Leave a Trace

Chapter Thirty: Serpiente

Chapter Thirty: Serpiente

I put Mom's car in park behind the huge U-Haul in Zane's driveway. The moment the engine shuts off, Alice gets out of the car and runs towards Zane, who is standing in the driveway talking to his father.

I get out too, following behind Alice.

Zane catches Alice in a hug and then sets her down, and she runs to hug her Dad.

Zane turns to me with an adorable grin.

"My baby!" He exclaims, picking me up in a bear hug. He smells mostly of mints right now and he looks exhausted. He kisses me sweetly. My arms lock around his neck, but he pulls away after a minute and sets me down. "I know you guys have seen each other before, but Rose, this is my Dad. Dad, this is Rosabelle."

His father smiles.

"Call me James, Belle. It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." He smiles and pulls me into a hug. I laugh when he releases me.

"It's nice to meet you too. Good things I hope?" I look at Zane with raised eyebrows. He's beaming at me.

"Only the best, I promise." He smiles.

"Can we go now?" Alice asks.

"Yeah." Zane smiles.

His Dad looks much healthier than the last time I saw him when he lost custody of Alice. His blue-green eyes shine in pure happiness. All of us walk over to my Mom's Honda CR-V. Zane gets in the passenger seat and his Dad gets in behind me, and Alice gets in behind Zane.

"I can't wait to have dinner with Mommy!" Alice exclaims as I start driving. All three of us sigh.

"Alice, sweetie, she's probably not Mommy." James says sadly.

"She's my Mommy, Dad. I know it." Alice insists. "A girl knows when a guy likes her boyfriend, and a girl knows when she's seen her Mommy!"

"What? Why are you speaking about boyfriends?" Zane questions.

"Because I know. Tell him Belle, tell him that a girl knows when somebody likes her boyfriend."

James leans forward slightly so his head is between the two front seats and Zane just looks at me and crosses his arms over his chest.

"If it's any consolation, I may have told her that, but I told her that because we were watching a movie and the girl knew that this girl liked her boyfriend, and a girl always knows."

"You told a nine year old that?" Zane asks slowly.

"Yes! I see nothing wrong with it."

James chuckles quietly and sits back.

"Alessandra Caulton, you don't think about boys, okay? They're horrible creatures." Zane says firmly. "As for Mommy, she died a long time ago and I think that Leanne is just similar to Mom."

"But I want a Mommy." Alice whines.

"Me too." Zane frowns. "But ours isn't here anymore."

Nobody says anything for the rest of the ride.

When I pull into the driveway behind my Nissan, Zane lets out a low whistle.

"What did the insurance company say if you don't mind me asking?" James wonders when he sees my back bumper resting on the ground.

"They told me that the other guy had to pay for the damages. He's going to call me tomorrow."

It's around four in the afternoon on Sunday. I asked Leanne to come over for dinner last night and she agreed. I haven't seen her outside much since Zane left. I didn't tell her James and Zane would be here but I think she knows that Alice is here.