Secrets, Lies and Dragonflies

Chapter 13

Living with someone who loves to cook has its benefits. After Aunt Amy returned from Charlotte, we gorged on two day old meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Even her leftovers are amazing; the perfect fuel to help me resist the temptations I'll face while we get set up for the weekend. Her creations are irresistible. If she makes her chocolate chip cookies, I'm a goner.

This evening, she put me on fruits and veggie prep duties. As I chop and slice, she fills the air with gluten free flour mixes, fragrant with cinnamon and allspice. Several local vendors routinely drop off their batches of unsold produce at discounted pricing. It's always random, but that seems to energize her inner Swedish Chef, the most influential chef of all time, if you ask me. Although with performances like the one tonight, his reign could be in jeopardy. When U2 hits the chorus of With or Without You, she can't stop herself. All work ends. Twirling around and coming face-to-face with Spencer, ladle in hand, she passionately belts out inaccurate lyrics completely off key. She swears the perfect playlist is one of the secret ingredients in all of her recipes.

After the show wraps, I head upstairs and am drawn to my bedroom. Prepared to release an insect trapped between window panes by my nightstand, I learn the buzzing is actually coming from my cellphone. Lindsey's face flashes across the screen. I ignore her. I just can't bring myself to lie to Aunt Amy again.

Last Saturday, she spent an hour going over the hazards of living in Landry. "Look, Mackenzie. It's not like Elliot here. No sidewalks and streetlights like your old neighborhood. It's much more risky riding around that late, especially on Main Street. I think it's just too dangerous." Aunt Amy shook her head. "Poor ol' Sheriff Miller can't patrol for speed demons and make sure all the kids get home safely. Why don't you just let me come pick you up at Lindsey's house when you girls are all done? It's no bother at all. Spencer and I could grab an ice cream on our way to get you."

"But Aunt Amy, you know that except right after school while they have the entire area policed, I'm never on Main Street. I'm not a little kid. I'm fifteen. I know how to avoid being roadkill." I have to keep in mind she's never had children of her own so she can be a little over the top. "When I leave Lindsey's house, I'll take the mountain trails over the pass and cut through the back roads by Vincent's place, like I always do. I'll be perfectly fine," I said.

"Sweetheart," she tilted her head, her softened tone poured over me like honey. "I know it's so different for you now, being down here with me. Not being right around the corner anymore, it must be much harder to spend time with your friends. It just makes me nervous thinking you'll be out there all alone."

Stifling my guilty conscience, I held my cellphone up in the air. "That's why I have this. I'll call you if anything changes and I need you to come pick me up. I promise."

I've regretted winning that argument the moment Lindsey's plan was set in motion. Abigail was supposed to go with us, but at the last minute, had to cancel. Our fake plans to bike to the movies and the Supernova for the afternoon kept us out long enough for Lindsey and me to secretly rendezvous with her new boyfriend, Chucky. For five painful hours I was the third wheel on the budding romance tour. Never again, I swore to myself.

Now she's wanting to know if I'm on for tomorrow, but coming up with another reason to be out until dusk is going to be tricky. Not because Aunt Amy doesn't trust me. She just doesn't like the idea of me out on my bike after dark. And I just can't bring myself to lie to her again.

My phone buzzes with texts. She's not going to let me off the hook.

Lindsey: r u comin?

Me: Not sure. Aunt Amy may need help.

Lindsey: thot u said she wuz cool?

Me: She is. Just a lot of work for her.

Lindsey: PLZ come. Wldnt b sam w-out u!

Melting into my bed, I close my eyes and let the plush comforter hug me. I take a deep breath. Counselor Cassie says I should always take ten deep breaths if I feel any stress. I get to five. It stresses me out thinking of doing all ten.

Deep breath number six.

Me: What time?

Lindsey: noon-C pickin us up nxt 2 my houz again. u here at 11:30. Tell prnts we r goin 2 suprnova then 2 movies? Show at 5:45pm. Par-t will b EPIC!

I smile, picturing Lindsey's face as I read the part about it being epic.

The day Grandma Sheffield, Aunt Amy's one and only employee, met Lindsey, she said, "I think that girl could charm a genie right back into his bottle and he wouldn't have a clue how he got there." She does have a way of making something sound so fantastic. I mean, who wouldn't want to go to an epic party?

The plan she's concocted is the same as last weekend. When we stash our bikes in the brush just around the corner from her house, Chucky will pick us up from there and take us to his, according to Abigail, ginormous house.

Ten minutes pass and I still don't know what to write. Even if I think Chucky is a total loser, Abigail is definitely going this time so I won't be alone again. She's been dying to check out his place, which sounds ridiculously big. But if I'm honest, my curiosity is slightly piqued. I guess I could sacrifice my date with geometry and put right angles and congruent equations off for one evening. Besides, I can study when I get back. It won't be that late.

Me: Not really up for epic, but if u really want me to go, I'm in.

I hesitate before pressing send. I know how much Lindsey wants this. A Chuck Connor party invite doesn't come along too often, or so I'm told.

I press send. Seconds later, her reply is full of self-explanatory emojis.

Lindsey: yay! Ur da bst! C u at 11:30-my hoz! LY!

I fall back into bed, crawl under the covers and shut off the light.

Epic, here I come, says the genie.