I tell the man.
“Good luck,” he says in response. If only he knew.
I make it into my car and pull around the curved pebbled driveway, skidding a bit as I hit the flat pavement. I don’t know who I’m running from or who I’m running toward but I don’t want to be anywhere near this house either.
Back at my apartment complex, I race up the stairs toward my front door, telling myself I’ll figure out what to say to Willa later. Right now, I want to be alone in my room with only my thoughts. Sweat covers every inch of my body and my breaths are completely ragged by the time I reach my apartment. I’m lightheaded, enraged and upset all at the same time.
Stress and panic levels start with a racing pulse and end in an unconscious state when a body can’t handle any more. With my front door open and an unexpected person sitting on my couch, I’m not sure how long I have before I hit the floor.
THIRTY-FIVE
MONDAY, JUNE 12TH 9:30 PM
Willa snatches me by the wrist and yanks me into the apartment and locks the door.
“Why is she in our apartment?” I utter, knowing no matter how quiet I am, she can hear me or read my lips, being just a few steps away.
I have so many questions for Willa right now, but this is not one I thought I’d have to ask.
“She wasn’t given a choice,” Lara says, standing up.
The locks on our door say otherwise. We have a peephole, intended for seeing whoever is out in the hallway.
“The police are looking for you,” I say, steadying myself against the wall as adrenaline spikes through my blood. I reach my free hand down to my bag to retrieve my phone.
“Don’t, please don’t call the police. Not yet,” Lara says, holding her hands out as if I have a weapon in my possession.
“You’re kidding me right now… I will not be assisting in this coercion.”
“This isn’t a coercion, Haley. Do you have any clue what it’s like to be afraid of most of your family?” Her timing is ironic, so much so that I can’t help but snicker.
“You aren’t the only person in the world with a screwed-up life, and to be fair, you assisted in screwing up mine.”
“Me?” Lara asks, pressing her hand against her chest, her mouth agape with shock.
“What the hell is going on?” Willa shouts. “Haley, she threatened further injury to you if I didn’t let her inside. That’s why she’s in here and not out there.”
“No, I didn’t,” Lara squeals. “How dare you lie!”
What other purpose would Willa have to let Lara in unless it was by threat? On the other hand, Lara would be more worried about breaking a nail than causing a physical altercation. I only know it’s not the time to question my ally here. Lara needs to go.
Willa moves behind Lara and holds up her phone while placing her finger in front of lips. She’s texting someone.
Anger isn’t going to solve anything right now and I need to reel my thoughts in so I can handle this carefully. I place my phone back in my bag and show her my empty hands. “Please sit down,” I firmly suggest.
Lara shakes her head, her greasy hair flopping around. “No, I can’t—no. I need your help.”
“What is it that you think I can help you with, Lara?” I ask, calmly.
“I didn’t do any of this,” she replies. I’m sure she knows her answer isn’t sufficient and won’t help any of us.
“That’s something you need to discuss with the police,” I state.
“They won’t believe me. They’ll only believe you because you’re the one who called to tell them I had Madden locked up. If she was your child, you would have locked her up too.”
“I think that is how we ended up in this situation. I wouldn’t lock a child in her room. Regardless of what you think or know Madden has done, you are not the person who can help her.”
“She hates me,” Lara grunts. “She wishes I was dead. She would do anything for a different mother. And the worst part is, I don’t know what I’ve done so wrong for her to feel that way toward me. All I’ve done is give her love and it has never been enough.” There must be more to this than she’s admitting.
