Wylde Ride

Chapter 5: Getting There is Half the Fun

"Mom, are you leaving again?" 7-yr. old Lesia poked her head into her parents bedroom to find her mom carefully folding clothes and placing them into a black rolling suitcase that she knew far too well. A second one was open on the bed next to it and she could see the toiletry case that matched the set had already been packed.

"I can't. I just... I try, you know but I just...can't." Several more things went in the suitcase but her mom wouldn't look at her. "I feel like I'm suffocating here."

Lesia's eyes filled with tears. "Don't you love Daddy and me anymore?"

Her mom dropped the blouse she was holding and spun to hug her tight.

"Oh god, sweetheart. Of course I love you both." She pulled back just slightly and placed her hands on either side of Lesia's face, tears running down both their cheeks. "Don't you ever think, for one second, that I don't love you. I just can't be here. I feel like I'm slowly dying when I'm here."

"Then let me come too!" Desperation raced across her tiny features as she shook with sobs.

Her mom let her go and stood back up to return to packing. "I wish I could honey, but I don't know where I'm going or what job I'm gonna have yet. You're better off staying here with Daddy."

Both suitcases were full now and she zipped them up. Lesia watched in silence as her mom gathered her things up and headed to the door. She followed, tears and sobs still wracking her little body, the hiccups starting halfway down the hall. Daddy had just come home and didn't look at all surprised to find Momma leaving.

"Call me, so I know you're safe and where you're at," he said, as if they were discussing what was for dinner. He kissed Mom, then scooped down and picked Lesia up. She clutched Daddy's neck tight.

"Mom," Lesia called after her, making her stop just before the door, "when are you gonna come home?" Momma always came home, no matter how long she was gone. Momma looked back over her shoulder, giving Lesia a sad smile. Even she could feel the tension in the air as Momma just looked at her then, without a word, turned and walked out the door.

~Lesia~

The tension in the van was so thick I felt like it was trying to choke me. If we were going to be a team, I needed to know what was going on between Scott and the Henshaws. I glanced back at the three blonde doppelgangers in the backseat. I had no idea how to tell them apart and I've been trying since I met them. Sure, they dressed differently, but I still hadn't figured out who dressed how, and it wouldn't matter when we were all dressed out for training. I hadn't spent much time around them, so I opted to try talking to Scott.

My sexy boy was next to me, looking very nearly catatonic and like someone had glued his eyelids open. I lightly ran a hand up his thigh and delighted when he sucked in a quick breath. His hand clamped down over mine just as it approached the juncture of his thigh and hip. He finally looked at me, and I gave him a sultry smile as I flipped my hand over his and laced our fingers together. I thought he might pull his hand away but was pleasantly surprised when he squeezed my hand and relaxed our joined hands against his thigh.

Leaning in close, I kept my voice soft, afraid to offend the Henshaw brothers. "So, you wanna tell me why I feel like I might need a knife just to get out of the van with all the tension and hostility in here?"

Scott blinked those gorgeous emerald eyes behind his black rimmed glasses a few times, then sighed. "That's right. You got here after the bike accident." He leaned into me, also keeping his voice low, and his thumb started absently stroking across my palm. "A couple weeks before homecoming, Blaze and Lacey went on their first date. Something happened. Blaze upset Lacey somehow and she took off. I guess she got attacked or something and by the time her dad got her home she was in rough shape. Blaze raced over to apologize and make sure she was okay but when he got there, those three buffoons in the backseat attacked him. They split his eyebrow open. I guess her dad stopped them before it got too bad, and he sent Blaze off. But Blaze was too upset and wasn't thinking straight, so when he got on his bike, he didn't put on his helmet."