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“What brings you here? Hopefully not to see that woman.” Henry points at the trailer my mom owns.
“Unfortunately, that’s exactly why I’m here. Need to ask her some questions.”
“What’s going on, anything I can help with?” Henry asks, likely trying to keep me from having to knock on that door.
“I had a question about Pippa. The girl who lived over there?”
Henry purses his lips before lifting a finger into the air. “Oh, yes. That little thing. Can’t say I know what happened to her. One day, she up and left, and no one heard from her again.” He narrows his eyes on me. “What’s this about?”
I don’t know what to say. I’m at a loss on what to even ask.
“What was she like after I left?” I start with, not knowing what to expect.
“We didn’t see much of her,” Henry says, but Mrs. Matthews shakes her head.
“For a time, we did. She used to play around outside. She loved that lake,” Mrs. Matthews smiles sadly, and I wonder what that’s about, but she continues. “You’d typically find her hanging out by your place, always staring at the street. As if she was waiting for someone.”
Her words hit their mark, tearing at my heart. Pip was waiting for me.
That image is heartbreaking. It feels like daggers are driving through my chest.
“But after the incident…” Mr. Matthews says, and my head snaps to his.
“What incident?”
Mrs. Matthews is about to speak when I hear a door creaking open.
“You come to threaten me some more?”
My mother’s shrill voice is like spiders crawling over my body.
Shit.
I turn to look over my shoulder to find the cursed woman staring at me. Her hair is a disheveled mess. Probably a late night drinking. She looks like she’s been up all night.
“I have to run,” I tell the sweet couple, not wanting them to be involved in my drama with my mother.
No one needs to put up with her, least of all them.
“We’re real proud of you,” Mrs. Matthews says, and it means more to me than she can understand.
“I’ll stop by to see you soon.”
I shouldn’t promise that because I won’t. Once I leave here, I have no intentions of returning. But I will ensure to keep in touch with these two another way. I won’t abandon them again.
Mrs. Matthews smiles. It’s kind and full of pride. It’s exactly what I need as I move toward the viper who birthed me. Reminding me that I made it out of here, made something of myself, and nothing this evil woman says can hurt me.
“What are you doing here? Your man already threatened me. I don’t need you doing some more bullying.”
I lift my hands. “I just want to talk.”
“Talk.” She grunts. “Since when do you want to talk? This has got to be important.”Her lips spread into a sinister smile, and she taps her chin. “That will cost you.” She places her shaky hands on her hips. “My time is valuable.”
I reach into my wallet and pull out a twenty. She looks down at the bill, her face dropping.
“Is that a joke?”
“Well, Mom.” I put so much sarcasm into that one word, hoping she recognizes it for the joke it is. “I’m sure someone else in the area would be more than happy to help me, and it won’t cost me twenty dollars.” I shrug. “Take it or leave it.”
