Val was fucked up. A Frankenstein monster with stitches running across her forehead.
Liam cried for a good ten minutes after he saw Val. Dee held him, relieved. Yes, he loved Val, and he had the hots for Sandy, but Dee was there for him when there was a problem. He needed her.
People came and went all day: Sandy, Scott, Vic, Butch, Lance, Ricki. In the evening, while Liam was in the bathroom topping himself up, Kellen showed up with Wavy. They looked rough around the edges, but at least they hadn’t been at the hospital all day, unlike Dee, who felt like someone had run a cheese grater over her nerves.
When Liam saw Kellen talking with Butch, he headed right for them and bailed into Kellen.
“What the hell happened?” Liam said.
“Like I was telling Butch, I was out in the meadow and heard the crash. I don’t know what happened, except Val went off the road and hit that cattle gate. I’m sorry the cops came out, but it looked really bad. That’s why I called 911. And the cops didn’t go near the ranch.”
“I mean, what happened? Why was Val out driving?”
“I don’t know,” Kellen said.
“How can you not know? You were at the house, weren’t you?”
“No. I was in the meadow.”
“Don’t lie to me, you son of a bitch.” Liam jabbed his finger into Kellen’s chest.
It scared Dee when Liam got wild-eyed like that. As big as Kellen was, Liam would take him on when he got in that state.
“I wasn’t at the house.” Kellen’s voice was too soft for Liam to hear when he got crazy. “I think Sean—”
“You think I don’t know how you’re always hanging around, trying to insinuate yourself into her bed?”
“It’s not like that. I never—”
“You think she’d ever have a use for some slob like you? What? You think she’s gonna divorce me and marry you?”
“What’re you talking about?” Kellen said.
“Liam, don’t.” Butch put a hand on his arm, but Liam shoved it away.
“I oughta fucking kill you for coming around my wife even thinking that kinda shit.”
Dee held her breath, waiting for it to all blow up. Kellen took a step back and brought his hands up, ready to field a punch. The nurse at the night station stood up and reached for the phone. God, if she called security, they’d have a problem. Liam couldn’t back down from a fight when he was tweaking, especially if cops were involved.
“Look,” Butch said. “I don’t know what’s going on in your head, Liam, but you need to stop and look around. Kellen isn’t here for some—”
“You don’t know, man. This fucking asshole’s been going around my house every goddamn day, acting like he lives there.”
“He brought Wavy to see her mother and her little brother. That’s why he’s here.” Butch put his hand on Liam’s arm again and turned him toward Wavy, who stood there watching in that eerie way she had. Like the little girls from The Shining.
“I just brought Wavy to visit. I didn’t mean to cause trouble,” Kellen said.
“You didn’t. You’re okay,” Butch said. “Right, Liam? He’s okay?”
“He’s okay. Yeah. I’m sorry, Kellen. I’m just all turned inside out.”
“It’s alright. I’m gonna take Wavy home now.”
“Dee, you better go spend the night with her,” Butch said.
Dee glared at him. Like hell she was spending the night in an empty house with that creepy little girl while Liam was with Val.
“Wavy doesn’t even talk to Dee. I’ll go and sleep on the couch,” Kellen said.
Butch seemed like he might keep arguing, but Kellen was already turning away. When he put his hand out to Wavy, she took it.
KELLEN
Riding down in the elevator to the parking garage, Wavy leaned against the opposite wall, staring at nothing. When the doors opened at the second-level parking, she walked ahead of me to where the truck was parked.
“Where do you want to go?” I said. “You want to stay down at the ranch with Sandy?”
Wavy turned around and took a few steps backwards so we could look at each other. She pointed at me.
“You want to stay with me? Or you want me to stay with you?”
She nodded. I knew she was gonna say that. And I knew I wouldn’t sleep on the couch.
Unlike everybody else, me and Wavy had already been into the farmhouse and seen what Val did before she wrecked. Broken dishes and food all over the kitchen floor. In the living room, the coffee table was split in two like somebody had jumped on it. One of the couch legs was busted off and the cushions were cut open. Lying in the middle of that mess was a used syringe and a pair of lacy panties. Val even went into Wavy and Donal’s rooms, ripped the sheets off the beds, broke toys and tore up library books.