I am free

“Don’t look now, but Holly is in the building.” Ke

Of course I had to look. I couldn’t miss her with her bleach-blonde hair, as Ke

“That’s the student section,” Ke

As Ke

Ke

“What number is he?” I asked when I realized that I had no idea. “Never mind.” I’d recognize those blue eyes anywhere. He must have known where we’d be sitting, because his eyes fell directly on us. His family probably sat in the same seats every time.

He smiled at me as he stood there in his uniform. His jersey had a big number 21 on the front. Gosh, he looked amazing. I couldn’t stop staring. His arms were big and meaty. That was the only word I could think of. I thought that maybe I’d need my heart restarted when he winked at me.

I couldn’t believe that he did it, but then I realized that no one would have noticed in this stir-crazy room. I was wrong. Glancing to my left, all eyes were on me. Both his parents and Ke

Way to make me embarrassed Jackson. It’s a good thing he wasn’t close enough for me to touch. I probably would have went for the smack in the back of the head the way my Mom used to do my brother when he was too loud at the di

They a

I found out rather quickly that Jackson was good. He was very good. I hardly knew anything of the game, but his shots always went into the basket. The game was a blowout win at 72-37.

“What did you think?” Nick asked me as we were walking back to the car. His heavy arm was draped over my shoulder.

I was still wound up from the game. “It was incredible. I loved it. I’ve never seen so many people before, and I didn’t know that Jackson was so good.” I rambled on. If I was feeling this ecstatic, I couldn’t imagine what it must’ve felt like to be out there on the floor playing. It had to be a pure adrenaline rush.

“He is good.” He squeezed my shoulder tighter. “I’m glad you had fun Gracie.”

Oh no.

I looked up at him. “Not you too. Tucker is rubbing off on everyone.”

He chuckled.

“You staying the night with me Grace?” Ke

“Sure, why not.” I didn’t have any other plans.

I took my cell phone out of my jacket pocket and noticed that I had a new voicemail message. I hadn’t even heard my phone ring with all the commotion at the game.

I held the phone up to my ear and listened to the message.

“Grace, it’s Aunt Darcy. I don’t want you to worry, but your father called tonight. He said your Momma is sick. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, or even if he’s telling the truth. You know how that man can be. I just wanted you to know. Call me back when you get this message.”

My heart had sunk to my feet. My Momma was sick. Or was she?

I ran my sweaty palms down my skirt, and dialed Darcy back.

“Grace.” She answered quickly.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I didn’t want to cry in the backseat of this car. “What’s going on?” I asked. The car was quiet and I knew they could hear me.

“I don’t know. He called and was acting like a fool on the phone. He demanded that I let you speak with him. I kept telling him that I didn’t know where you were, but he kept insisting. When I wouldn’t budge, he told me that your Momma’s sick. I don’t know if it’s the truth or if he’s lying. I wanted you to know.” She urged.

“What should I do? What if he’s telling the truth?” The tears started to fall. I didn’t want her to be sick. I loved my Mom, despite our differences. She would always be my Mother. What if she needed me?

“I don’t know baby girl. Maybe you should call home.” She suggested.

“Then he will know that you’re lying. He’ll know that you told me.” I tried to say in a hushed voice, but speaking through my tears was hard.

“Where are you?” She asked.

“I’m with Ke

“Good okay. Just sleep on it tonight. What ever you decide to do is fine. I’m here for you.”

“Thanks Darcy. I love you.” I said. I’m not sure that I’d ever said those words directly to someone before. If I had, it’d been a long time ago.

“I love you too.” She answered immediately.

Ke

When I pulled away. I realized that we were already parked in her garage, and her parents were no longer in the car. I never even heard them get out.

“What’s going on? Do you want to talk about it?”

I shrugged, but I knew I was going to have to tell her sooner or later. “Can I take a hot shower, and then I’ll tell you everything.”

She rubbed the side of my arm. “Of course. Come on.”

After my hot shower, I put back on the clothes that I’d worn to the game. Ke

Walking out of the bathroom, I found Ke

“Don’t you have a home of your own?” I asked Tucker, and the room erupted in laughter. Thankfully.

“Don’t you?” He teased back.

“Touché.” I smiled and joined the rest of the committee on the bed. “Good game tonight.” I spoke softly to Jackson.

“I’m glad you came.” He took my hand. No one seemed to notice or to even care.

“I told the guys that you were ready to talk to me about some things and I thought they might want to hear to, but if you just want to talk to me then I understand.” She looked at me with fear in her eyes. Maybe she thought I’d be angry with her, but I wasn’t.

“Okay.” I said. “You three are the closest thing to family I’ve ever had.” Telling them shouldn’t be hard, but it would be. These kinds of things were meant to stay locked up inside. Going through it once was bad. Reliving it again would be much worse.

“You don’t have to tell us everything, but we’re here to listen.” Ke

Time to get the show on the road.

“I was on the phone earlier with Aunt Darcy. She said that my Dad called looking for me again. Darcy told him that she didn’t know where I was, and she still hadn’t seen me. It’s the same lie every time. Only this time, he told her that my Momma was sick.” I shifted in my seat.

“Should you call home?” Tucker asked.

“That’s the problem. I don’t know if he’s lying, and if he is then he’ll know that Aunt Darcy told me. He’ll know that I’ve been with her this whole time.” I explained.