Lay Me Down

The New Boy

Saturday. Kylee flung the covers off and grabbed up a change of clothes. She streaked into the bathroom to shower and change before Bill noticed her. The worst part about the weekend was knowing he would be here, all day for two whole days.

She ended her shower before the running water could attract his attention. She stepped into her room and found a pair of jeans and gray hoodie to put on.

The kitchen was empty. Kylee began working on the dough that would be part of their dinner later. Pausing, she listened for Bill. Nothing yet. Last night's fight must've done a number on him. She needed to check on her mother, but she didn't want to bump into him. She tiptoed into her mom's bedroom. Only her mother lay on top of the covers.

"Mom? Don't you want to leave this room?" Kylee placed a mug of coffee on the nightstand. The response was a soft groan.

"You need to get out of the house." Kylee took a sip of the coffee. "We could go meet the neighbors. Take them some fresh bread."

"Too much light," her mom whispered.

Her mom got awful headaches that sometimes left her vomiting. Kylee closed the blinds and left the room. She needed to get the eggs.

The cool morning air blew her wispy blond hair away from her face, and she took a moment to breathe it in. As always, the briny smell of aquatic life carried over the earthy aroma of farm life and woods. Less than an hour away, the Atlantic Ocean crashed against the Virginia shore.

Twenty minutes from the Virginia Beach boardwalk, but Bill forbade her to go.

Come to think of it, she hadn't heard him yell yet this morning. In fact, she hadn't even heard the television blaring. Where was he?

She unlatched the door to the chicken coop.

On the other side of the house, she heard voices calling back and forth. The neighbors.

A big dog with shaggy reddish-yellow fur ran around their yard, panting as he ducked in and out of the legs of an adolescent boy and a young girl. The man stood in the moving truck, handing boxes to the two children.

Kylee slowed down. The girl's brown hair was in a messy ponytail, as if she had slept on the hairdo. The boy's hair was a similar color, but spiked upward in a trendy style. He had his back to her, so Kylee couldn't see his face, but judging from his height, he had to be about her age. She felt a rush of energy. Having a neighbor her age, especially a boy, was more than she hoped for.

As if sensing her stare, he turned around and met her eyes across the fence. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Then Kylee smiled and waved. "Hi. I'm Kylee."

He didn't smile back. He stared at her another moment, then turned his back on her and said something to the man in the van.

Maybe he didn't hear me, Kylee told herself, the familiar coldness of disappointment seeping into her limbs. He could've at least smiled.

He swiveled around and met her gaze again. He took two steps backward, his eyes not leaving hers. And then he disappeared around the side of the van. Kylee heard his footsteps as he ran into the house.

"So much for making a friend," she sighed. All the excitement about having new neighbors rushed out of her. Kylee pushed open the screen door and went into the house.

She deposited the basket of eggs on the counter, then thought better of it. She better wash them first. She turned on the warm water and worked the soap into a lather.

She hadn't expected the new family to hear the rumors already. Maybe the Realtor warned them when he sold the house.

She'd find a chance to talk to the boy.