Oblivion (22 page)

He drove through town and said nothing for several minutes. “I wish I would have known. All those years I couldn’t get his approval and felt like he didn’t care about me, and now I know why.”

“I thought you were close to Dad,” Lindsay replied.

“Yeah, we did all that father and son stuff, but I knew it was just for show.”

“What’s going to happen now?”

“He claims he’s marrying Margene.”

“What if the baby’s yours?” Lindsay asked worriedly.

“Did you really think she’d allow me to be a part of my kid’s life if it is mine, Lindsay? Think about it.”

“I would hope you would push the issue.”

Lance looked irritated as they pulled into the bowling alley lot. “I’m not like Jace even if we are brothers Lindsay. I just assume to let it be.”

“Lance, you’re more like him than you even realize. It took a lot of guts to face Dad with this.”

“Jace wouldn’t have slept with his father’s girlfriend out of spite,” Lance reminded her and rolled his eyes. “My little brother had too much class for that.”

“At least you aren’t running away from it anymore, Lance.”

“You might as well know I invited Marnie up to eat with us,” he said and she looked at him in surprise.

“Marnie? Why?”

“She looked like she hadn’t eaten all day, that’s why.”

“I heard they gave her the diploma now so she won’t try to walk with the class and make anyone uncomfortable,” Lindsay told him sadly. “I feel so sorry for her.”

Lance smiled. “Marnie is the last one anyone needs to feel sorry for, Lindsay. She’s a survivor. She’s leaving Little Bend.”

“Where did you run into her?”

He didn’t say anything, alerting her that he went looking for Marnie. Somehow she was surprised her brother would be interested in a girl like her. Pregnant and known to be a runaround; she was hardly girlfriend material for her brother right now. She calmed down, thinking he just meant to be nice.

“Just be nice, Lindsay. She has it rough.”

“I have been nice, Lance, maybe too nice,” Lindsay snapped then. “Considering Marnie relieved my boyfriend of his virginity for my convenience; I should thank her for it.”

“I’m not saying that was right.”

“What if the baby is Jace’s?” Lindsay asked harshly. “How do you think I’m going to feel to know she had a kid with the guy I planned to marry and spend the rest of my life with? We wanted ten kids! Do you get it? She’ll have what I never will; a piece of Jace.”

“All the more reason to be nice to her, Lindsay. She never had an easy life.”

“Why are you sticking up for Marnie? What gives?”

“We dated a while back.”

Lindsay wasn’t surprised to know she was right. “Don’t tell me her baby could be yours too or I’m out of here.”

Lance scowled at her and pocketed his keys. “We never told anybody we were dating.”

“Why?”

“She said she didn’t need you and you’re crowd on her back.”

“Why did you two stop seeing each other?”

“I got involved with Margene,” he said and Lindsay was stunned and looked away, out the window. “You don’t know Marnie like you think you do, Lindsay.”

“Lance, she’s been running around since we were in middle school. You were just one of many.”

He looked furious. “Until last summer; I was the first and only one she ran with. Cameron got her drunk and took advantage of her after I left. She isn’t what she seems. You shouldn’t be so judgmental, Lindsay. Not everybody grew up the way we did.”

“What about Dooley? She was seeing him too.”

“What about him? She dated him, so what? I left her, just up and left in the night. What happened after was my fault.”

“Nobody forced her to sleep with Jace!”

“Nobody forced him either,” Lance countered and saw her tears. “One day when you’re older you’ll understand this stuff, Lindsay.”

“I’m so sick of everyone treating me like a kid! I’m eighteen, Lance.”

He looked amused. “Then start acting like it. What happened was a mistake. Just let it go, Lindsay.”

“Can you let it go?” she replied with a knowing look.

“I love her. I guess I have to. She’s going to Georgia with me.”

Lindsay was stunned by his admission. Before she could react he got out of the car. She followed, still reeling by all he revealed to her. She started to think she had been living under a rock the whole time she was seeing Jace. Never in a million years did she see her brother in love with Marnie Slade.

Chapter Thirteen

They entered the bowling alley and Lindsay felt eyes upon her. She avoided looking at the kids they passed. With Lance at her side not many pushed the issue by making comments. They went into the snack bar and saw Marnie waiting.

She wore loose jeans and a sweatshirt. Lindsay almost did a double take at her appearance. For once, she didn’t look like the trampy girl she’d known all her life.

Marnie only had eyes for Lance and she could see the looks the two shared. She had those unspoken moments with Jace, knowing by every expression that crossed his face what he was thinking or feeling. It was love, whether she approved or not.

“Cameron was here; just so you know,” she informed Lindsay as they sat down. “He’ll probably be back too.”

“I’d like to see him mess with my sister while I’m here,” Lance informed her moodily as he bent and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Sorry I’m late, babe. I stopped to pickup Lindsay. I thought it was only right I tell her our plans.”

Marnie looked at Lindsay and was prepared for her condemnation.

“I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”

“You were pretty secretive. I never heard a thing about you two.”  

“What a shocker something got by everyone in Little Bend,” Lance teased as he got up and went to order their pizza.

Marnie looked uncomfortable. “He told you I’m leaving with him?”

“Yeah, I guess everybody lives happily ever after but me,” Lindsay said sourly and almost regretted it by Marnie’s pained look. “Don’t mind me. I’m still recovering from my shock.”

Marnie glared at her. “I love your brother. I know the way everything looks to you and I can’t help that. Just know he’s all I care about, ever cared about. I only stayed with Cam because I thought I had to because of the baby. Lance said he doesn’t care whose baby this is. He said it’s ours. We’re getting a place in Georgia and he wants you to be alright with this.”

“Alright? What if the baby is Jace’s? That would make Lance his uncle, Marnie. You can’t tell me all this isn’t a bit weirder now?”

“It could be Cam’s too.”

“Or Dooley’s,” Lindsay pointed out in disgust.

“He used protection when we were together. It’s pretty doubtful it’s his. I just went to him because I needed help.”

“Try to see why this whole thing blows my mind,” Lindsay began and shook her head. “Every day I learn something new and I was here the whole time.”

“You and Jace were in a plastic bubble, for sure. He didn’t even know his best friend was selling drugs. It’s funny about being in love. You tend to not notice things you should.”

“If you care about my brother this whole thing is fine with me,” Lindsay informed her. “But if you hurt him; I’m going to come looking for you.”

“He wants to get married.”

Lindsay scowled.  “Like I said; I never saw this coming. Just give me time to get used to the idea you’re coming with us to Georgia for now, ok?”

Marnie smirked then. “I told him to tell you last summer. I know this is a lot to take in.”

“What are you going to do if Margene’s baby is his?”

Marnie shrugged. “The same thing he’s doing in accepting mine if it’s Cam’s or Jace’s.”

Lindsay eyed her approvingly. “I think that’s the right attitude to have.”

“Margene won’t let him ever see the kid if it turns out to be his.”

“I guess we just have to wait and see and hope for the best.”

“Lindsay, this was the last thing I wanted when Lance left. I was so hurt to find out about him and Margene. I wanted to hurt him back.”

Lindsay could well understand that kind of hurt. She also knew firsthand what means Cam used to take advantage of Marnie. She wasn’t surprised he did it to all his dates. Knowing he would do it to more girls made her anxious to see him in jail.

“Did Cam say anything to you when he was here?”

“Yeah, he said I can forget it now that he knows Lance is back in town.”

“He knew about you and my brother?”

“Yeah, I think that’s the only reason he moved in on me.”

Lindsay had to agree, thinking of his interest in her after Jace died.

 “Lance won’t let him bother you.”

“Lance has problems of his own,” Lindsay replied. “He can’t be there every minute.”

“He has something to ask you and it might solve the problem until we leave,” Marnie told her as Lance joined them once more.

Lance took her lead and gazed at his sister hopefully. “Marnie needs a place to stay. Is it ok if she stays with us until we leave? I can look out for you both for the next three weeks and don’t have to worry so much.”

“Fine with me, but Merriman might have an issue with it.”

“Let me handle him. I appreciate this, sis. Marnie can’t stay there anymore. Cam won’t leave her alone and his friends are harassing her more every day.”

Lindsay was stunned to know Marnie endured that by herself. She went to the Sheriff knowing Cam and his friends would make her life miserable. All her thoughts of Marnie were conflicted. Knowing the girl would be her sister-in-law one day also reminded her nothing was as it seemed anymore. Her and Jace lived in their own world and ignored all of this.

“Does Mom know about this?” Lindsay asked and the pair went very quiet. Lance passed out Styrofoam plates and smiled.

“Yeah she knows. She’s not real happy about it, but it’s my choice and my life and for once I’m doing what I want.”

Lindsay took a slice of pizza and reflected upon her brother’s words. “What about Everett? Does he know?”

“He doesn’t stay sober long enough for me to tell him anything, Lindsay.”

She felt horrible, knowing Lance had to pick up where Jace left off with their Father. Evie probably didn’t remember anything he was told when he was drunk and drank more to forget what he heard. Lance tried to form a relationship with the man, but how did one do that?

“You did tell him though?”

“Yeah, he said he knew I was his and wondered when Mom would get around to telling me. The guy hardly acknowledges he lost Jace and lost the other two. What did you expect? Did you think he’d take me fishing, Lindsay?”

“No, I guess not.”

Lance looked sad and Marnie put her arm around him. “I can say I tried, that’s about it. He’s too far gone. He won’t go into treatment and help himself. Addie has had enough. After this weekend he doesn’t have any place to live. I can’t worry about him. Mrs. Warren said he can have Marnie’s old apartment and I paid it up until the end of the summer. Then he’s on his own.”

“Does he know where Sara and Dougie are?”

“He didn’t ask, Lindsay. We’re talking about Evie Turner. He only wonders where his next drink is coming from.”

Lindsay felt horrible for Dougie and Sara, and her brother. Everett Turner would never be the father they needed him to be. Her own father might be a selfish jerk, but he was there for her at the end of the day.

“You didn’t have to do that for him, Lance.”

He looked down at his pizza. “He’s still my dad, Lindsay. I did it for me, so I can walk away and say I did all I could.”

Lindsay ate her pizza and the three were quiet. She didn’t see Cameron and his friends enter the snack bar. By Lance’s tense expression, she looked behind her and felt dismay to see he had three buddies with him.

“Yo, what’s up, Lance?” he called, his eyes flicking over Lindsay and Marnie with a cold look in his blue eyes.

“Just getting dinner, Cam,” her brother returned and his brown eyes narrowed. “Don’t start anything.”

Cameron grinned and his buddies laughed. “You roll back into town and steal my girl and think everything’s just hunky dory?”

“I’m not your girl!” Marnie snapped and glared at her ex-boyfriend. “It’s over, Cam. I’m leaving with Lance; so back off.”

“See that’s the problem, Marnie,” Cam went on pleasantly. “I talked to my lawyer and he tells me until we know whose baby it is; you can’t go anywhere. I got rights, babe.”

Marnie looked like she had been punched in the stomach. “You told me it was my problem, remember? Now you’re gonna try and force me to stay here if the baby’s yours? Why? Just for spite?”

“If it’s my kid; I got rights,” Cam said and laughed at Lance’s angry look. “My lawyer is writing up the court order right now. I don’t think you want to push it by trying to leave.”

“You don’t even care about the baby!” Marnie cried and Lance put a hand over hers in comfort.

Cam smiled smugly and he and his friends circled the table. “Yeah, but since you went out of your way to make my life miserable; I might as well return the favor.”

“You won’t get away with this!” Marnie raged.

“I already did, babe. You know I always get my way.”

“Cam, unless you want to go outside; I suggest you get lost,” Lance told him in a menacing tone, rising from the table.

“Hey Romeo, calm down. This is between me and my baby mama,” Cameron informed him and the guys all laughed at his words. “I don’t want any trouble with you.”

“Stay away from Marnie and my sister, Cam.”

Cam smiled down at Lindsay and she felt a tremor of fear from the look of hatred in his eyes as he noticed her. “You might want to tell your sister to stay away from me. She’s the one working for the cops.”

“She’s not working for the cops, Cam,” Lance growled and took a step forward. “And if you don’t have anything to hide; why are you worried about it?”

Cam shrugged and looked unconvinced. “I’m not. I didn’t do anything. My lawyer says this won’t even go to trial. They got nothing on me. It’s just the point. Her running off at the mouth got me busted for other stuff. I lost the scholarship and my parents are ticked. Somebody has to pay.”

“Stay away from my sister, Cameron,” Lance repeated tightly and Cam’s friends looked worried. Everybody knew Lance was a scrapper. “Leave her alone and tell your friends to back off or they deal with me.”