3
Putting pen to paper, or rather finding the right words to tap on the keyboard was difficult today. It hadn’t been before. Not this hard. Sadly, Larke knew the reason why. Ever since last week, her mind refused to stay in one place. Almost every time she closed her eyes, she’d find herself back inside the woodlands in Lee’s Fortress. She wound her arms around her middle. The very name of the town made her shudder.
Sick.
Just like Chase’s treatment of her the other night. Over the years, she’d made up numerous scenarios of seeing him again. But not once had any of them played out like it did outside the bowling alley. The cold reality of what and who a grown-up Chase had become kept her awake some nights.
Larke closed her laptop. She would get no writing done today. Not for the first time this year, she wished her mother was still alive. Maggie Taylor had been a trusted friend, the only person Larke would’ve been able to confide her true feelings to. To let her know how much it bothered her even now, thinking about Chase, knowing he would sooner hurt her than be her friend. Not that she needed him as a friend. Simply, what if…
People have to choose their own destiny, Larke. You can’t force someone to believe the same things you do.All you can do is hear them out and if you’re determined to change their mind you have to understand it won’t happen by force or arguing.Maggie had flashed her a smile and ruffled her hair.You’ll learn more when you get older, baby.
Those gems of wisdom from her mother were said so many years ago when Larke had broken down one day, months after the incident and confessed all the awful things Chase had told her about the people he lived with. That he too seemed to believe the same horrible things about people like her and her mother.
All the logic in the world couldn’t erase the sting. Chase hadchosenhis destiny. In spite of what he’d been taught, he was a grown man and at some point, there should’ve been an eye opener that racism was wrong. Evil. No one could remain a white supremacist unless they chose to be. And he’d chosen that path.
Letting out a loud breath, Larke shook her head. Pondering a man like Chase did not go hand in hand with writing innocent children’s stories. She crossed her arms behind her head and stretched out across the blanket she’d laid on the grass. The sun shone bright and the July temperature was more akin to mid-day than early morning. The park was quiet, despite the numerous people walking their dogs, or going for a morning jog. In another hour or two, the area would get livelier and it would be much harder for her to concentrate.
She closed her eyes, determined to bring the scenery inside her head onto the blank page awaiting her words. Little rabbit flitting across a field. Lots of sunshine and…a shadow. A shadow was over the rabbit? Larke’s eyes flew open. She blinked. This was reality. There was no rabbit. But there definitely was something blocking her sunlight. Correction. Someone.
Larke bolted upright, her mouth went dry as dust at the sight of Chase standing at the foot of her blanket, dressed in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.
The frantic beating of her heart and the remnants of fear caused Larke to do a quick survey of the grassy area, checking to make sure there were still people milling about. Relieved that there were others to witness their interaction, she drew in a deep breath and willed her nerves to calm.
“Good morning,” she said, hoping her casual tone would mask the sliver of dread that refused to leave.
He nodded, offering no greeting in return. Surprisingly, he lowered himself, sitting at the edge of her blanket as if she’d issued an invitation. He rounded his gaze on her. “You still afraid of me?”
“I…”
“You are,” he interrupted flatly. “You shouldn’t be. I’m not gonna hurt you. I wasn’t planning to in the parking lot either. So I don’t know why you’re acting all scared. I didn’t even put my hands on you.”
Larke wanted to scream, ask him if he’d conveniently forgotten having chased her with his hunting knife. That she knew what he was capable of. She drew herself up, gaping at him. “Chase, this isn’t an act. I watch the news. I have the internet. I’m not naïve. There are too many things about you that tell me I should be afraid. Not only me. People who look like me––those you don’t like. Did you know my mother and I were advised by the police lady who brought me home, that it was best not to let anyone know where I’d been? That we were together.” She stared at him, her eyes peering into his. “She was a police officer and I could hear the concern and worry in her voice. That’s something that stayed with me ever since.”
“Did she tell you why?”
“No. Just that it was for the best. I figured it out by myself some time later. Reading up stuff.” She let out a sigh. “And now you’ve become one of the people I should’ve feared finding me that night. Life is funny, right?”
“Life is surviving.” He pushed to his feet. “That’s all. Ain’t nothing funny about it.”
“Is that what you’re doing? What you’ve been doing? Was it survival mode that made you embrace hate?”
Maybe she shouldn’t have been so bold, Larke decided seconds later as he stared at her, his entire body taut, bearing down on her. She flinched, watching his eyes grow cold, frostier than his voice when he bit out. “You need to back the fuck up and remember who you’re talking to. Yeah, it’s nice and cozy for you to sit on your goddamn picnic blanket, acting like some know it all bitch. Judging me and my––”
“I’m not listening,” Larke interrupted, standing quickly. “We’re done here.” She grabbed her bag and laptop, brushing past him.
His hand shot out, jerking her by the elbow. “We’re done when I say we’re done.”
“Yet I shouldn’t be afraid of you,” she said, her gaze flashing from his hand on her arm to his face.
Chase dropped his hand to his side. “All right,” he muttered. The anger evaporated from his tone. “Listen, just relax. I didn’t come out here to argue or start anything with you.”
Didn’t come.Meaning he’d purposely sought her out. As if this could have been a coincidence anyway. Emboldened by the obvious regret on his face, Larke studied him in utter confusion.
“How did you know I’d be here?”
He tilted his head to the side, avoiding her eyes.
So now he’s afraid to talk. Larke sighed. “Come on Chase. I need an answer. What is this? It’s all so weird. At least for me, it is. I’m guessing it has to be for you too. I just want to know the real reason you waited around for me last week and why you’re here now?”
