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LYNN
Less than an hour later all three of us were fed, dressed, cleaned up, and standing in front of Jim's car waiting to get in. It was another overcast, windy October day, but the nearby mountains were still visible. Jim's blue 2-door Chevy Cavalier looked more rusty than usual and it had a new ding in the hood.
The door groaned as Jim pulled it open. "Hang on, before ya get in let me make some room," he said. He bent down and wedged himself inside, pointing the seat of his pants up in the air, and showing his boxers, which made me smile. Silly, but it feels good to have him back.
I watched through the car window as he tossed tape boxes and empty beer bottles into the back seat. Each new item made a "crunch" as it landed. "It's OK now," he finally said, sliding himself out and stretching his arms. "Angela, with your long legs you better take the front. Lynn, I've made room for your ladyship in the back." He stepped aside and, eerily reminiscent of Jonathan's actions from last night, swept his arm downward in a low bow.
After I climbed behind the driver's side seat and pulled it back into place, Jim got in. As he fumbled with the keys, Angie and Jim made small talk, and I reviewed the results of his 'cleaning'. Mixed in with the broken cassette tape boxes, empty cups and bottles were some math notebooks and papers. A copy of GNR Lies peeked out from under a sweater that looked like it had been used as a dishrag, and a crowbar was on the floor at my feet. Wait, was that my sweater? At least my seat was clear, if not clean of cigarette burns.
With a puttering growl, the car started and we were off. He popped a tape into the stereo.
"I know this band, right?" I called from the back seat, and tried to remember. It's one of those bands he listens to all the time. The music video was a concert, I think? The guitar kicked ass, and the chorus was clear and easy to follow,
So, understand.
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years
Face up, make your stand
And realize you're living in the golden years
"Hey, great song," I said, giving up on trying to remember the band name. "Hey, Jim? Can I talk to you now? Or are you still waking up?" I reached up to the front seat, and poked him in the elbow.
"Hey-Hey-Hey!" he shouted, and the car swerved out of lane, then back again. "Seriously, Lynn! Don't poke me when I'm drivin'!" he barked. "What-cha want to do, get us into an accident or sumthin'?!"
"No," I pouted, and folded my arms. "Sah-ree."
"Then shuddup for a minute and let me drive." he snapped.
"Humf." I leaned back to wait.
There really wasn't much room in his car, and it's kind of gross back here. A smell like ketchup drifted into my nose, and I looked down. Yuck, White Castle boxes. Ew. I bet he never brings Kanu back here for making-out time.
Jim had growled and gnashed his teeth until we reached the main highway leading to the school. When he stopped his imitation of a bear, I tried again. "Sorry, Jim."
"It's OK," he said, "I know you haven't been in cars as much as me." He sounded calmer, and waved at me aimlessly with one hand. "Just don' do it again, K?"
"Sure, you got it. " I replied. "So, can I ask you now?"
"As me whatever you like, I guess," he said. "I may not tell you anyway."
"Well, fine then," I began, "What happened to you last night?" I leaned way forward, so my head was sandwiched between the two front seats. "Are you gonna tell us what happened to you?"
"Yeah? All right, I'll tell you, but it's no big deal. First, I was doing some extra jobs around town," He karate-chopped his hand into the steering wheel for emphasis, just like Kanu had done last night.
"Second, last week's job didn't go so well and my boss and I didn't agree on my paycheck," he did another chop, "and third...there is no third. That's it." A final chop. "No big deal," he opened his palm. "So let it go, all right?"
I glared at him through the rearview mirror. I always knew when he was lying, because he would count his way through it. Here are three reasons why you can't come out with me to the concert, Lynn. Here are five reasons why you can't listen to music in my room, Lynn. Here are ten reasons why mom wants you to stay home and clean your room, Lynn. I hate it when he does that. I don't need him to be a mom right now. I'm glad he's talking to me, but can't he just be my big brother for a minute? What's all this about him having a new job, anyway? Hasn't he just been studying, and working for the University?
I tried again. "Jim, please. You were hurt, really, really badly hurt. That wasn't just about two people disagreeing over what flavor of ice cream they liked or whether or not you worked the late shift. They beat you up. There was blood." I was worried about you, I finished in my head.
He nodded, and said, "I'm sorry, Lynn-baby."
I murmured, "I was sort of scared, a little."
"What, the great Lynn, scared?" His voice had softened. "I don't believe it."
"Yeah, well, you should." I resisted the urge to punch his shoulder again.
"Okay, well, I'm fine now."
"Yeah, that's great. But I still want to know who did this to you!"
"Fine. Maybe I'll tell you, if you first tell me what you were doing at a bar in the middle of the night."
He had turned on his Mom-voice. I squirmed. Just like him, to turn it around on me. I have to tell him something, but I don't want to get in trouble. "Well, Angie and I are in music class together," I began.
"Oh yeah? Are you taking an instrument, or somethin'?"
"No, it's history of rock 'n' roll."
"That's a class? A real class?" He sounded surprised. "Here, at Stonyfield?"
"Yep. So yesterday, we wanted to see a band that our teacher had told us about, The Flamingos." I looked at Angie, and hoped she would play along. "It was under-age night, so even though yes, it was a bar they were letting anyone in. It was totally safe." Angie had turned around in her seat and was now staring me down. She looked mad. Why was she mad?
"After we saw the band, we ran into Jonathan. Well, you saw him yesterday. Do you remember that we used to work together in the city? Well, he offered to give us a ride home." Now Angie was shaking her head and mouthing "No", but I was committed to the story. "We were waiting for Jonathan outside, when we found you. That's all." I bit my lip. "Yep, that's it. Now, you spill."
Jim was driving, so I didn't think he could see Angie's face, which was good because she was frowning at me so deeply I thought the corners of her mouth would fall off her face. Angie mouthed "What are you doing?" and "Stop!" but I just shook my head. I signaled with my hand in a "cut it out" motion. She gave me a sharp look, then turned back to face the road.
He said, "Yeah, that's what happened, huh?"
I said, "Yeah, that's it." I tried to sound confident. "So what happened to you?"
"I'm not telling."
"What, why not?"
"I'm not saying one word until you come clean with me, little sis," he pressured. "I know you aren't. You aren't driving yet, so how did you get there? I know you are lying to me. If Mom were here, she'd get the truth out of you."
"I AM being straight with you! I mean, mostly I am! Okay yeah the band wasn't the ONLY reason I went to the bar last night. I was also looking for you," I admitted. "I was worried, worried enough to drag Angie and Kanu all over town last night looking for you..."
At "Kanu" he slammed on the brakes.
"Uh!" My breath popped out of my mouth as the seat belt cut into my chest, and I was violently thrust forward. He quickly sped up, waving to the car behind him to apologize, and the belt relaxed it's hold. Then he gulped loudly, and said, "Sorry, but WHAT did you just say?"
I caught my breath and answered quietly, "I said Kanu. Your girlfriend. She's the one who drove us there, actually."
"Wha-at?" he sputtered. "How do you...Lynn... you aren't supposed to know about her. About us. Nobody is." The car sped up some more, and the force pushed me back into the seat. The vehicle rattled as he pushed it faster.
"Jim." I said. He didn't answer. Why not? Maybe he was in shock?
"Jim. Look, just calm down, okay? Or at least, maybe slow down a little?" I caught a glance of his features in the rear view mirror. In the sunlight, his bruises looked sickening, and his mouth was hanging open in a dumbfounded stare. His hands were shaking on the steering wheel. Angie had grabbed the above-the-door handle and looked terrified. Oh no, this has to stop. He's really going to get us into an accident, or something.
"Jim, you are scaring Angie. Please, maybe you could pull over? Let's relax, slow down, and talk for a minute. Okay?" The engine roared. "Please, Jim?"
A few seconds went by.
Then I heard it. Click-click. Click-click. The turn signal came on. I breathed a sigh as we slowed a little, then he pulled over to the side of the road and shut the engine, which shut off the music. It was quiet now except for the whooshing of the cars passing us. His head dropped face-down on the horn, which thankfully, didn't beep in response.
He mumbled, "Why, why Lynn? Why do you have to snoop? Why do you have to be the way you are? Why can't you just leave well enough alone? Why couldn't you leave ME alone."
I touched his shoulder, gently, and he lifted his head to look at me. Where it wasn't black and blue, his face was gray and sweaty. "How did you find out, Lynn? Why? You know Kanu, is that it? And you were with her last night? Tell me everything, leave nothing out." His eyes drilled into me. "Please," he quietly asked. "I'll tell you what happened to me, what really happened, I mean, if first you tell me what you said to Kanu."
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Janet
keeping me interested. want to know more