with her. Oh, and I wouldn’t leave her alone with the kids anymore,” Malaya warned. “It might put them at risk.” Jenny’s worry lines only deepened at the thought of her children being mixed up in all of this. She sighed and slapped at an ant crawling onto her foot.
“I guess we will just have to be on guard all the time,” Jenny said gazing out at nothing in particular.
Lily wished with every cell in her body that all the precautions they planned to take would keep her out of harm’s way. It was becoming more and more apparent to her, however, that she probably wasn’t ever going to be truly safe again. If it wasn’t this guy after her, it would be someone else. In her heart she knew that it was really only a matter of time.
***
“So?” Lily was on the edge of the park bench awaiting Landon’s response to her explanation and demonstration.
“Wow, I mean, you got what I was thinking exactly right. There’s no way you could have known those things about my dad.” Landon stood from his seat on the bench. “It’s pretty extraordinary, but I believe you. So what are we going to do about that guy? It didn’t sound like he was going to give up easily. He’s in this for the long haul, and we’re going to have to come up with some sort of system so you’re not alone. I don’t think he wants to deal with an extra hostage.”
“That’s exactly what I thought,” Malaya exclaimed, a little too excited. “We’re going to take turns being with her so she’s never alone, if that’s all right with you, and Lily’s aunt will be with her whenever she’s off work,” Malaya explained.
“Okay,” Landon said nodding seriously.
“So we will need to cover every day but Tuesday and Sunday. Those are the days Lily’s aunt will be home. I’ll take Saturday, because Lily and I usually spend Saturdays together anyway.”
“Why don’t we do every other day? I’ll have Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and you’ll have Thursday and Saturday. It divides unevenly, but Saturday is a longer day because there’s no school, so it all evens out in the end.”
“Sounds good to me,” Malaya said beaming. Lily could tell she was celebrating inside over her bonding moment with Landon. Her happiness was interrupted by a high pitched tune coming from the back pocket of her jeans. Malaya glanced at the caller ID before flipping open the cell phone.
“Hi mom,” she said a little annoyed. “Oh, I totally forgot about that. Yeah, I’ll be home as soon as I can. Bye.” Malaya snapped the phone shut and shoved it back into her pocket. “I have to go help my mom make dinner. I forgot that my aunt is in town and she’s coming over for dinner. I guess I’ll see you both on Monday,” she said before jogging to the parking lot to her father’s beat up pickup truck. It was practically hers, but her parents insisted that if she wanted a vehicle to call her own, she had to pay for it. So the pickup was considered more of a loaner. Lily and Landon watched her pull out of the tiny neighborhood parking lot and drive away. Landon sat in the empty space on the park bench next to Lily.
“So I guess it’s just you and me.”
“I guess so,” Lily replied.
“What would you like to do now?”
“Hmm. I don’t know.” She really didn’t. She hadn’t ever really spent one on one time with a guy before. All of a sudden she felt nervous for no apparent reason. She stared at the ground not knowing what to say or do.
“Lily, are you okay?” It was him, the boy. He was talking to her. She had to say something and fast, but what? Her brain seemed to be fogging over.
“Um, I guess so.” It wasn’t really true though. She hadn’t really been alright for a year.
“Are you sure,” Landon asked clearly not believing her response.
“No, not really.” She wanted to tell him everything, but she wasn’t sure how to begin. She glanced sideways to read his expression, and what she found there was the warmest, kindest face she could have imagined. Her eyes quickly scanned his handsome face. He had a strong jaw line and smooth tanned skin. His mouth looked like he wanted to say something more, but was restraining himself. When she came to his clear blue eyes she nearly became lost in their brilliance.