Chapter 13
My parents let me stay home from school the following day. I was up in my room catching up on some school work when I heard the door slam closed and my father, who sounded angry, shouting for me to come down.
‘What’s up, Dad?’ I asked when I walked into the living room.
‘Your girlfriend came to the bank today, and let me tell you, she is one smart girl?’
I got nervous, what would Brooke be doing in at my dad’s place of work.
He continued, ‘It turns out she has done some research which she presented to me while sitting on my desk. She told me that in our state, there is a three year exemption law on consensual sex, or a Romeo and Juliet clause as it is also called. This means that even when she turns eighteen you can continue to have sex together, as she clearly stated you already have.’
‘Oh, I see,’ was all I could say. I thought it was great news.
‘I called your mother earlier and told her about the visit from Brooke, and we both no longer want you seeing her. As far as you are concerned, you are single and Brooke is out of your life. You are still a minor and we, as your parents, have an obligation to protect you from something we feel might hurt you, and in this case, your relationship with Brooke.’
My heart sank. What was wrong with my parents, didn’t they want me to be happy?
‘Why not, why can’t I continue to see her? Give me one good reason dad?’
‘First of all, I don’t like her. There is something wrong with her. Second, the police are interested in her, and I don’t want you to get in trouble. End of story, there is nothing more to talk about.’
I had nothing more to say, I stood up, grabbed my jacket and walked outside.
Mom called after me, ‘where are you going, John?
I didn’t answer her and began walking. I didn’t know where I was going, but I didn’t care, I needed to get out, to breathe and to think.
After wandering around for about an hour, I had arrived at Mr. Jones garage. He was outside working on a car.
‘Hi Mr. Jones, I heard you got your Quad back.’
‘Hi John, yeah, imagine that, in the morning it was parked outside the garage with a note on it. The strangest thing I have ever seen.’
‘Didn’t the police investigate the note?’
‘I suppose they will, but it’s no big deal, the important thing is I got my Quad back.’
I had a thought.
‘Mr. Jones, have you seen a silver colored Mercedes Benz 230SLK convertible around here by any chance?’
‘What a fantastic car. I have never had one in the garage, those Germans make very good cars that never break down.’ He chuckled, and it turned into a cough, and when he finished coughing he continued talking.
‘I did see one the other day while driving over to pick up some spare parts. It was parked by the curb, and as I passed it the driver’s door suddenly opened and I had to turn the wheel fast to avoid hitting it, that’s why I remember. When I looked in the side mirror, I saw a tall blonde girl looking back at me. As I drove on, she crossed the street and entered a small house.’
‘Do you remember the address?’ I asked with maybe too much urgency
‘Let me think.’ He rubbed his unshaved chin, leaving smudges of grease.
‘It was on Calloway Road, just before that fancy new French Café, do you know it?’
‘I know where Calloway Road is, but not the Café.’
‘Take the bus, and get off at the corner of Calloway Road and 2nd Street, then walk one block on Calloway Road, there’s small, white house on the right side.’
‘OK. Thanks Mr. Jones.’
I ran down the road to the bus stop, and I only have to wait ten minutes until it arrived. The fifteen minute ride was enough to try to figure out what I should do when I found the house. It was already past 7pm and Brooke should be at home, if she hadn’t made any plans.
I stood on the opposite side of the road to the house. On one side there was a shoe shop, and an empty office. On the other side there were several offices and an ice-cream parlour. It was quiet, and not many people around. I stepped into a doorway behind me belonging to a closed bar. I knew my parents must be worried about me so I sent a text message to my dad telling him I met a friend and we were at Jimmy’s, and that I should be back in an hour or so. After a couple of minutes he texted me back thanking me for letting him know.
I turned my attention back to the house. It was a single storey house, two windows facing the road, a small porch and surrounded by a badly managed garden, my mother would have wept blood if she had seen it. There was a light on in the window to the left of the door. The Mercedes was parked right in front of the house.
While I stood there thinking about my options, the light in the house went off and the door opened and Brooke walked out. She was wearing jeans, a sweater and a black baseball cap. She locked the door and walked to the car. For a second I thought about running up to her, but I changed my mind. I stepped back a bit further in the doorway.
When she drove away I crossed the road. I want to take a peek through the windows.
The only thing I could see was a kitchen through one window and through the other a small living room. I walked around to the back, and there was a door. I tried it, and it was unlocked. I stopped for a minute. Should I be doing this, probably not? Brooke would freak out if she found out I was in her house. To hell with it, I was going in, I said to myself.
I was in a laundry room. I saw another door, which I opened. It led to a narrow corridor. There was a lamp on a table which I turned on. It gave enough light not to trip over anything, but not strong enough to be seen from outside. On my left were two doors, and on my right I saw only one. I started with the one on the right. It was a bathroom, which had a shower a WC and a washbasin. Above it hung a cupboard with a mirror on the door. I opened it and inside was the usual toiletries, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, Tampax, a bottle of Tylenol, birth control pills and some Band Aids. I left the bathroom and went to the first door on the left. It opened into a bedroom. It was extremely tidy and clean. I could smell cleaning liquids, and a flowery smell. The bed was made with several pillows in a neat row. By the window stood table with a laptop, and pens in neat rows. The walls were empty. There stood a small wardrobe in the corner which I opened. Inside I found dresses, jeans, and a few sweaters, everything hung in order of length and color. There were two drawers at the bottom, and when I opened them I saw panties and bras in one, neatly folded and by color. The second drawer held, socks rolled up, and a few pairs of stockings, also ordered by color.
I stepped back, and took it all in. The word ‘Institution’ sprung to mind. It was not the room of an ordinary seventeen year old girl. Not that I had seen any, but I doubted it would look like this. I closed the drawers and the wardrobe. I closed the door after me and then opened the one leading to the last room. When took a step inside I stopped, my mouth opened, not believing what I was seeing.
The room was in semi darkness, the light came from dozens of candles arranged around the room, most of them on a small table in the middle of the right wall. I could see photos on the wall, of all sizes, some in color and some in black and white. I walked closer to one of the bigger photos; I was shocked because the boy in the picture looked like me. I stepped closer and saw that the backdrop was not from our town. It was a bigger city. I looked at some of the other photos; they were all off the same boy. On the table where most of the candles were stood a framed photo of the same guy and around it flowers, a chocolate bar, and a can of soda. I stepped back, and looked around. The room was an altar to this boy, whoever he was. As I stood there looking, I heard a car door close. I quickly left the room, closing the door after and returned to the laundry room. I heard the front door open and someone came in. At first I thought there were two people, but then I realize it was Brooke, and she was talking to herself.
‘Hi honey, I’m home. Did you miss me? Oh, I wasn’t gone that long; I wo
uld never leave you alone that long, not like our mother used to do. Yes, I brought you a new chocolate bar and a different kind of soda. This time it’s low sugar, you have to think about not having too much sugar.’
I opened the door from the laundry an inch and looked out. Brooke was walking down the corridor and then turned into the altar room. I could hear her voice.
‘There you are baby. I missed you so much. Earlier today I had to see a nasty man at a bank. He is the father of the boy I am playing with since I can’t play with you. But you know I love you and I always will. This boy is just for my fun.’
I had heard enough, I sneaked back out again, and walked as quietly as possible to the main road, and back to the bus stop.