Although Kate knew she should’ve gone straight home, she also knew her father wouldn’t be home for another two hours. She had her cell on, so he could call and check on her if he wanted, although he rarely did. She decided to head over to the mall and wait for Dannie's call. Her friend wouldn't be home for at least an hour, so Kate left a voicemail on her cell phone, “hey, it’s me. I’m going to be at the mall. Come get me when you get this message.”

First though, she had to hike the few miles to the there, and because she didn’t feel like walking, she turned around and stuck out her thumb. She saw the red convertible long before she heard it. Kate stepped closer to the road and extended her arm further out. The car blazed past without even slowing down. Kate was disappointed and in frustration flipped the car off. She quickly put her middle finger back down when she saw the tail lights flash as the car stopped. She watched as the car shifted into reverse and moved towards her.

“Where you heading?” the woman shouted at her, once the car was beside her.

Kate leaned over the side of the car, “into town.”

“Get in.”

Kate did as she was told and opened the door. She slid into the smooth leather seat and said, “nice car.”

“I know.” the woman said.

After clutching and shifting back into gear the woman turned towards her, “where to?”

“The mall."

"The mall?"

"Yeh, it's on the other side of town. It's new, only been here since last year.

"I guess things have changed a little around here."

"You used to live here?" Kate said.

"A hundred years ago."

"Well, that's about the only thing that's changed. The rest of this town is probably still as boring as it was when you lived here."

"Not much changes in a small town." the woman said.

"Nope, not much." Kate said.

"Except for a mall. You know, I wouldn't have guessed you for a mall rat."

Kate turned her head to look at the woman, “I’m not. I hate the place. But there’s nothing else to do in this town. It’s so dead around here.”

"I know how you feel.”

“You do?”

“Yeh, I used to live here. And like you said, not much changes.”

“True.” Kate took a moment to openly check the woman out. Her clothing spoke volumes; soft, leather trench, silk scarf tied around her long, auburn hair, oversize designer sunglasses, long smooth legs that led to towering stiletto heels. Even if the car hadn’t been a giveaway, the clothing would’ve. The woman had money and lots of it, “looks like you’ve done pretty well though.”

“I have, I just had to get away from here.”

“I hearya. I'm so outta here too, after graduation. My father wants me to work through the summer, then go to college in the fall. That is so not what I want to do. I'd rather go someplace far away and start my life. Do what I want and be who I want. You know what I mean?"

Meg smiled, "I do."

“So, whaddya do?"

"Exactly what I want. But that's a long story and we're almost into town."

"You passing through or you got family here?"

The woman kept her eyes forward, “I have family.”

“That's cool. Well, thanks for the ride. See you around."

“Oh, I’ll definitely be around.”

***

After dropping her daughter off at the entrance of the mall, Meg was pleased about how their first meeting, after eight years, had gone. She was impressed with the girl’s maturity and easy going nature. She wasn’t surprised by the wanderlust that coursed through her, she came by that naturally. Meg herself had always had the same urge to always be somewhere else; that there had to be someplace better than the place she was in.

And her tendency towards rebellion, well…that was all her father. Her father had been forever fighting authority, that was what had attracted Meg to him. He'd never given a shit about what others thought of him, especially persons who thought they were in charge. He’d always been just who he was, good or bad. Meg smiled at how much she used to enjoy his bad side, almost as much as his good.

He’d been the one to encourage her to spread her wings and go after the life she wanted, “why settle, Meggie? There’s way bigger things out there waiting for you. This place is small p’taters and you my dear, are anything but small.”

“But what about this life?”

He’d traced the outline of her lips, “is this the one you want?”

Meg kissed his fingertip and had felt guilty admitting the truth, “no, it never has been.”

He tilted her chin up so that she could look him in the eye, “then fuck it. Get the hell outta Dodge. Go after what you want.”

She smiled seductively at him, “I did.”

“Yes you did. But, I was easy, I was already in love with you.”

“What about Kate?”

“She has her father.”

“That’s true. I’m going to miss you so much.”

“And me you.”

“Then come with me! We can both start something new away from here.”

“No can do, my love. I like it here in Hicksville. It’s where I belong, it’s my home. I’m pretty sure I’ll curl up and die right there in Jamie’s bar on a Saturday night.”

“Flirting with the youngest thing that’ll speak to you.”

He’d winked at her, “most likely. You know me too well.”

“Yeh, I do. I’ll come back for you.”

“You do that, Meggie, cuz I'll be waiting.”

That conversation had been over ten years ago and despite her promises to him, she hadn’t spoken or seen him since she’d left town. She'd known the sound of his voice or the smile on his face would’ve made her change her mind, and sway her from her goal. She also knew that she couldn’t be in this town without seeing him, and that the eventual reunion with him was going to be even more nerve-racking than seeing her daughter. (c)djc 2008

Kate kept her eyes downcast as Mr. Steinham’s unblinking eyes scanned the classroom. He was looking for the gum-chewing offender who’d just snapped an wad. Unable to determine the source of the crime, he sighed in frustration and returned to the pile of papers he was correcting. Kate stifled a laugh and was tempted to snap her gum again but thought better of it. She knew he would be waiting for it, and this time he’d be sure to catch her. Getting another detention wasn’t on her immediate to-do list; she’d just come off being grounded for two weeks, the last thing she needed was to be put back on.

She glanced over at Dannie and was surprised to see Skip ogling her unsuspecting friend. Dannie was bent over her assignment book, elbows propped beneath her breasts, oblivious to the fact that that particular angle afforded Skip a full frontal view of Dannie’s ample assets. Kate could almost see the drool trickling out the corner of Skip’s mouth. She tried to get her best friend’s attention by waving her hands, but Dannie was so engrossed in her book that she was unaware of Kate’s attempts.

“Yes, Miss Morgan? Is there something you need?” said Mr. Steinham.

Kate dropped her arm, “um…no, nothing. I was just stretching.”

The teacher’s brows pulled together in a disbelieving frown. Suddenly the intercom above the door came alive, pushing out the static-filled voice of Ms. Dawson, the school principal.

“Mr. Steinham?”

“Yes, Ms. Dawson?”

“Could you please send Kate Morgan to the office?”

“She’ll be right there.”

“Thank you.” The speaker clicked off and Mr. Steinham turned his attention back to Kate.

“You might as well collect your things, dismissal is in fifteen minutes anyway.”

A knot of anxiety twisted in Kate’s stomach as she shoved her assignment books into her backpack. Being called to the office was never good. She tried to think of what she’d done this time and came up with a quick list of offenses. At the top, was mouthing off at the study hall monitor. Or it might’ve been ditching phys-ed to have a smoke in the gym locker room. It could be the fight she'd had with Jalesa Tucker in the lunch room. The list was pretty long. She felt Dannie’s eyes on her and shrugged at the unasked question in her eyes. Dannie made a phone signal with her right hand and mouthed the words, ‘I'll call you.’ Kate nodded and left the room.

She went to her locker and after opening it, tossed her backpack into the narrow space. She grabbed her leather jacket and threw it on. She checked the inner pocket to make sure her cigarettes and lighter were still there and snuck out the school's side exit door.

There was no way she was voluntarily going to the principal’s office, going there only led to unpleasant conversations; usually involving detention, suspension or some other form of punishment for a crime against school policy. And the last thing she needed right now was more unpleasantness in her life.

***

"She should be along any minute now,” the apology in Ms. Dawson’s voice made the woman smile, she’d never heard the older woman apologize in her life, especially to her.

Ms. Dawson pressed the intercom button on her desk that connected her with her receptionist, “has Kate Morgan showed up yet, Mrs. Turner?”

“No, do you want me to call Mr. Steinham again?”

“Yes, do that.”

Ms. Dawson and the woman waited in silence for Mrs. Turner’s call back. Moments later, it came.

“Kate was dismissed almost fifteen minutes ago, she should be here by now.”

“Well, she’s not.”

“I can get someone to check the bathrooms…” suggested Mrs. Turner.

The woman smiled again, she instinctively knew Kate was no longer in the building. If the girl was anything like she’d been, she was long gone and on her way to somewhere else. The woman stood, “never mind, Ms. Dawson. It’s obvious she’s no longer here, I’ll try and get in touch with her another way.”

Ms. Dawson stood as well. The principal’s height and athletic build was as intimidating now, as it had been back when both women walked these halls as students.

“I’ll speak with Kate tomorrow and make sure she understands that leaving school property, before dismissal, is against policy. An in-school suspension will be doled out.”

The woman shook her head, “do you really think that’s necessary? She’s just being a kid.”

“Being a kid is no excuse for breaking policy. The rules haven’t changed that much Meg. If one gets away with it, another will surely try to do the same.”

Meg offered no more defense of Kate, “if you say so, Lillian.”

“I do.”

“And you’re the queen around here now, right?”

Lillian Dawson lifted one eyebrow and stated the truth, “I am indeed.”

“Have a great afternoon, LillyBill.” Meg’s old nickname for Ms. Dawson caused the hairs to stand on the back of the principal’s neck. It was the name Meg and her buddies had always used for her, their way of poking fun at her oversized lips. Ms. Dawson was immediately transported to those days and almost reacted as she had back then, but held herself in check. She crossed her arms and watched in silence as Meg Madison sashayed out of the room.

Once inside her car, Meg thought about going to her ex-husband’s house and demanding to see Kate, but she knew Kent would never allow it. She’d left when Kate was just a little girl, she was now seventeen and almost through her junior year in high school. Meg had had no contact with her daughter in all these years. She knew her just showing up, out of the blue, would stir things up and cause a lot of pissed-off people to be even more pissed-off. Still, she was Kate’s mother, she had every right to see her daughter, to try and reconcile with her. To let her know how many times she’d thought of her over the years, how she wished she hadn’t have had to leave when she did. How she desperately wanted to have some kind of relationship with her daughter. (c)djc2008

Meg knelt beside the hospital bed her father had recently died in and said a prayer, “Lord, I hope you can forgive the bastard for what he did to us, because I sure as hell can’t.” Not a tear was shed. Her mouth was set in a firm straight line as she got up and crossed the hall to where her mother, brother and sister waited in a tiny ‘grieving room’. Contrary to the purpose of the room, none of the rest of her family were grieving either.

Their father was dead, weren’t they supposed to be sad? Meg quickly dismissed that notion as absurd. The son-of-bitch had treated them like shit for their entire lives. Not even their mother, who’d wasted over twenty-five years of her life and bore him three kids, had a drop of moisture in her eyes.

As she stood there, Meg tried in vain to recall one thing about her father that was good, but couldn’t. Most of Meg’s best memories revolved around the times spent with her siblings or her mother.
Flashes and images of things that might have been happy and fun; a golden retriever whose tongue was in constant contact with her face. A birthday party for her brother, in which all the neighborhood kids had attended. Sunday drives with their mother, that would conclude with streamside picnic lunches. She recalled how her brother had taught her and Lisa survival techniques, just in case they ever got lost in the woods. Jay had even shown them how to build a lean-to, which had become their secret hiding place.

But, the good times were overshadowed by the bad. Meg remembered how time after time they would run, hearts pounding and at their mother’s hysterical urging, to the lean-to in the woods. It was the only place they had to escape their father’s fury. It was there that they'd commiserate about their rotten luck in getting the father they'd gotten. How they all hated living in a constant state of fear, of tiptoeing around on eggshells, of pretending their family was normal and the absolute loneliness of hiding a fucked-up life.

Meg shook off her anger and thought how she never would’ve even bothered to come back to this crappy little town if he hadn’t have died. She had fled from it nine years ago and only thought about it once a year, on Kate’s birthday. Other than that, she never gave this shithole another thought. Her new life was good, better than anything she’d left behind. She had money, a nice home, men who showered her with gifts and good times, everything she’d ever dreamed about. The only thing missing was her daughter. And her father dying had been the excuse she needed to return here; to try and find a way to bring the child she’d left behind, back into her life.

That’s what frightened her most, how to let her little girl know how much she loved her and missed her, despite the fact that she’d walked out on her when she was only eight years old. She worried how her daughter was going to react. In her fantasies she liked to imagine a tearful, happy reunion filled with love. But, Meg wasn’t stupid, if her daughter had any of her personality traits, she was sure to be good and pissed. (c)djc2008