This is a Lennox-centric chapter. I wanted to make sure you guys knew how she felt about all this. I had some 'complaints' about Lennox being too old, but I made her that age for a reason. I needed her to be old enough to make good decisions, but still young enough to be innocent and curious and a bit of a troublemaker. Thanks for the amazing reviews! I'm working in some stuff about Khan's people, but I don't know if I want to add yet another plot point, or just make them safe somewhere else.
CHAPTER TEN
Lennox was glad that Khan was still around – it was obvious her mom and him liked each other. She knew her mother was lonely, and Khan was making her smile more. It was making their life a lot more interesting, that's for sure! Lennox wanted to know everything about the future – what did the cars look like? Where did the people live? What was his job? Lennox gave her mom a hug when she opened the door, and ushered Amy into the room. Rhonda followed.
"Neighbor, huh?" Rhonda said, her eyebrows raised and her arms over her chest. Lennox saw her mother blush. She knew that they weren't supposed to talk about Khan being from the future. He was standing with his hands in his pockets next to her mother. He had a polite smile on his face, but he looked really tense.
"Yes. He's helping me with those photos," Harper answered. Rhonda and her mother shared a knowing glance, and Lennox squinted her eyes on them. It was a code, and they didn't want her to know. Of course, that's what parents always seem to be doing.
"Alright," Rhonda answered slowly as she sent a once over. Amy shyly smiled and waved, and Khan gave her a real smile.
"I'll talk to you later, Amy. We have to figure out a day to go swimming – I am so glad school is out!" Lennox smiled, hugging her friend. The woman said goodbye, and Khan waved politely as Rhonda and Amy left. Lennox turned back to her mother and her new friend. "What photos?"
"Jordan Garner is –," Khan started, but Harper cut him off.
"Never mind. Really, Lennox, it's something for my article. I promise to talk about it when I get it all figured out, alright?" Her mom tried to send a big smile, but Lennox saw worry behind it. Something was happening – she'd figure it out eventually. For now, though, they had things to do. Pushing past the adults, Lennox made her way to her room and threw her overnight bag on the bed. Her mom left a note saying she needed to pick up her laundry for tomorrow, and Lennox wrinkled her nose. Her room was just how she liked it.
Lennox heard Khan and her mother talking in the living room, but didn't know what they were saying. She rolled her eyes and pulled a book out of her bag. It was a mystery novel that had just came out. Maybe she should write a book of her own! About Khan, and his world. So awesome! She placed the book on her desk and left her room. She walked into the living room, where Khan and her mother were looking into each other's eyes romantically. She giggled, and they snapped back from each other.
Harper cleared her throat. "Khan said that you wanted to go out today?" She moved away from Khan, and Lennox tried not to giggle again when her mother started to rearrange the DVDs sitting on the shelf next to their TV. It reminded Lennox of when Amy would play with one of her bracelets when the boy she had a crush on was around.
"If that's okay! I like the swings. Megan says that I'm too old to like swings, but what does she know?" Lennox laughed.
"Sounds good to me. I could use some fresh air," Khan said.
"Great!" Lennox grinned at the tall man and stepped up to her mother. "Let's go!"
Harper laughed and rolled her eyes. They gathered up a backpack of water bottles for them to drink while they were out, and Lennox decided she was going to put it on her back. They left the apartment and headed down the elevator. Lennox made sure to stand in a spot where Khan and her mom had to stand together. They walked out of the elevator and made their way outside. Khan seemed to take in everything he saw. His face looked like he was studying.
"Is this like the future?"
"What do you mean?" he asked. Harper motioned him to follow her toward the sidewalk down the side of the main street. The man and preteen followed her, his hands in his pockets.
"I mean, how it looks! Outside," Lennox explained, walking on his right side and Harper on his left.
"Well, mostly. Except the cars and some buildings are more technologically advanced. It's very odd to think everyone here is dead in my time…" Lennox saw him glanced toward her mother.
"So cool," Lennox breathed. They walked for a few minutes, and turned the corner a few blocks away. Lennox asked questions to Khan about the cars in his time, and Harper kept a watchful eye around them. They were almost to the entrance of the park when they heard car squeals behind them. Lennox turned around, and gasped as she felt someone pull her off the ground. She squeaked as she tumbled on the soft grass, Khan holding onto her waist.
A car up ahead squealed as it turned around the corner. Lennox groaned – she shouldn't have been so close to the road. Her mom was going to yell at her for not watching where she was watching. That car almost got her!
"Lennox!" Harper cried. Lennox's knee hurt, and she looked down as Khan helped her stand up. He knelt to her level and skinned her face and body for injuries. Harper knelt next to him, and someone who passed by them asked if they were okay.
"Yeah, just got too close to the road!" Harper answered, with a scared laugh.
"Mom, I'm okay, just got my clothes dirty. And scrapped my knee," Lennox side, looking down.
"We should wash that…" Khan murmured, looking over to Harper.
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Lennox had cleaned up in one of the park restrooms, and her mother had found a Band-Aid at the bottom of the backpack. Afterwards, the adults found a shady part under a tree, and Lennox joined them on the ground. Lennox searched through the backpack for something to do while Harper and Khan murmured in hushed tones.
"They tried to hit my daughter," Harper whispered angrily.
"You do not know it was them," he whispered back calmly.
"Hey, I found some Uno cards!" Lennox cried, pulling them out. She didn't want to hear her mom freak out about what had happened. Her mother would get all worried and not let her go out for a while because she'd be afraid of Lennox getting hurt. She needed to show her that she was fine. They adults looked at her, and Khan looked confused.
"Let's play, then!" Harper smiled, grateful that there was a distraction.
"…Uno?" Khan asked. Lennox blinked at him.
"You've never played?"
"No," he answered. Lennox grinned, and laughed at him. He furrowed his brow, but Harper playfully hit his shoulder, and he smiled back. "Show me how to play."
They played for the next hour, each sipping on their water bottles. Khan stood up and stretched after they were done.
"I need to go look for something," he said cryptically. Lennox frowned. Why couldn't they go with him?
"Alright. Lennox, give him your phone so he can call me if he gets lost?"
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Lennox crossed her arms over her chest, and pouted. Harper knew what this meant, and mirrored pose. When she had a plan that wasn't going her way, Lennox tried to put on an innocent look but spoke with a bit of a whining. One of the things that made their relationship so tight was that Harper tried her best to give her daughter reasonable privacy with what was on her phone. There was little reason for her to be overly worried about that kind of stuff.
"It's my phone, why can't he get his own?"
"He can't get one right now."
"But it's my phone. I have pictures of friends and stuff on there! What if he pushes the wrong button and deletes all of them!"
"Lennox –"
"Fine!" she cried, throwing her arms up in the air with frustration. Harper watched as Lennox mumbled angrily as she tossed the phone to Khan. He caught it with ease, and said thank you.
"Lennox, please. We'll talk when we get home. Let's go." Her daughter sighed, a guilty look on her face as they walked toward the exit of the park. Khan stepped close and leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"I'm going to take a look at the Garner Enterprises office a few blocks down. I'll call you if I get anything." She nodded, and he walked away. Harper sighed and grabbed ahold of Lennox's hand. Lennox gave her an annoyed look, but slowly pulled her hand away. Harper looking down and gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Len, I just forget that you're older now."
"Hm," Lennox murmured, rolling her eyes. She smiled a bit, though. They walked for a little while. "Mom, do you like Khan?"
"I do. He's pretty…. Interesting, isn't it?" Harper answered. Interesting wasn't the word she was really wanting to use, though. He was kind, protective, dominant, and sexy. She felt a tug at her heart at knowing that whatever was happening between them wouldn't end up anywhere. This was the third day of knowing him, and he was already taking a part in their lives.