“Okay, then let’s do something else then. We could go grab a burger and watch a movie? I’ll get one of the girls to cover my shift. You know I hate leaving you here all alone, Lee Bug.”
“I’m fine, Cass. I really do need to study. I’ll go with you next time… promise. Go have a good time. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Ok. Have it your way, but you know you’ve got this. You’ve been studying for weeks,” she said as she reached for her purse. “You know where to find me if you need me.”
“Try to behave,” I told her playfully.
“Always,” she said giving me a wink.
I watched her walk out the door. Silence quickly filled the apartment as soon the door closed behind her. Questioning my choice to stay home, I took a deep breath and tried to focus on my notes. Studying right now was pointless; it was just too freaking quiet. Every little noise became a distraction, and I couldn’t concentrate. Deciding it was time for a break, I reached for the remote and started scrolling through all the endless channels of sitcoms and infomercials. I finally stopped on some detective show that my dad always liked to watch. I couldn’t help but feel a little homesick when I saw his favorite character appear on the screen, so I grabbed my phone and called him.
He picked up on the first ring, “Hey there, sweetheart. How’s it going?” Just hearing his voice brought a big smile to my face.
“Hey, daddy. Everything’s great. I have my last final tomorrow, and then I have some time off before the summer semester starts.”
“Why don’t you just take the summer off? Take Cassidy and go to the beach for a few days… or come home for a visit. You know I’d love to see you.” I felt a twinge of guilt when I thought about him being there all alone. Even though it’d been several years since mom left, he was still having a hard time adjusting to not having her there.
“You know I’d love that, but I’ve got a lot going on. I’ll see what I can work out,” I told him.
“You need to get out and see the world. You’re only young once, you know.”
“I’ll see plenty once I graduate. Promise,” I answered. “You worry too much.”
“That’s what fathers do. What about your sister? What’s she up to these days?” he asked apprehensively. Dad wasn’t exactly happy about her working as a bartender at an MC’s clubhouse, but he’d given up trying to talk to her about it. Actually, they barely talk at all anymore, and I can tell it bothers him.
“She’s doing great. Just left for work a few minutes ago.”
“Ok… well, keep an eye on her. You know I worry,” he said softly.
“I will, daddy. She’s happy… really.” I waited a few seconds for him to say something, but he remained quiet. Finally, I said, “Well… I guess I better get back to studying.”
“Ok, sweetheart. Call me later and let me know how you did on your exams. And, think about what I said. It would do you some good to take the summer off. You’ve worked really hard. You deserve to go out and have some fun.”
“Ok. I’ll think about it. Talk to you soon,” I told him as I hung up the phone.
I tried to get back to studying, but searching through the endless pages of notes was making me stir crazy, and my growling stomach was making it hard to focus. I hadn’t stopped studying long enough to eat dinner, and it was finally catching up with me. I grabbed the bag of chips that Cassidy left on the coffee table, and when I put my hand in the bag, I only found a mound of crumbs. I tossed the bag into the garbage and went to the kitchen to search for something to eat. We were down to milk, eggs, and an old veggie tray. That wasn’t going to work. It was time to make a snack run.
Chapter 3
Maverick
?
With a twist of my wrist, I throttled the accelerator and the sound of the engine roared to life around me. The wind whipped against my face as I sped down the long, curvy road to nowhere. Nothing helped me clear my head like the feel of the raw power radiating from the machine beneath me. The wind. The open road. The freedom. It’s just a matter of time, but I knew that it was out there waiting for me. Peace.