Page 8 of Kay
After helping her slide on her backpack, I guided her to walk in front of me as we headed toward the entrance.
“Do you have your ID, Little one?”
She flushed brightly and ducked her head. “Yes, Ma’am.”
I wondered what her reaction was about, but didn’t comment. When we got to the door, I handed them my license and the bouncer chuckled when he saw Lennon.
“Good evening, RC.”
“Good evening, Mr. Bork.”
“RC?” I asked, confused by the name.
“Race Car. She goes fast all of the time, never slows down. Even when she needs a break.”
Well, I didn’t like the sound of that at all.
“Have you gone to pick up your license yet, RC?”
Lennon shuffled her pink slipper across the ground. “No, Mr. Bork.”
Where the hell was it at and why had she lied to me about having it?
She pulled something up on her phone and showed him. “I know who you are, kiddo, but a picture of your license on your phone isn’t as good as the real thing. You need to go grab your real one from Boonze when you get time.”
Boonze was a cruddy dive bar across town. Why the hell had she even been there?
“Yes, sir.”
He let us in. We headed toward the main room, but the tension was thick. Finally Lennon spoke. “Idohave my license on my phone.”
“But that’s not what I was asking, was it?”
“No, Ma’am.”
“So you lied to me, didn’t you, Lennon?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I’m sorry.” Her shoulders slumped and her voice wobbled.
“Why didyou lie to me, Lennon? Were you scared I’d be upset?”
“No, Ma’am,” she said, turning to look at me. “I don’t want you to think I’m scatterbrained. I did leave my ID at Boonze, but it was because I...” She trailed off, looking uncertain.
“Why did you leave it, baby?” I said, hating how unsure she looked. I guided her to a bench and knelt in front of her.
“Dakota won’t give it back to me unless I agree to go out with him and I-I don’t want to go out with him.”
Hot blinding rage filled surged through me. “Who is Dakota, Lennon?”
“The bartender. I was supposed to meet someone there and when they didn’t show I decided to buy myself a drink and have a single girl night, but after I showed Dakota my ID, he wouldn’t give it back. I think it’s my fault.”
***
Lennon
“I think it’s my fault,” I admitted wanting to disappear under the cloak of my own stupidity. “I think I was too nice to him. I wasn’t trying to flirt, but he said I was. When I told him I was gay, he didn’t believe me and now he won’t give it back.”
“No, baby. Nothing you could ever do would give someone the right to keep something that is yours, especially something as important as an ID. Even if youhadflirted with him. I knowyou didn’t though. I’ll handle getting it back for you, okay?” Kay rubbed her hands up and down my arms and I leaned into her touch, my rapidly beating heart started to slow down.
