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Chapter Four

When the bus stopped, Krissy was the first off the bus into the hot wind. The sun was high in the sky at nearly one in the afternoon. He was glad that she had yet to ask about home. She had just woken up on a bus and had seen small children her age to play with and talk to so he assumed that she had just forgotten or just didn’t care at that point in time. What ever it was, he was thankful that she had not asked. He would have nothing to say to her.

He quickly grabbed her hand and she dragged him over to the little kids that had formed a small group. They were hugging and bouncing around. He let her go and watched her nostalgically. He felt someone watching him from behind him. He turned several seconds later and saw her. She stood with her hands in her baggy jean pockets with a grey sweatshirt jacket hanging over her bent arm. She was smiling with red lips and a flushed face.

“Real hot out here.” She said and he nodded.

“Yeah.” He agreed. She nodded.

“Where do you live?” He bit his lips. Where would they live? He was scared again. The sudden high of being in Florida dissolved and he was scared crapless…again. He squinted at the sun debating whether he should spill. What could he do? He didn’t even know her daughter’s name. How could he tell a stranger his problems. She could turn him into the police. He needed to talk to Chandler. She’d know what to do.

“Uh, do you have a cell phone?”

“Yeah.” She said sounding a little disappointed. She dug around in her purse that looked more like a shiny silver bag and pulled out a small pink flip phone.

He examined it, “Is this baby phat?” He raised an eyebrow trying to get a smile from her. He knew it worked as soon as she giggled.

“It’s used so no I didn’t spend six hundred on it exactly.” He smiled at her and walked to a corner. He watched her stare at his back until she walked to the group of departing adults and loud children.

He had to try it six times before it was answered.

“Hello.” It was her mother. He made his voice with a British accent.

“Is Chandler there?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“Bryan,” he replied, “We met at a summer camp last year.” Please work. Lady, just go get Chandler!

“Just a second.” She said and he heard Chandler’s name screamed. Chandler’s reply was that she didn’t know a “Bryan”.

“Damn it Chandler, just take the phone.” He mumbled. The phone was picked up and he heard another click off.

“Hello.” He loved her voice.

“Chandler,” he said softly.

“Damn-God. Hi Bryan!” she said cheerfully. He heard a door slam and he heard the springs of her bed.
“I’m scared Chandler. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore.”

“Settle down Kevin.” She said calmly.

“There’s this girl Julie and she and I were talking on the bus and she wants to be friends and she wants to know where we live. I think I need her as a friend because we have no where to stay.”

“Kevin, no.” she said firmly. Was there jealously in her voice? He wondered.

“Then what do I do Chandler? I don’t want Krissy to be sleeping on the streets. I have no idea how to get an apartment or if I have enough money. I only have a thousand dollars.” He hissed over the phone.

“I’ll send you another thousand.”

“Where. I don’t have a bank account.”

“Fuck!” she hissed. “Listen, hang up now. I forgot they’re tapping the phones. I gotta go. Listen okay, I’ll call you.”

“Where?”

“I have caller id okay. Stay with her. Tell her you ran away but tell her why. Lie about it kay. Tell her not to call the police. Tell her if she does you’ll kill yourself or something horrible like that.”

“Chandler,”

“I love you Kevin.” She said soft and quick then there was a click. He hung up and inhaled sharply. Turning around he saw everyone had left and only Julie, her daughter and Kristen were left standing and talking. He walked over and handed her the phone.

“I need to tell you something.” He said putting his hands into his pockets. Julie’s face turned confused and scared.

“Are you a murderer or rapist?” He smiled a little briefly.

“No.”

“Then it shouldn’t be that bad.” She said softly. “Let me get the kids McDonald’s and then we can talk,” She brought two Happy Meals at the McDonald’s in the station and they sat while she walked back over to where Kevin stood.

“I need to stay with you. I’m not twenty six. I’m seventeen. Krissy is not my daughter, she’s my sister. I ran away with her.”

“So, in a year it would be kidnapping?” she asked softly.

“Damn it I don’t know. My girlfriend is back at home in Flint and I’m in Florida ready to shit my pants. I don’t know.” He growled rubbing his hair. He took the beanie off and stuffed it in his pocket. He wanted to tell her so bad. He wanted to share what was going on with her so bad it began to hurt.

“Why did you run away?” He couldn’t not tell her. Chandler said tell a sad story. What was sadder than the truth?

“My father left my mom and me when I was twelve for a younger woman. She got a boyfriend named Bryan and he molested Krissy. She told me last week. So I thought…I thought he’d be asleep at home on the couch cause when he comes home from work he goes to watch tv so I burned the house down.” He said softly starring at her. He was shaking and she took his hands.

“I just called Chandler on your cell and she said they’re tapping the phones. That’s who I was talking to on the payphone. Chandler told me Bryan was out with my mom. It was my dad that was on the couch and I love him and I don’t know why or how. It was just meant for Bryan.” He told her. He was doing his best not to scream. He wanted to just start running and never stop. He wanted to settle in France with Krissy and be done with it. They would just be no way to get over there.

“So who is dead?”

“I don’t know.” She handed the cell and pressed redial.

“We need to know how deep you’re in.” she said smiling at him. He closed his eyes as Chandler answered.

“Hello,” she said shakily. He could hear a hushed voice in the background.

“Is dad dead?”

“No. Nothing has improved though.” She said and she was near tears. He hung up and looked at Julie. He sobbed and she hugged him into her. She took the cell phone from his hand and slipped it back in her purse.

“I’ll help you baby, I’ll help you.” She said rubbing his back in circles.

“I just don’t know what to do anymore.” He sniffed wiping his eyes roughly. “I just don’t know what to do. I don’t want Krissy wondering why we’re not at home. She hasn’t asked yet but I don’t know what to tell her when she does.”

“Tell her the truth in a way she can understand. Just leave the fire part out. Just say you ran away okay because of Bryan.”

“Buts he loves her mom. Damn it, this is harder than I thought.” He said leaning against the wall and letting his head fall back and fall gently against the wall.

“It’s going to be Jason.”

“My name isn’t Jason. It’s going to be though.” He admitted. She nodded.

“What is it?”

“Kevin Richardson.” He stated flatly. She nodded.

“Well Kevin, or Jason, let’s get you guys home. I assume you should dye your hair or something. I think a brick red would look good on you, or maybe blonde. He gave her a smile.

“Let’s get you guys home.”