Page 38 of Road Trip
“So I have this problem with taking compliments. What you said before was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me. Thank you.”
Huh? “So why the tears, then, Abra?”
She shook her head and looked out over the water, her expression sullen. “I was having a moment. I briefly visited the place where I feel like I’m not worthy. Before you say anything, Kelly, it has nothing to do with you. I just can’t hear compliments sometimes because I go to that place and I just think I’m not me who was complimented. It’s just what I do.”
She sighed and then turned and gave me a sad smile.
I tried again to reach for her hand and this time she hesitantly placed it in mine.
“Does this have anything to do with the phone calls?”
Her eyes went wide again and her palm started to sweat, but I didn’t let her pull it away.
“Maybe? Probably? The phone calls were from home.”
“From your roommate?”
She shook her head sadly, picking at something on her dress. “No. My family home. The place I run away from.” I waited for her to go on, trying to keep my heart from jacking out of my chest.
“Tell me what’s going on, please, Abra? Being a cop, I’m going to think the worst. I can imagine some pretty messed up scenarios.”
She frowned. “Yeah, I bet you would. You’ve seen some awful things, I bet.”
I didn’t like how she tried to turn this back on me. “Sure I have. You probably have, too.”
She nodded and finally looked up at me, her eyes wet with unshed tears. “I run away from a fucked up family legacy, Kelly. My mom? She…she’s not well.”
That was all she’d say. Okay, I’d take that much for now.
“Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that,” I said, wishing she’d go on. “Are you needed at home?”
“No. My gran just wanted to update me on the situation. She does that if they have to go to the doctor or anything. I have to make medical decisions for her, so I have to know.”
“That’s a big responsibility.” She hadn’t mentioned anything about them, which led me to think the situation was much bigger than she was letting on. I decided to bring the subject back around.
“So compliments are tough. Does this mean I have to stop? Because I don’t think I can. I meant every word I said.”
She nodded slowly, her shoulders slumping a little. “I know you did. It was sweet. Just know that I won’t always be able to hear it. Can you deal with that?”
I would have to, darnit, because I had to figure out a way to reach her. From the slump of her shoulders I could tell she was carrying a heavy weight.
“Come here,” I said quietly, gently tugging on her hand. Despite the fact that there were a few other diners around us, she came around the table and sat on my lap.
The server came over and took our order, looking worried. I assured her everything was fine. Arianna, the Fairy Princess, came by and we thanked her, but Abra was still quiet.
I squeezed her hip. “Can you advise me as to how I can support you when you go to that place? You scared me a bit.”
She pushed her curls back from her face. “I’m not sure. Holding me is nice. Not getting angry with me or trying to argue with me would help. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m just happy to be sitting here with you watching this amazing sunset, and trying not to laugh at that right there.”
Two tables over, Arabelle, the Mermaid Princess, was talking to a family. The frazzled mom was trying to get her kids to pay attention to her while she was asking them if they were having a magical adventure. The daughter, probably around six, with a huge mane of black, curly hair, was telling Arabelle how her dress was wrong. The little boy, probably around four, with food all over his face, was fake-shooting her. And the most disturbing part was that the much older father was leering at her and trying to look down her cleavage every time she bent over to talk to the little girl.
“Man, she’s like eighteen years old! Keep your pecker in your pants!”
Abra burst out laughing at me and could not get it together. She even snorted, which made me start cracking up, and the family turned to look at us. Our faces were red, I felt like I had snot hanging out, Abra had the hiccups, and the head of the wait staff came over to our table in a hurry.
“Sir, is there a problem?”
