“Ever
ybody load up and let's head downstairs for the first movie,” Clint said loudly, trying to organize our group.
I moved in line behind Max as everyone made their way through the buffet-style setup. I usually hated loading up a plate of food in front of other people, but it all smelled heavenly and I couldn’t resist putting a little of everything on my plate. Max grabbed two cans of soda and stuck them in his jacket pockets while I grabbed napkins and silverware in my free hand.
Max led me through a doorway right off the kitchen that held a staircase leading to a lower level. I followed behind, marveling at the plush carpet that cushioned each step I took. Finally reaching the last step, I nearly laughed out loud when I realized Max had suckered me on our bet. A television almost as tall as our trailer lined the far wall of the dimly lit room. The movie magic continued with two rows of eight leather reclining chairs each. An old-fashioned popcorn machine sat along the back wall along with a soda machine and a cabinet holding every movie candy imaginable.
“I think I've been hustled,” I mumbled to Max as we settled into the first row of seats.
“Just stacked the odds in my favor,” Max said out of the corner of his mouth before winking at me.
Feeling flustered by his attention, I looked down at my plate as everyone else piled into the room. Clint used one remote to turn on the TV and another to control the lights. Sound came at us from all sides thanks to the several speakers that lined the wall.
“Wow, this is just like a theater,” I said as the opening credits flashed across the screen.
“Told ya,” Max said, smirking at me knowingly.
“Okay, you win,” I conceded.
The rest of the night was a blast as we watched two blockbuster movies I had been dying to see. Before the second movie, Clint made popcorn for everyone and passed out candy. I hadn't had this much fun in a long time and by the time Max pulled up in front of my trailer at the end of the evening, I felt drunkenly happy.
I shivered in the cold as he helped me down out of the vehicle.
“Sheesh, it gets cold here,” I complained as I stomped my feet, trying to warm them.
“You get used to it,” Max laughed, rubbing his hands vigorously up my arms to help warm me.
“I had a great time tonight,” I said facing him.
“So did I,” he said, leaning in just as the trailer door burst open behind me.
Max jumped back like he had been scalded. “Hello, Mrs. Richards,” he said politely to my mom as she took a long draw on her cigarette.
I backed up from Max and headed for the steps before Lucinda could say anything. “Thanks again,” I told Max, using my body to block Lucinda as much as possible.
“Um, okay, I’ll see you at school on Monday,” Max said, looking at me strangely.
Chapter 7
I was glad I had kept the goodbyes abrupt since I discovered Lucinda was picking for a fight as soon as I closed the trailer door. A pissy mood was to be expected, given the fact she was left to take care of her own needs for one night. She gave me the full verbal assault, calling me every name imaginable until I was finally able to escape and retire to my room. At least the attack wasn't physical. I had once heard someone say that verbal abuse was worse than physical abuse, which is a bunch of crap. I would take Lucinda's verbal rants any day over a beating. After years of being called the worst names possible, I had learned to tune it out and still look appropriately hurt at the same time. Physical attacks on the other hand, came so quick and unexpected that I had no time to prepare myself mentally for them. I knew that anyone looking into my life would wonder why I didn’t toughen up and challenge Lucinda. What they couldn’t understand is that you can never win with her. If I stood up to Lucinda, she might decide to start going after Kevin, or she might decide to up and leave one day, taking Kevin and leaving him to deal with the repercussions alone.
I put up with all of Lucinda’s crap for one reason and that was Kevin.
Lying in bed, I tried to find a feasible solution to being able to see Max while keeping him away from the nonstop drama that was my life. I finally came to the conclusion, after tossing and turning for hours, that I would just keep it casual. That way, if Max decided dating me wasn’t worth the baggage I came with, he could back out. Easy peasy, no harm no foul. Satisfied with my resolve, I finally drifted off to sleep.
The next morning I woke late to find the trailer unusually quiet. Creeping out of bed, I discovered that the late night attack had exhausted Lucinda and she and Jim were sleeping in. Kevin and I decided to take advantage of the peace and quiet by spending the day together. The only time we heard from them was when they made demands for food or something to drink.
All day, in the back of my mind, I worried about how Max was handling the abrupt goodbye from the night before. I'm sure he was probably confused over why I didn't introduce him to my family like any normal person would do, but there was nothing normal about my family. My one goal last night had been to get Lucinda as far away from him as I could.
Enjoying our freedom, Kevin and I hung out in the living room, minus the television, though, since it had been moved to the room down the hall. Kevin was disappointed when he discovered its absence, but he kept his complaints to a minimum. Instead, he worked on another picture that he wouldn’t let me peek at while I buried myself in a book. It was by the same author that Mr. Graves was reading to us in class, and I absolutely loved the writing style. The author had an uncanny knack of being able to suck you in, making you feel like you were a part of the story. Since the book was highly suspenseful, I spent the majority of the time anxious for how it was going to end.
Dusk was just beginning to set in when I read the last page of my book.
“How ‘bout some dinner?” I asked as Kevin continued to work on his masterpiece.
“Okay,” he said, not looking up.
I headed off to the kitchen, tickled by his diligence. I absolutely loathed cooking, but made an effort for Kevin’s sake.