Keep You From Harm (31 page)
Read Keep You From Harm Online
Authors: Debra Doxer
“Now go get your stuff,” Apollo says. His voice has gentled in the face of my despair. But I still can’t seem to move. “Dammit,” he mutters, pushing past me, heading down the stairs.
In a daze, I follow behind him and watch as he shoves the clothes that I’ve already put out on my bed into the duffle bag I have sitting on the floor.
“Still reading this,” he states, holding up my frayed copy of
Jane Eyre
. He tosses that into the bag, too. “Is that everything?” he asks, pulling out my phone charger and placing it on the table beside my phone. “You need to leave that here. It can be traced.”
I’m watching him silently, too emotional to pay attention. But when I realize he’s taken my phone, I break out of my stupor, knowing I can’t be so cruel as to leave Lucas in the dark this way. I turn on Apollo. “I’m calling Lucas. I won’t have him wondering if I’m alive or not. I can’t do that to him. It’s just one phone call, and I’m willing to die for it if you make me.” I reach for my phone and silently dare him to stop me. When he doesn’t immediately object, I start to head upstairs for privacy.
“Oh, no you don’t.” Apollo grabs my arm, and I can see he’s wavering. “Fine. You can make your one call, but I need to hear it. Just keep to the facts. No details. Short and sweet.”
I yank myself from his grasp. “You haven’t told me any details.”
“For good reason.”
I glare at him. He remains silent as I clumsily manipulate the phone. I tap Lucas’s number and listen to it ring, but the sound is nearly drowned out by my hammering heart.
“No.” A frustrated whisper leaves my lips when I get his voicemail. Then I try to slow my thoughts down. I need to think clearly. I need to tell him how I feel in case I don’t get this chance again. I try to keep my voice steady so I won’t worry him. When I open my mouth to speak, I’m still not sure what I’m going to say.
“It’s me,” I begin, hearing the hitch in my voice. I draw a deep breath into my lungs before continuing. “My father knows we’re looking for him. He sent someone to get me. We had the wrong name, Lucas. We were never going to find him ourselves.” I dart a look at Apollo to see if he’s angry at what I’ve just revealed, but he only looks bored and disinterested. So, I continue.
“My father says he can heal me, but that I need to come to him alone. And I need to go right now. I’m so sorry I have to leave this way…without you, without saying goodbye. But please don’t worry. I’m going to be fine.” I pause after my lie. I don’t know that I’m going to be fine. While that lie slips easily from my lips, I won’t lie about seeing him soon. I don’t want him waiting for me if I can’t come back to him. That would be too unkind.
I take another breath before continuing. “I love you,” I whisper, tightening my throat against the emotion that threatens to steal my voice. “I promise to never stop loving you. ‘All my heart is yours, Lucas: it belongs to you.’” I end the call, finally releasing the sob that’s been building inside me, reciting the rest of the quote I know so well silently to myself…
and with you it would remain,
were fate to exile the rest of me from your presence forever
.
I feel Apollo removing the phone from my grasp. “Very nice. Now, come on. This is just a high school romance. Believe me, you’ll get over him. You’re meant for bigger things. If everything works out, your life is about to get good and interesting. And all this? Soon, this place will be the definition of dull. I can promise you that.”
When I stand there silently, trying to staunch my tears, not showing the immediate recovery he obviously expects after his little pep talk. He sighs impatiently. “You ready to go?”
I glance up at him. “No.”
His voice softens. “Come on. We’re driving, and we have a lot of road to cover.”
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“We’re going home, Raielle.”
He ushers me outside, carrying my bag for me. I turn to look at Myles’s house as I walk toward the small hatchback Apollo has parked on the street. I recall the first time I saw Lucas standing there in the darkness. The way we connected to each other from the very beginning. The way we fell in love. Loving Lucas has irrevocably changed me. I can never again be the closed-off, focused girl who tried not to care about anyone. I regret not telling him that. I worry that he doesn’t understand how deep my feelings for him run. I’m afraid he’ll despise me for disappearing this way.
I stumble, and Apollo catches me. “Let’s go, kid,” he says gently. “You’re gonna be in good hands. Your daddy isn’t gonna let you die if he can help it.”
But I know he’s wrong. If I do survive, a part of me will die anyway if I’m without Lucas.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading.
Yes, the story will continue! When I have information available, I’ll post it to my blog
debradoxer.blogspot.com
.
To my early readers, your enthusiasm for my initial drafts energized me and kept me going when precious time for writing was scarce. My sincere thanks to Jennifer Bolduc, Annemarie Donovan, Melanie Turano, Caryn Feldman, Deb Goodman, Diedre Heck, Karen Larochelle, Vicki Malver, Sue Panioli, Lori Seller, and Amie White.
I owe a second shout out to Annemarie Donovan, babysitter extraordinaire, who gave me those final quiet hours I needed to try to get the story as right as I could.
Lots of extra Xs and Os to Amie White. You’ve been a major wiseass since I met you in fifth grade. It feels like you’ve been making me laugh forever. Now, you’re inspiring me, too.
At the eleventh hour, when I hit the panic button, I’m so grateful to Caryn, Scott, and especially Dad for coming to my rescue. When it’s crunch time, I can always count on my family. You too, Mom. Mobile devices may not be your thing, but unwavering support is. Love you.
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Copyright © 2013 by Debra Doxer
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.