Locke (Rosewood High #0.5) - Tracy Lorraine
1
Alyssa
With a quick hug to Lisa and Cami, I turn toward my car, ready for my last drive home from school for a while, if not ever.
None of us saw this coming, and it’s far from the end of the senior year we’d all imagined, but there’s not a lot we can do about it now. The world is kinda falling apart and if all it takes is staying at home to do our bit to help, then that is what I’ll do.
I can catch up with all the work I’m falling behind on, watch a few classes online from the comfort of my bed, and video chat with my friends like everything’s normal.
It’ll be easy.
“Hey, sweetie. How was your last day?” Mom asks when I walk into the kitchen and find her cooking dinner.
“Fine. Weird. Do you think we’ll get to go back?”
“I have no idea. We’ve got to trust that those who control this country know what they’re doing.”
“I guess so.” Walking up to the pan she’s stirring, I peer in. “Cooking for five thousand?”
I know crazy people have been out panic-buying as if the apocalypse is really upon us, but batch cooking seems a little extreme. We’ve got a pantry full of food at the best of times thanks to Mom’s coupon addiction. We’re not going to go hungry for a few years yet, I’m sure.
“Your brother’s on his way home from college.”
“Right?” This isn’t a shock. She told me this two days ago when it was announced that all schools and colleges were closing because of this pandemic.
“Emerson’s coming with him.” At just hearing his name, my heart damn near stops.
“Why isn’t he going to his house?”
“His dad is refusing to let him in.”
“That’s nice of him,” I mutter. Emerson is a prick, so I’m not all that surprised his parents don’t want him on lockdown with them.
“It’s not through choice, Alyssa. They’re worried about his mom’s condition and with their older age.”
Regret sits heavy in my stomach. I should have realized. “What does she have again?”
“Cystic fibrosis.”
“I know that makes her high risk, but why can’t he go home?”
“They’ve taken all the advice very seriously and are refusing anything that could be contaminated inside.”
“And that includes their son who has nowhere else to go?”
“They think it’s too big of a risk.”
“So where is he… oh, no, no, no. Mom, please tell me he’s not.”
“What was I supposed to do, Lys? They’ve been our neighbors since we moved here over twenty years ago and he’s been your brother’s best friend since they were in diapers. I could hardly turn him away at a time like this.”
“So you’re happy for him to come and infect us?”
“He’s no bigger risk to our family as you, me, your dad, or brother. We’ve all got to pull together at a time like this.”
“I understand that, Mom. I was fully prepared for distance learning and only seeing friends through a screen. But does he really have to stay here? Doesn’t he have an aunt or uncle or something? What about his older brothers and sisters?”
“I don’t know, Lys. I didn’t ask. I just offered to take him in when Fred called and expressed his concerns.”
“Well, that was very generous of you.” I pull the refrigerator open in a huff and reach for a can of soda.
“I know things are stressful right now, but it will be fine. He’ll be in the guest room or with your brother. You’ll be able to ignore him. Plus, a little birdie told me just how much work you’ve got to do, so you, madam, are going to be too busy to worry about what he's doing.” She narrows her eyes at me in disappointment.
“Miss Richards called you?” I ask with a wince.
“She sure did. She suggested we sit down and work out a schedule so you can make the best of this time because it might work in your favor as far as graduating is concerned.”
“Jesus, I’m not that far behind,” I mutter.
“Really?”
“Really. I know what I’m doing, Mom. I’ve got this.”
“Well, you better had because Maddison won’t want you if you fail. That offer they gave you is dependent on you graduating.”
“I know, I know.”
Her eyebrow lifts in warning, but she doesn’t say any more. That doesn’t mean I’m unaware that this isn’t the last I’m going to hear of it.
“How long until dinner?”
“Levi said they’d be about an hour.”
“Great,” I mutter, my voice flat. “I’ll go and get some work done then while I