A/N: I wanted to finish this earlier but I had a quick-fic that wouldn't let me sleep until it was written. I dashed that off in two hours and had no energy left to work on this afterwards. I did make a vow to myself to get this up over my spring break. And I did.
2: One continuity error. Earlier, I made references to Amber's mother being Ms. Floyd, then I realized I never said that Amber's mother married Amber's father, so I changed names. It just works best this way.
Disclaimer: I STILL don't own them : goes to beg at Peter Weir's door:
Chapter 6: That Lonesome Road
Two weeks passed very quickly. Amber woke up that Sunday morning early, just as the sun was starting to rise. She looked out side, and was rather surprised to see snow. She was still having a hard time adjusting to weather up north. In Virginia she'd stopped expecting snow until mid-January at the earliest.
She dug into her chest-of-drawers for her one pair of jeans. Pulling the Welton sweatshirt over her head, and pulling her dark hair into a ponytail, she knew she'd be able to go for a walk un-detected. She had to clear her head. Glad that Welton wouldn't let the students lock the doors to their dorms, she snuck into Knox's room, and found his battered old Converse. Deciding against leaving a note, Amber took those and snuck out the door. She retreated to her room, grabbed her coat and some of the money her mom gave her every month, shut the door carefully, and snuck down the stairs, sock footed . As soon as she was in the main hall, she put the shoes on, marveling at how comfortable they were, especially compared to her white tennis shoes which were designed, she believed, to torture her feet. Pulling her coat around her tightly, she stepped into the snow and began to walk, heading completely off campus. Her mind began to wander, something she hadn't let it do since that devastating Saturday when she'd told the boys her news. That Sunday was worse at the school services. She knew as soon as she sat down that Nolan would preach about life, death, and that thing he called "God's plan" and how mysterious it was. And he did, and he made it impossible for Amber to go anywhere without what seemed like 1,000,000 eyes were on her. And Amber, who often spent spare time helping in the main office, was starting to hate the main secretary. As well meaning as the phrase was, " I'll be praying for you" made Amber ready to scream, after hearing it and many variations of it every day for 12 days from that lady. And she was sick of being treated like a porcelain doll.
"I'm not dead yet" she screamed, to no one in particular. Luckily, she was completely alone, and the only reaction she got was from a squirrel who scurried up a tree as she passed by. Amber continued walking through the neighborhood . She knew of an all-night diner near by, thanks to the boys, and she really wanted coffee and a donut. She didn't know why, she just needed the caffeine and sugar.
When she reached the diner, she ordered the coffee and donut and sat in a back corner booth. She stole the paper some body had left in a near by booth. First, she read the funnies, she was still very much a child at heart. Then she skimmed all the articles. Seeing were the world was made her feel her state of things truly might not be that bad. Keeping her voice low, she ordered another donut and a refill on her coffee. She glanced at the clock on the back wall. It was just nearing 6:30. If she was back at the school by 7:45, giving her time to change before morning services at 8:00 sharp, she knew she'd be okay. Out of seemingly nowhere, a thought crossed her mind, reminding her that her mother would be deciding whether or not she was to stay at Welton for the rest of the School Year.
At the thought of her mother, Amber felt a throbbing in her head. Never could one person cause as much stress on a person as Amber's mother did her. Paying her bill, Amber left a tip and headed back toward campus, finishing her doughnut as she left.
Making it back to campus with time to spare, Amber snuck into her room, changed into her Sunday dress, took off the comfortable Converse and slipped them back in Knox's room. Hopefully he hadn't noticed they were gone. She got back in her room, found her black pumps, and, after some rummaging, found her stockings. Her feet protesting every second, she squeezed them into her pumps and with a flick of the brush, her hair was presentable. She was now a presentable young lady. She shivered at that thought. A quick glance in the mirror and it was off to services. She slid in the door just as the usher went to shut it. She quickly placed herself next to Meeks on the aisle.
"Where were you?" Knox asked in a whisper, leaning over Pitts and Meeks.
"Out. I'll tell you about it after services." Amber whispered back quickly.
Knox sat back in his chair and rolled his eyes as Nolan started droning on and on about something.
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"So, where were you this morning?" Knox asked Amber as they left service and headed to their rooms.
"I went for a walk and cleared my head. Is that a crime?" Amber asked, in no mood to put up with Knox's stuff that morning.
"Just curious." Knox murmured.
"Listen. I'm just worried about today. Have you forgotten what today is?" Amber said.
Knox shook his head and went into his room. He wasn't going to mess with this for anything right now.
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Amber sat across from her mother, staring into her chicken and mashed potatoes. Laura Edwards, a tall, thin woman with dark hair and eyes as green as her daughters, the only trait they seemed to share.
"How's the chicken?" Ms. Edwards asked, trying to break the wall of stony silence her daughter had put up almost as soon as they sat down.
"Better than at school." Amber said, chasing a pea around her plate.
"Amber, we need to talk. Your grandmother in Richmond has agreed to let us stay with her. You could go back to public school, and get better care."
"Mom, I really like Welton now. I want to stay there. I'm really good friends with some of the guys, and it's what I want." Amber said, struggling not to yell.
"But, how can I take care of you if you stay there. What will people say, knowing I let my daughter, my DYING daughter, stay at some snooty prep school that didn't want her in the first place."
Amber jumped up at that, knocking her fork to the ground, causing a satisfying clatter.
"Damn it, Mother. I should have known you didn't care about me. I'm a pawn in your little public-relations game. You're an unmarried young mother and you just want to prove to people that you can take care of me even if my father left you for some 'dirty little tramp'. I am staying at Welton, and you will have to drag me kicking and screaming back to Virginia." Amber dug in her purse and slammed down a few bills. "This should cover my half of the meal". With that, Amber stormed off, eyes too full of hot tears to notice the shocked and awed stares of other diners.
Amber limped into Welton just after dinner. Her feet hurt, pumps were not made for long distance walking. During the cold and rather lonely walk, Amber had realized maybe she was hasty in her conclusion. Maybe it wasn't only green eyes that the women had in common, maybe it was temper. She was so caught up in regret that she didn't see Charlie heading down the same stairs she was heading up. They ran into each other.
"Hey, how'd it go?" Charlie innocently asked.
"Bad." Amber said, leaning on the railing.
"How bad?" Charlie asked, eyes getting wide.
"Well, I pleaded my case, mom said some things that pissed me off, I made an ass of myself and stormed out and walked the five miles back."
"Ouch." Charlie whispered, enveloping Amber, who was looking about ready to cry, into a friendly hug.
"I am such an ass. I accused my own mother of using me for a pawn in some twisted game, and I all but came right out and called her a whore, in front of about fifty people. I'll be lucky if she doesn't disown me." Amber tried to check her tears but couldn't help a few flowing freely.
"She won't disown you. You probably made some valid points, just maybe didn't do it in the best way."
Amber looked up at her 'honorary big-brother'. "You sure?"
"Positive. Now, the question I have to ask. Do you get to stay after break?"
"I don't know." Amber said with a sigh.
"Of course you do." A voice from behind them said. Both Amber and Charlie jumped about ten feet. Turning around, Amber was shocked to discover her mother standing there.
"Mom. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said." Amber said.
"No, you had a perfectly valid point. I'd rather you not have made it so clearly in front of 57 people, but you had a point. If Welton means so much to you, of course you can stay. But I do care about you. More than you can ever know." Laura Edwards said, voice cracking a little as Amber, forgetting her age and company, ran to her mother like a lost child. "How can I get on with out you?"
"Mom, we have all year to answer that question. But I don't think we will ever be completely separated, no matter what." Amber sobbed.
"Hey, Charlie what's taking so lo…oh." Knox said, coming in to the hallway, followed by Meeks, Todd and Pitts. Charlie put up his hand from where he stood, thinking that had he seen something similar that night one year ago he'd be sharing this moment with Neil too.
Finally mindful of her surroundings, Amber broke away from her mother.
"Mom, these are my friends. That's Charlie Dalton, you know, mister 'Phone-call-from-God.' He's not so bad once you get to know him. That's Meeks, he's our resident genius. That's Pitts, one of the nicest people I've met here. That's Todd. He's got a real gift for poetry. And that is Knox, my, well, don't kill me, boyfriend."
The boys all nodded in turn, blushing at the praise, especially Knox who was thrilled to have Amber call him that. It was nice to have put a label on their relationship.
"Well if these are the boys you'll be staying with, I'm more then happy to have you stay here. But, I would like to take you home for break a little early. Boys, you are welcome to come to our house anytime over break. In fact, I expect you there Christmas Eve. I'm not much of a cook, but Amber and I together can make one amazing traditional Southern feast." Ms. Edwards said.
A chorus of "Yes Ma'am" followed as Amber dashed up stairs to get her luggage for break.
The boys stood silent, knowing that Ms. Edwards wanted them to be there for more than just a good meal. She wanted to make what would more than likely be her daughters last Christmas be special and memorable.
