Red Herring ✔️

19. The House at the End of the Lane

9 pm

It was particularly convenient living with her aunt and uncle for such a time as this which required secretively traipsing around town at all hours of the night. Since Fe and Rob weren't her real parents, they didn't pay as much attention to her whereabouts as long as she was safe. She should have felt more guilty lying about her after-dark plans, but more pressing issues took up most of the space in her brain.

As predetermined, Mazie parked around the corner on another street to wait for Christian to pick he up after she retrieved a winter hat, scarf, and gloves. The temperature hadn't yet dipped into the freezing numbers, but it was still fairly cold for hiking out in the woods.

To absolutely trash her plans and her mood, her beloved mother texted her.

Mom - I heard Tom and Kacey asked about me and said hello. Why didn't you tell me?

In the absence of any smiling type emoji, Mazie knew without a doubt that her actions peeved her mother. As a regular emoji user, Mazie could easily digress when her mom was upset. Right now, she really didn't feel like responding or dealing with that.

At nine o'clock sharp, Christian idled at the curb on the other side of the road in a very timely manner. Crossing the road, Mazie opened the passenger door, tossed her keys in, and made a big deal about all the effort it took to climb inside. It felt like they rode in a monster truck not just a regular truck.

Mazie sighed as her hind end melted into the warm seat. She didn't read too much into the fact Christian already had her seat warmer on, waiting for her. "Howdy," she greeted.

Christian eased forward, waiting to press on the gas pedal until she buckled her seat belt. Typical Christian didn't say hello, but merely nodded and glanced her over.

Folding her scarf around her hat and gloves, Mazie laid the trio in her lap. "You know, it's customary and polite to say hello back."

One corner of his lips tweaked up almost imperceptibly. "Hello, Mazie."

Warm fuzzy tingles slid over her body like the first step under the head of a hot shower, when he said her name. Heat spread to all of her extremities and settled in her lower belly. "Nice to see you, Christian." She hoped her even tone didn't bely the truth that her heart raced inside her chest.

"You too, Mazie."

Silence descended smoothly and neither of them made an effort to break it. The only sound originated from the gentle consistent hum of the engine and the melodies of the radio station - a peculiar mix between country and rock with a hint of bluesy vocals. 

On the console between them, her phone awoke with another text from her mother. Mazie glanced at Christian just in time to catch him look away from her phone after he registered who the sender was. Dread swarmed all of the cozy feelings swirling around in her heart and squashed them.

Another text came through from her mom and Mazie almost audibly growled. Didn't she get the hint that she didn't want to talk? That's why she didn't call back the other day and sent. her a weak text explaining that she was "too busy."

"I gotta stop for gas really quick," Christian said before he pulled over into a Marathon gas station.

Mazie didn't say anything. Just sat quietly. 

Parking next to a gas pump, Christian pulled out a phone from his jacket pocket and fired off a text. Tossing the phone on the console between them on a ledge under the dash, Mazie glanced at the gauges just before he cut the engine. Almost a full tank. That was weird.