Okay, so I'm an evil bitch. You'll find out soon. Annnyhoo...I've had this in mind since the beginning, and it's juuust starting to come into play. In this chapter: an explanation! Just who was that in the car? Anyone guess it yet? :D Oh, and leave me reviews! I won't update this until I get at least five more...and you all know I'm probably lying, don't you? Okay, I'd LIKE five reviews...I'll update whenever I get antsy and creative. Enjoooy!
***
Lily stood in front of her mirror, staring critically at her reflection in the mirror. It was late afternoon, and she and Travis had agreed to get going around five so they would have time to grab dinner before their movie started. Her hair was cooperating, no unruly frizzies or knots. Her khaki cargo pants and dark green T-shirt were suitable for almost every restaurant in town.
All in all, she was good to go.
Only, she wasn't.
She sighed, running her brush through her hair one last time, then tossed it on the dresser.
Her mind was still on the previous night. Travis saying he had to go home because his dad was upset...then getting in a strange car with a strange girl, and hugging her.
Flopping on her bed, she ran over the possibilities. A friend? A cousin! Or was it that he was cheating on her?
"This is stupid," Lily complained out loud. "He can't be cheating on me...we're not even going out!"
Minutes later the doorbell rang, forcing her out of her reverie. She grabbed her jacket and gave one last look toward the mirror, then rushed down the stairs and opened the door.
"Hey," Travis said, smiling from the other side of the threshold.
"Hey," she replied with her own smile.
"Ready to go?" he asked. "Dad let me borrow his car."
"Yeah," she replied, shutting the door and pausing to lock it. "So we're riding in style?"
"If you call a gas-guzzling monster style, yeah," he said, motioning toward the black SUV his father usually drove.
"Well, it is shiny and new," she shrugged.
He laughed, leading her down the walkway to the car. He surprised her by opening the door for her.
"Chivalry really isn't dead," she said, climbing in.
He walked around the front of the car and got in, turning the keys in the ignition.
Once they were driving, Lily reached over to turn the radio on, keeping the volume low, but enough to fill the awkward silence. She didn't know what to say, if anything, or if she should wait for Travis to speak, but that seemed unlikely, and it was driving her crazy. So instead, they listened to the radio.
They had decided on the phone earlier that day to eat at Angelo's, an Italian restaurant near the movie theater. It wasn't too fancy, but the food was good, and the price was in their range, so it seemed the perfect choice.
Fortunately it was also only ten minutes away from Lily's house, so their silence didn't get too out of control.
"I didn't mention it before," he said after they had parked and gotten out of the SUV. "You look really nice tonight."
"Oh, these old thangs?" she said in a cheesy Southern accent.
He smirked at her, and she felt even worse.
"But thanks," she added as they headed toward the front door.
Inside a maitre d led them to a cozy looking booth near the back of the restaurant, which wasn't too busy for a Saturday night, and handed them two menus.
"Thanks," Lily said brightly, waving as the man walked away.
Travis laughed, watching the waiter glance back with an odd look on his serious face.
Minutes later their waiter appeared, a middle-aged man with half a head of hair and a cheesy twisty mustache.
"Hello," he said, completing the look with a cheesy Italian accent. "I am Vincenzo, and I will be your waiter this evening. May I take your order?"
"Uhh..." Lily said, mouth open.
"I'll..have the Chicken Parmesan," Travis said, eyes narrowed and trying to contain his own laughter.
"And to drink?" Vincenzo asked, pencil poised over his pad of paper.
"Just water," Travis replied, turning his attention to Lily and giving her a look.
She was still staring as she ordered. "Fettuccini Alfredo, please...with Coke..."
"Thank you!" he said enthusiastically. "I will return momentarily with your beverages!"
"Wow...he was...a character?" Travis said, looking at Lily.
"He...was..." she replied, biting down on her lip.
Seconds later they gave in, letting out their uncontrollable laughter.
"That is so obviously an act!" she whispered, leaning in so he could hear her.
"I think the mustache is glued on," Travis agreed. "You can see the glue if you look really hard."
"And that accent?" she said. "Please!"
They both sat up straight as Vincenzo suddenly appeared with two glasses.
"For the monsieur," he said, setting the Coke in from of Travis. "And for the madam!"
Lily glanced down at the water, then back up at Vincenzo as he walked away. "Isn't monsieur French?"
They switched drinks, laughing.
"Travis," she started, wanting to get this out when the mood was light. "I saw you last night..."
"Uh, yeah," he said, furrowing his brow. "I was at your house."
"No," she waved her hand. "I mean after. After you left."
If he knew what she meant, he gave no sign. "And what did you see?"
"I saw you get into a car, which wasn't your Dad's," she said, biting her lip. "I saw you with a girl, who...wasn't your Dad."
"I should hope not," he chuckled.
At her serious look, he quieted and sighed. "What do you want me to tell you?"
She shrugged, then said, "Just tell me I'm not on a date with a guy who already has a girlfriend."
He shook his head. "You're not."
"So, who was she?" she said, chewing on her straw as she sipped her Coke.
"It's complicated," was all he offered, staring down at his water glass.
"Complicated how?" she asked, careful to keep her voice low. "You hugged her, right? You don't hug strangers, you hug people you care about."
Travis looked up then, shutting his eyes for a moment, then looking deeply into hers. After letting out another sigh, he said, "She's my mother."
"Your mother?" Lily repeated.
"Yeah," he said, dropping his gaze.
"Wait," she said. "I don't get it. I thought your mom was...I didn't think you had a mother."
"I'm not supposed to see her," Travis said softly, swirling his straw in his drink.
"What?" Lily asked, confused. "Why not?"
"A lot of different reasons, I guess," he said, shrugging. "My dad got sole custody after the divorce. That was a long time ago. But she kept seeing me...on weekends or whatever. Then we moved here, and dad forbade her to see me."
"That's harsh...why would he do that?" she asked, not getting it.
"I dunno," Travis said absently. "She showed up a few weeks ago. Got an apartment across town."
"Well, that's good," she said. "Isn't it?"
"Yeah," he answered sounding unsure. "It's just...Dad can't find out. He wouldn't like it."
Lily frowned.
"I had to drop karate classes to see her," he said, picking at his napkin, trying to pull a thread free from the cloth. "It's the only my Dad wouldn't start to wonder. I was supposed to see her last night, but I lost track of time. She wanted to spend some time with me before the weekend."
"Your dad wouldn't even let you see her once a week?" Lily asked, still not getting why a father wouldn't let his son see his mother.
"No, he's really adamant about it," he said, shrugging. "Dad's weird about that."
"So, wait," she said, something dawning on her. "You were lying about karate...how'd you get that bruise? That bloody nose?"
Travis looked up then, his lips twisting into a frown. "Mom got herself a boyfriend...he wasn't a classy guy."
"He hit you?" she practically cried.
"Shh!" he calmed her. "No, he didn't hit me. Well, he did. But I hit him first."
Travis never hit anyone first, Lily thought, frowning.
"He was an ass," Travis said, his words dripping acid. "She can do better. I guess she knew it, because she dumped him. He wouldn't leave her alone, so I made the message clear."
She didn't know whether to think of it as heroic, or frightening.
"Anyway," he said. "There's no other girl in the picture."
Lily blushed slightly, smiling. "Good."
Vincenzo reappeared then, carrying their plates, piled high with food.
"Enjoy your meal!" he said, setting the plates down. "I will get you more beverages."
Travis and Lily looked down, laughed, and switched plates.
***
They decided to forge the movie after dinner was through, instead retiring to the car, putting on a CD, and driving aimlessly. Most of the back roads out of town looped around and lead back in, making them good for long drives without actually getting too far away.
"Thanks," lily said suddenly, breaking the silence, comfortable this time.
"For what?" Travis asked, his eyes leaving the road for a moment.
"Tonight."
"You're welcome," he replied with a laugh. "I should be thanking you."
"Why?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.
"For saying yes," he grinned.
She rolled her eyes with a smile and sat back in her seat.
"This is good," she said contentedly.
"What is?" he asked, looking over at her again.
"This," she said, taking a deep breathe. "The music, the ride, you."
He smiled, going back to watching the road.
"Oh, I love this song!" she cried, reaching over to turn the volume up.
He laughed as she began singing along, dancing as much as her seatbelt would allow.
"You're definitely one of a kind," he said, shaking his head with a smile.
"Thanks," she said, bobbing her head, laughing.
A flash of brown caught her eye, and she screamed, "Watch out!"
A deer jumped from the side of the road, darting across, panicking, and stopping in the proverbial 'caught in the headlights' position.
At her scream, Travis's eyes widened, and he slammed on the brakes, swerving to avoid hitting Mr. Deer.
There was a brief moment of total and complete silence, even with the CD player still going, and then they hit.
***
Lily stood in front of her mirror, staring critically at her reflection in the mirror. It was late afternoon, and she and Travis had agreed to get going around five so they would have time to grab dinner before their movie started. Her hair was cooperating, no unruly frizzies or knots. Her khaki cargo pants and dark green T-shirt were suitable for almost every restaurant in town.
All in all, she was good to go.
Only, she wasn't.
She sighed, running her brush through her hair one last time, then tossed it on the dresser.
Her mind was still on the previous night. Travis saying he had to go home because his dad was upset...then getting in a strange car with a strange girl, and hugging her.
Flopping on her bed, she ran over the possibilities. A friend? A cousin! Or was it that he was cheating on her?
"This is stupid," Lily complained out loud. "He can't be cheating on me...we're not even going out!"
Minutes later the doorbell rang, forcing her out of her reverie. She grabbed her jacket and gave one last look toward the mirror, then rushed down the stairs and opened the door.
"Hey," Travis said, smiling from the other side of the threshold.
"Hey," she replied with her own smile.
"Ready to go?" he asked. "Dad let me borrow his car."
"Yeah," she replied, shutting the door and pausing to lock it. "So we're riding in style?"
"If you call a gas-guzzling monster style, yeah," he said, motioning toward the black SUV his father usually drove.
"Well, it is shiny and new," she shrugged.
He laughed, leading her down the walkway to the car. He surprised her by opening the door for her.
"Chivalry really isn't dead," she said, climbing in.
He walked around the front of the car and got in, turning the keys in the ignition.
Once they were driving, Lily reached over to turn the radio on, keeping the volume low, but enough to fill the awkward silence. She didn't know what to say, if anything, or if she should wait for Travis to speak, but that seemed unlikely, and it was driving her crazy. So instead, they listened to the radio.
They had decided on the phone earlier that day to eat at Angelo's, an Italian restaurant near the movie theater. It wasn't too fancy, but the food was good, and the price was in their range, so it seemed the perfect choice.
Fortunately it was also only ten minutes away from Lily's house, so their silence didn't get too out of control.
"I didn't mention it before," he said after they had parked and gotten out of the SUV. "You look really nice tonight."
"Oh, these old thangs?" she said in a cheesy Southern accent.
He smirked at her, and she felt even worse.
"But thanks," she added as they headed toward the front door.
Inside a maitre d led them to a cozy looking booth near the back of the restaurant, which wasn't too busy for a Saturday night, and handed them two menus.
"Thanks," Lily said brightly, waving as the man walked away.
Travis laughed, watching the waiter glance back with an odd look on his serious face.
Minutes later their waiter appeared, a middle-aged man with half a head of hair and a cheesy twisty mustache.
"Hello," he said, completing the look with a cheesy Italian accent. "I am Vincenzo, and I will be your waiter this evening. May I take your order?"
"Uhh..." Lily said, mouth open.
"I'll..have the Chicken Parmesan," Travis said, eyes narrowed and trying to contain his own laughter.
"And to drink?" Vincenzo asked, pencil poised over his pad of paper.
"Just water," Travis replied, turning his attention to Lily and giving her a look.
She was still staring as she ordered. "Fettuccini Alfredo, please...with Coke..."
"Thank you!" he said enthusiastically. "I will return momentarily with your beverages!"
"Wow...he was...a character?" Travis said, looking at Lily.
"He...was..." she replied, biting down on her lip.
Seconds later they gave in, letting out their uncontrollable laughter.
"That is so obviously an act!" she whispered, leaning in so he could hear her.
"I think the mustache is glued on," Travis agreed. "You can see the glue if you look really hard."
"And that accent?" she said. "Please!"
They both sat up straight as Vincenzo suddenly appeared with two glasses.
"For the monsieur," he said, setting the Coke in from of Travis. "And for the madam!"
Lily glanced down at the water, then back up at Vincenzo as he walked away. "Isn't monsieur French?"
They switched drinks, laughing.
"Travis," she started, wanting to get this out when the mood was light. "I saw you last night..."
"Uh, yeah," he said, furrowing his brow. "I was at your house."
"No," she waved her hand. "I mean after. After you left."
If he knew what she meant, he gave no sign. "And what did you see?"
"I saw you get into a car, which wasn't your Dad's," she said, biting her lip. "I saw you with a girl, who...wasn't your Dad."
"I should hope not," he chuckled.
At her serious look, he quieted and sighed. "What do you want me to tell you?"
She shrugged, then said, "Just tell me I'm not on a date with a guy who already has a girlfriend."
He shook his head. "You're not."
"So, who was she?" she said, chewing on her straw as she sipped her Coke.
"It's complicated," was all he offered, staring down at his water glass.
"Complicated how?" she asked, careful to keep her voice low. "You hugged her, right? You don't hug strangers, you hug people you care about."
Travis looked up then, shutting his eyes for a moment, then looking deeply into hers. After letting out another sigh, he said, "She's my mother."
"Your mother?" Lily repeated.
"Yeah," he said, dropping his gaze.
"Wait," she said. "I don't get it. I thought your mom was...I didn't think you had a mother."
"I'm not supposed to see her," Travis said softly, swirling his straw in his drink.
"What?" Lily asked, confused. "Why not?"
"A lot of different reasons, I guess," he said, shrugging. "My dad got sole custody after the divorce. That was a long time ago. But she kept seeing me...on weekends or whatever. Then we moved here, and dad forbade her to see me."
"That's harsh...why would he do that?" she asked, not getting it.
"I dunno," Travis said absently. "She showed up a few weeks ago. Got an apartment across town."
"Well, that's good," she said. "Isn't it?"
"Yeah," he answered sounding unsure. "It's just...Dad can't find out. He wouldn't like it."
Lily frowned.
"I had to drop karate classes to see her," he said, picking at his napkin, trying to pull a thread free from the cloth. "It's the only my Dad wouldn't start to wonder. I was supposed to see her last night, but I lost track of time. She wanted to spend some time with me before the weekend."
"Your dad wouldn't even let you see her once a week?" Lily asked, still not getting why a father wouldn't let his son see his mother.
"No, he's really adamant about it," he said, shrugging. "Dad's weird about that."
"So, wait," she said, something dawning on her. "You were lying about karate...how'd you get that bruise? That bloody nose?"
Travis looked up then, his lips twisting into a frown. "Mom got herself a boyfriend...he wasn't a classy guy."
"He hit you?" she practically cried.
"Shh!" he calmed her. "No, he didn't hit me. Well, he did. But I hit him first."
Travis never hit anyone first, Lily thought, frowning.
"He was an ass," Travis said, his words dripping acid. "She can do better. I guess she knew it, because she dumped him. He wouldn't leave her alone, so I made the message clear."
She didn't know whether to think of it as heroic, or frightening.
"Anyway," he said. "There's no other girl in the picture."
Lily blushed slightly, smiling. "Good."
Vincenzo reappeared then, carrying their plates, piled high with food.
"Enjoy your meal!" he said, setting the plates down. "I will get you more beverages."
Travis and Lily looked down, laughed, and switched plates.
***
They decided to forge the movie after dinner was through, instead retiring to the car, putting on a CD, and driving aimlessly. Most of the back roads out of town looped around and lead back in, making them good for long drives without actually getting too far away.
"Thanks," lily said suddenly, breaking the silence, comfortable this time.
"For what?" Travis asked, his eyes leaving the road for a moment.
"Tonight."
"You're welcome," he replied with a laugh. "I should be thanking you."
"Why?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.
"For saying yes," he grinned.
She rolled her eyes with a smile and sat back in her seat.
"This is good," she said contentedly.
"What is?" he asked, looking over at her again.
"This," she said, taking a deep breathe. "The music, the ride, you."
He smiled, going back to watching the road.
"Oh, I love this song!" she cried, reaching over to turn the volume up.
He laughed as she began singing along, dancing as much as her seatbelt would allow.
"You're definitely one of a kind," he said, shaking his head with a smile.
"Thanks," she said, bobbing her head, laughing.
A flash of brown caught her eye, and she screamed, "Watch out!"
A deer jumped from the side of the road, darting across, panicking, and stopping in the proverbial 'caught in the headlights' position.
At her scream, Travis's eyes widened, and he slammed on the brakes, swerving to avoid hitting Mr. Deer.
There was a brief moment of total and complete silence, even with the CD player still going, and then they hit.