and many other flowers she
didn’t know filled the front of the house. The woman didn’t seem to want to
follow the Alberta rule, not to plant until after the long weekend in May.
Frost was sure to kill off most of her plants. The next house had flowering
trees and many varieties of flowers as well.
She’d been fifteen the last time
she’d begged to have some flowers in their yard. Her mom’s first excuse had
been they moved too much. The next one had been that they were too much work. The
third one had been that she was allergic but Bailey had seen her many times
stopping to admire and smell other people’s gardens. The last one had been that
all those pretty colorful blooms did was attract attention and it wasn’t just
ants and bugs.
No flowers.
No pets.
No friends.
No pictures.
No home.
No life.
Her pace increased as the
memories flooded back.
She never seemed to know what her
mom wanted from her. She never seemed to please her or give her what she
needed. There were times she wasn’t even sure her mom liked her.
As a sob tore past her lips, she
clapped her hand over her mouth. She was running now, barely paying attention
to the few vehicles traveling by on the streets. At the end of the block she
turned left for half a block and then raced across into the park beyond. Big
poplars loomed over her, as she ran down the empty walking path. She was
thankful that it was mid day, middle of the week. There was no one.
Her hand clutched her chest as
she sprinted on. How long she continued she didn’t know but at one point she
became aware of the sound of pounding feet behind her. Stopping, she whirled
around. The person following behind grasped her shoulders as they collided. He
spun landing on the ground with her on top. Bailey shrieked. Her elbow dug
deeply into a well muscled belly as she scrambled upwards.
“Ooommph.” He jerked upright and
then flopped backwards, his arms cradling his gut.
She backed up as the person
curled on his side, gasping for breath.
“Sorry,” he finally managed to
croak out.
“You’re the guy from yesterday.”
Bailey moved back a few more steps, balancing on the balls of her feet.
“Yes. Give me a minute.”
“You’re stalking me.”
“No.” He shook his head
emphatically as he sat up and draped his arms over his bent knees.
“Uuugggghhhh.”
“Why are you following me? Was
there a problem with my mother’s funeral?”
The guy frowned.
“You’re from the Funeral Home,
right?”
Wary, sky blue eyes stared back
at her. Secrets were hidden in those depths. That she would bet on. She
was sick and tired of the games people played. Her mother had been a master
player. She moved a few more steps back and spun on her heel.
“Wait. Please don’t go.” He
sucked in some air and rolled onto his back. “I promise I won’t hurt you... at
least not physically.”
She paused, the toe of her right
foot barely touching the ground. She glanced around before slowly turning.
There still wasn’t anyone around. It was a rather secluded area of the park, which
wound down towards the river that ran through the city. Her mom had told her
that it was so popular she’d been thinking of moving again. There was traffic
all day on that path. Not once had she been able to go for a walk and not run
into someone.
Great. So where in the hell
are they today?
Bailey swung her gaze back to the
guy, realizing that she probably shouldn’t be taking her eyes off him. If he
made a move she wanted at least a little bit of warning.
“Look. I need to talk to you.”
“So you tackled me?” Bailey
glared at his bent head. “Are you freakin’ nuts?”
“Right now I’m thinking so.” He
continued to breathe as though he’d had the wind knocked out of him. He lifted
his head. “Look, you were upset and I guess I’m a sucker for a damsel in
distress.”
She refrained from putting her
finger in her mouth and make gagging sounds. But just. She studied him a little
closer. Cute.
didn’t know filled the front of the house. The woman didn’t seem to want to
follow the Alberta rule, not to plant until after the long weekend in May.
Frost was sure to kill off most of her plants. The next house had flowering
trees and many varieties of flowers as well.
She’d been fifteen the last time
she’d begged to have some flowers in their yard. Her mom’s first excuse had
been they moved too much. The next one had been that they were too much work. The
third one had been that she was allergic but Bailey had seen her many times
stopping to admire and smell other people’s gardens. The last one had been that
all those pretty colorful blooms did was attract attention and it wasn’t just
ants and bugs.
No flowers.
No pets.
No friends.
No pictures.
No home.
No life.
Her pace increased as the
memories flooded back.
She never seemed to know what her
mom wanted from her. She never seemed to please her or give her what she
needed. There were times she wasn’t even sure her mom liked her.
As a sob tore past her lips, she
clapped her hand over her mouth. She was running now, barely paying attention
to the few vehicles traveling by on the streets. At the end of the block she
turned left for half a block and then raced across into the park beyond. Big
poplars loomed over her, as she ran down the empty walking path. She was
thankful that it was mid day, middle of the week. There was no one.
Her hand clutched her chest as
she sprinted on. How long she continued she didn’t know but at one point she
became aware of the sound of pounding feet behind her. Stopping, she whirled
around. The person following behind grasped her shoulders as they collided. He
spun landing on the ground with her on top. Bailey shrieked. Her elbow dug
deeply into a well muscled belly as she scrambled upwards.
“Ooommph.” He jerked upright and
then flopped backwards, his arms cradling his gut.
She backed up as the person
curled on his side, gasping for breath.
“Sorry,” he finally managed to
croak out.
“You’re the guy from yesterday.”
Bailey moved back a few more steps, balancing on the balls of her feet.
“Yes. Give me a minute.”
“You’re stalking me.”
“No.” He shook his head
emphatically as he sat up and draped his arms over his bent knees.
“Uuugggghhhh.”
“Why are you following me? Was
there a problem with my mother’s funeral?”
The guy frowned.
“You’re from the Funeral Home,
right?”
Wary, sky blue eyes stared back
at her. Secrets were hidden in those depths. That she would bet on. She
was sick and tired of the games people played. Her mother had been a master
player. She moved a few more steps back and spun on her heel.
“Wait. Please don’t go.” He
sucked in some air and rolled onto his back. “I promise I won’t hurt you... at
least not physically.”
She paused, the toe of her right
foot barely touching the ground. She glanced around before slowly turning.
There still wasn’t anyone around. It was a rather secluded area of the park, which
wound down towards the river that ran through the city. Her mom had told her
that it was so popular she’d been thinking of moving again. There was traffic
all day on that path. Not once had she been able to go for a walk and not run
into someone.
Great. So where in the hell
are they today?
Bailey swung her gaze back to the
guy, realizing that she probably shouldn’t be taking her eyes off him. If he
made a move she wanted at least a little bit of warning.
“Look. I need to talk to you.”
“So you tackled me?” Bailey
glared at his bent head. “Are you freakin’ nuts?”
“Right now I’m thinking so.” He
continued to breathe as though he’d had the wind knocked out of him. He lifted
his head. “Look, you were upset and I guess I’m a sucker for a damsel in
distress.”
She refrained from putting her
finger in her mouth and make gagging sounds. But just. She studied him a little
closer. Cute.
Similar Books
