Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail

"My grandma told me that when I asked who my dad was. She said it isn't anyone around here because, 'Your momma'd been gone half a year before you were put in her belly'. I was little back then. I didn't understand that my dad was someone I'll never know. My grandma still gets weird when I ask about him."

Kid turned and stared at me directly. "So you don't know who your dad is? Your mom never said anything?"

"I've spoken to my mother six times in my life and they're always awkward phone conversations. She came once for Christmas, but Grandma wouldn't let her stay at the house so the dinner was really uncomfortable. She left an hour later."

"Why'd your mom give you up?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. That's something else my grandma won't talk to me about, but I've always felt it's because my mom has problems with men. Like she sleeps with them all the time. My mom caused problems for this town. She didn't want me being raised around that environment."

"Huh," Kid grunted, still perplexed. "At least your mom did the right thing and let your grandparents raise you. Sounds like she was trying to do what was best for you. My dad is never at the house when I've been around. He's either traveling for business or off with 'some secretary.' I think my mom had enough of it and just moved away."

"Yeah. That was when…" …when we'd started to get close. I remembered those days. Kid had been Brady's best friend and I'd always been left behind. Then something changed and Kid started teasing me. He asked me to hang out with them. We'd even gone to the movies once without Brady. I'd felt guilty at the time and felt even more now.

Kid coughed. "That was back then. Things are sure different now."

Yeah…

"Rayna Janke?" The pharmacist waved from the cash register.

After I paid, it felt weird knowing that I had birth control in my pocket. When I looked towards the waiting lounge, I saw Brady with his head still in a magazine. Viola should've been there. I would've gone through that moment in my life holding my grandmother's hand. Then I looked at Frank Stephens, who sat stiffly and regally in his chair. His hands seemed to be resting on the sides of his chair with his fingers curled inwards towards the wood. He didn't fool anyone. He didn't want to be there and he looked down his nose at everyone around him. Even the clerk noticed it.

Kid's name was called next.

I didn't know what to feel, not with Kid. He went away and things were fine, but now he was back and everything seemed up in the air. I'd never really talked about my mom like that to anyone.

When Kid turned around with his allergy medication in hand, he stopped and stared at me. "So…"

I bolstered up my courage. "Does your dad go to Florida for business?"

"Oh yeah. All the time," Kid replied, distracted. He started scratching again.

I felt my stomach drop and then Brady appeared at the door. "Rayna? You got what you need?"

I couldn't look away from Kid, who seemed jumpy now. "Uh…yeah…"

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Was Frank Stephens my father? Was he the reason why my mother left town? Did he banish her? Did he go down there and make love to her? Did my grandmother know? And Brady…what would Brady say? He hated Frank Stephens. Would he hate me, too?

I rested my head against the school bus window and looked out on the way to school. I didn't want to think anymore. All bad, it was all bad.

As I walked into school, I saw another bad situation waiting by my locker dressed in tight blue jeans. I was surprised that Clarissa only wore a loose white tee shirt over it. With her hair pulled into two braids that hung on each side of her head, I knew she was still every boy's fantasy, much more than me as I was dressed in jean shorts, blue tank top, and my damp hair grazed my shoulders. I always felt so dowdy compared to Clarissa, but this time she was the one who looked self-conscious as I approached.

"Hey." She looked at me and hesitated.

"Hey." I didn't move to open my locker. This wouldn't take long anyway.

"So…" She took a deep breath. "Um…I feel really stupid about yesterday. I mean with the river and how I acted really, really stupid with your grandmother later. I shouldn't have done what I did. I apologize."

"For using me to get Kid to the river? Or for using me to try to use Kid to make Brady jealous? Or for how you still love Brady?"

"Okay. I got it. I did a lot of stupid things yesterday," Clarissa rushed out. She kept glancing up and down the hallway.

"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me now? You invited me to skip school with you yesterday."

"Because you're ripping into my ass!" She blew a deep breath out and shook her head. "I officially apologize for using you, for being jealous of you, and for being a crappy friend. I feel bad about it all. Trust me. I really felt bad at three in the morning when I was vomiting. Your grandma is a fierce lady."

She didn't know the half of it.

"If it's any consolation, she stayed in bed the rest of the day too. I don't think it was from the booze, but I know she didn't feel good." She'd stayed in bed when Brady dropped me off after the hospital and she hadn't emerged by the time I left for school this morning.