The Last House on the Street(89)

“School part time,” he said. “We’d have to work to keep a roof over our heads.”

“Right.” I couldn’t believe we were talking about this. Maybe it could really happen. A tremor of joy passed through me at the possibility of a life with him.

It was nearly midnight when we walked together up Hockley Street toward Round Hill Road, where he’d left Paul’s car. We held hands, our flashlights off, letting the moon guide us. I felt a little sore and wistful. I wondered if he was thinking what I was: The only place we could safely hold hands was in darkness. The only place we could be lovers was in hiding. Maybe we could have a future together, but it was distant and complicated. My joy at being so close to him was suddenly marred by my sadness.

As we passed the house, I saw that Buddy’s black truck and our family car, which my father had taken to his poker game, were now in the driveway. I’d expected that, but I hadn’t expected that the kitchen light would be on. Who was up and how would I get into the house and upstairs to my room? I said none of that to Win but he seemed to sense my anxiety, his hand tightening around mine.

“You live in a big ol’ farmhouse,” he said in a whisper.

“Mm.” I knew he’d grown up in the heart of Darville. Different worlds, in too many ways to count. I walked him out to Paul’s car. Round Hill Road was dark. No other cars. No people. I leaned against the sedan and he kissed me good night.

“Thursday night,” he said.

“Thursday night,” I agreed.



* * *



Walking back to my house, I saw the kitchen light reflected off the side of Buddy’s truck in the driveway. I hoped someone had left the light on accidentally. I decided to go in the front door. Maybe no one would notice me and I could slip up the stairs to my room unseen.

I opened the front door. I was so quiet, I couldn’t imagine how anyone could hear me, but as soon as I stepped into the room and shut the door softly behind me, my father’s voice boomed from the kitchen.

“Ellie, get in here.”

I shut my eyes. Took in a breath. Made sure my dress was on right side out. Then I walked into the kitchen.

They were all waiting for me. My mother, father, brother. Mama sat at the table, crying, blotting her tears with a cloth napkin, and for a brief moment, I thought this midnight meeting had nothing to do with me. Had someone died?

“What’s going on?” I asked, already feeling guilty that I hoped this was about some tragedy and not about me.

“Sit down,” Daddy said. It was a command. This was about me, after all.

I sat down at my usual place at the table. I glanced at Buddy, sitting across from me. He just shook his head and looked away.

“You know,” my father said, “we didn’t talk to you about the toll your shenanigans have taken on our good name in this town and maybe we should have, because you don’t seem to have figured out on your own what you’ve cost us.”

“I was only gone for a month,” I protested. “Your good name must have been pretty fragile if you could lose it over me trying to give poor people a say in their government.”

“Eleanor!” my mother snapped, and I knew I’d stepped way over the line.

“You were with that boy tonight,” Buddy accused me.

“What boy? What are you talking about? I was just outside to get some air. It’s stifling in—”

“Don’t lie to us!” my father shouted. “Mama thought she heard a sound and went to your room to check on you, and found your bed empty.”

“What are you doing, Ellie?” Mama asked. “Who’ve you turned into?”

“I saw you with him,” Buddy said, and the way he looked at me, I thought he knew I’d taken off my dress for Win. Let him touch me all over. Let him inside me.

“How could you see me with someone when I wasn’t with anyone?” I asked.

“Two people comin’ down Hockley Road in the moonlight? Could tell it was you plain as day, but couldn’t make out the face of the boy. I assume he’s the same one I beat up? Didn’t learn his lesson?”

I felt frightened, not for myself, but for Win. Buddy’s expression was serious and determined. He thought he was protecting me from someone—or something—but he was only hurting me.

“Look, everybody.” My body trembled as I got to my feet. “I’m done with him. Tonight was just to tell him that. I’m done with him and I’ve left SCOPE and I’ll start seeing Reed again and we can all put this month behind us, okay?”

I would do it, too. I’d do whatever I had to do to protect Win and get everyone off my back. I’d return to my old life. I’d work on getting Brenda’s friendship back. That might take time. I’d get back in everyone’s good graces, and then, when I got my pharmacist degree, I would move someplace far, far away where I could be my own person and not have to bend to the rules of anyone else.

“You’re telling the truth?” My father looked suspicious. “You’ll get back with Reed?”

“Yes. Not right this second. Not tomorrow. Let me ease into this, okay? I need to do this on my own time and I can’t expect him to just pick up where we left off, either. But I ended it with Win … the guy you saw me with tonight.” I looked at Buddy, acknowledging that he was right. “It’s over.” It hurt to say those words.