All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [5]
Determined to put Friday night’s events behind her, Kennedy concentrated on preparing breakfast, which consisted of milk and cereal due to her running behind schedule. As usual, Jimmy’s mother had dropped him off without feeding him breakfast and Kennedy found herself preparing another bowl.
While the boys ate, Kennedy mended her son’s only good pair of slacks and then rushed to get dressed herself. By ten o’clock, she had everyone clothed, fed and standing at the bus stop.
“Mommy, are you okay?” Tommy questioned, swinging her hand.
Startled, she jumped and refocused her attention on her son. “Of course, baby. Mommy is just thinking, that’s all.” Her forced smile grew warm as she stared down at him. Every time she saw him she was reminded of how much he looked like his father.
Standing beside Tommy was Jimmy. He was only six months older than her son, but probably weighed a good twenty pounds more. He had the deepest pair of dimples she had ever seen, and right now the boy also had the misfortune to be missing his two front teeth. It was impossible not to like the exuberant boy. In fact, she often felt more like a second mother to him than a neighbor.
Their bus arrived and the three of them stepped on and took their seats. Throughout the ride, Kennedy remained on guard. Of course, she still had no idea what she’d do if she recognized one of the gang members from the other night.
Just put the whole thing behind you, she coached herself. But, even as she thought the words, her thoughts traveled back to that night….
“He had to have gone this way,” the now familiar voice shouted.
As what sounded like a stampede descended the stairs, again Kennedy felt as if her feet had rooted themselves to the floor. She couldn’t seem to think. Couldn’t move. Then her eyes fell on the double-load dryers and a solution became clear.
Now she could move again. She ducked inside one of the dryers in a time an Olympic sprinter would envy, and tossed strange clothes over her body. Just as she finished and pulled the dryer door closed from the inside, she heard the laundry room door burst open.
She heard sounds, for a while, then everything went quiet.
Were they still in the room? Were they searching the other dryers? The possibility terrified her. She closed her eyes and prayed. Hard.
Time stretched. Yet, she still couldn’t hear anything. Should she risk a peek? Her heart lurched. How had she gotten herself into this mess? The answer came quickly: her damn curiosity.
Lord, if you’ll get me out of this one, I swear, I’ll mind my own business from now on. Hadn’t she promised that before? I mean it this time, she added.
Even after her pledge, Kennedy remained in the dryer for some time. She couldn’t be sure whether her prayer had been answered, but she couldn’t stay cramped in there forever. Shifting her weight, she started to push open the door, just as it jerked open from the other side.
A woman screamed before she could.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Kennedy apologized as she climbed out.
The other woman turned out to be a teenager, and the sheer horror etched in her features would have been comical under different circumstances. This time, Kennedy thought it would be best not to offer an explanation. She simply handed the woman the laundry that was still draped over her and took off.
By the time she made it home, it was well after one in the morning. To her surprise and relief, Eve accepted her excuse of having missed the bus and having had to catch a ride with a colleague….
“Mommy, isn’t this our stop?” Tommy asked.
Kennedy jumped again, but quickly got her bearings. “Yes, sweetie. Go ahead and pull the cord. Jimmy, are you ready?”
His two dimples appeared as he nodded and Kennedy had to resist the urge to pinch his chubby cheeks. Despite his cheerful presence, she was as jumpy as a preteen at a horror movie. She had to keep telling herself there was nothing to worry about. No one had seen her that night. She might as well relax.
She held hands with both boys and led them