13. Zack
When the Time is Right
I held my paper cup still full of coffee as I watched Johnny riding away with his family, his Ma came over and linked her arm in mine for a moment before looking out towards the second pasture.
"If she took her truck, she's probably in town." Ma said. "If not, jump on the quad and she's down by the creek. It's a bit away, you'll have to load the quad onto the truck to come home – it doesn't have the best headlights and it'll be dark by the time you come back."
She let go of my arm and they walked inside.
"Ma..." I called out.
"Yes?" she turned and I could see then that Bailey looked just like her mother, everything but the eyes. She had Levi's blue eyes, they were lighter than the sky but darker than the sea.
"I uh.. I don't know where the keys are for the quad." I said shoving my hands in my pockets. "And I don't know the land."
"If she's not at the pond, which is right down that way." She pointed. "She's in town. The keys are by the back door, I think they have a green tag on them."
I nodded, hoping that if I tried to call her that she'd answer and tell me she was on her way back.
Luckily Ma gave me her number and I had no shame in blowing up her phone until she answered.
"Hello?"
"Oh thank god." I sighed after she answered the phone. "Where are you?"
"Drunk." She laughed.
"No.." I face palmed. "Where?"
"I uh... somewhere I can see the moon." She hiccupped. "I don't feel too great."
"I'm coming to get you, where are you?"
It took me ten minutes to get her location and another fifteen just to find it. Ma was right, she was by the pond. By the time I had found it night had taken over.
I had walked because I didn't know how to load a quad onto a truck so when I found her I pretty much startled her because I had come out of nowhere. She was trying to get into her truck, but I'm sure the pain in her arm and leg was keeping her from being successful. I was going to have to make her see a doctor tomorrow, hopefully that'll stall Johnny from us leaving
