All I Ever Wanted

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The notepad has slipped to the side of the chair and is long forgotten. Mike is asleep on the chair but I'm too wound up to even think about closing my eyes any longer than it takes to blink. I sit on the edge of the chair forcing myself not to peek out of the window. I'll know when they come back, I'll hear the purr of the engine. Looking into the darkness will only worry me further.

I hear the rumble of an engine and I bolt to the window. I peer out and see an unfamiliar car pass. Another false alarm. Mike eyes are now open and he looks to me for the verdict. I shake my head. He drops instantly to sleep. I admire how he can so easily fall asleep at  will.

I sit back onto the chair and keep myself alert and ready to move if needed. I watch the hands on the clock creep slowly forwards. Tick tock. The minute hand slides along so slowly I don't see it move, the hour hand goes even slower.

A strange scraping noise is coming from outside but don't go and investigate. It’s been happening for the last hour or so and although I can't find the source of the sound I suspect someone is dragging items along the path. Why someone would be dragging objects in the dark of night I have no idea.

An engine starts and I race to the window once again. It sounds nothing like the quiet purr of my father’s car but I check anyway. I see no car so I wake Mike and we pad silently into the hall and open the door for a better look.

A cool breeze gushes in and makes me shiver slightly. I pull down my coat that is hanging up and wrap it around my shoulders. The streetlight from the other side of the road offers some light and I can vaguely see a white van parked on the drive next door. Its running but the back doors are open.

When the doors slam a couple is visible. I presume they are Lauren and John since it is there house the van it parked on. They climb inside the van and drive away in a puff of smoke. I wonder where there going in a van at night. One theory tugs in my mind but I refuse to believe it.

I step out of the doorway my bare feet on the cold concrete. I slip my arms into the coat and run towards the sign embedded in Laurens lawn. I intend to move it. Lauren loves her garden and this sign will destroy her perfect arrangement of flowers.

As I come close I can read the sign but only one word registers in my mind. Sold. The nagging thery I  have given no credit to may still be wrong, but I don't think so. Lauren and John have moved out. Curiously I peer at the sign. I shrug and move away only to crash into Mike.

He frowns at the sign and traces his fingers over the letters as if he cannot believe his eyes. I wonder why his friends never told him they were moving. His friends were more like his family so why would they not tell him about something as important as this? Then all the pieces slot together.

I grab his wrist and tow him into the house. He looks pretty shell-shocked so I sit him in the living room and get him a cup of coffee. I need him to confirm my suspicions.

I open his fingers and curl them around the cup. He has a faraway look that tells me his mind is elsewhere. "Tell me." I offer. A problem shared is a problem halved right?

He sighs. "I told John about my family. John told Lauren. Lauren hates my mom; she thinks that mom was my Dads partner in crime or something. Said she didn't feel safe. John was more understanding but Laurens got him wrapped around her little finger so it doesn't matter anyway. It was my friends or my mom. I had to choose. I tried to pick both." 

I curl up and think about it for a minute. My only thought is that Lauren is kind of selfish. I dislike Evelyn probably more than she does but you have to cut her a little slack. A very tiny little bit, for Mikes sake. She knows about Mikes past so she should understand more than anyone why she shouldn't take his best friend from under his nose. Its high school cliché material. She's a grown adult, she should know better.

I get up and walk into the kitchen. I grab Mikes phone and hit speed dial. "Hello?" The voice asks. "Mike?"

I smile "No, its Emma. Can you come over?"

"What’s wrong Emma?"

I look toward the living room and say "Can you come over?"

"I'll be there in five." The line clicks dead. 

I drag my feet up the stairs. I lie on my bed and close my eyes for a minute. I keep myself awake by tapping my foot against the bed in a random fashion. Still I find myself drifting in and out of sleep. The sound of the door opening drags me from my drowsy state and I walk into the hall to see who it is.

I smile and comment, "Here already? He's in the living room."

I follow my guest into the living room. Mike peers up at us and his eyes widen in surprise. "Layla!"He stands up with surprise, “How are you?" He glances to me uncomfortably but she seems to have no such problem. She rests her hands on his lower back and kisses him until he kisses back. I look away having no wish to see them shove there tongues down each other throats.

Layla spins me around by the shoulders and gives me a hug. "How are ya?"

I scowl in pretend irritation "I noticed how you ignore me until you've spoken with Mike first." I put emphasis on spoken because that’s not all they were doing.

Layla flushes a bright red and defends herself "I wasn't ignoring you!"

I roll my eyes "Sure."

Layla backtracks "Maybe I was. A little." She holds her thumb and finger a small distance apart.

I push her index finger upwards until the gap is huge. "That’s more like it!" I laugh and hug her. "How are you anyway?"

Layla looks at me suddenly serious "How are you doing Emma? How's your Grandmother?"

I think about the former question. Honestly? Okay, considering everything. If I'm having a good time it manages to slide to the back of my mind but never really goes away. Then afterwards I feel so guilty for forgetting. Even if only for a little while. Grandmother doesn't look ill so it make the news surreal, as if it’s not happening to me. Then other times I realise how real it is.

I look at Layla's concerned face and pull her back into a hug. "Okay." I whisper. I just hope it's the truth.