‡ Promise 35: The Harsh Truth ‡

-As told by Jody-

ily was in a great mood today at lunch, singing and giggling, because of her new license. "I drove to school today!" she grins, something that she has stated five times already. "Congrats.", nods Tommy, blushing a little, "Though, I'm going to miss you in the mornings." "Aww!" she smiles, giving him a little hug. "So, what are we going to this weekend?" I ask, hoping that no one would be busy on my day off.
"We could catch a movie." offers Tommy. "Nah," waves Lily, poking what was suppose to be meatloaf with her fork, "How about we just hang out and listen to music." "That seems boring." frowns Tommy. "We could hang out at the bookstore." I said, hopefully, "There's a new shipment of books coming in, might be good." Both of them give me a pitying look. "Never-mind." I mumble. "No." says Lily, giving Tommy a quick glance, "We could do that. I haven't been inside the shop yet."
I realize that both were agreeing, only because they knew of my fear of being too close to Keith Rolmir. If we went with Lily's idea, most likely we would be at her house, and just yards away from the demon next door. I know they were just being nice, but I hate that they coddle me, because of my fears. I wanted to prove to them that I'm not "too innocent" to handle the dark realities of Rolmir and the woods. And I did try to hide it, but every time I think about the details that Lily has shared, my heart start to race and I feel like passing out.
My anxiety has gotten so bad, that I can't even look at the cover of a Rolmir book, let alone go anywhere near Lily's house. It's crazy! Many other teens talk about normal events, like school grades, sex, or problems with parents. I must be the only girl in the world who have friends who talk about hidden demon-worlds, living dolls that bleed, and dangerous sharp claws that split through the skin. I shudder and decide to go along with their nice gesture.
"Okay," I nod, as Tommy quietly takes a sip of his soda, "This Saturday, at the bookstore. And you can meet my mother, Lily." "Yeah," smiles Tommy, "Mrs. Dodson is cool. She'll like you, a lot." "Great." mumbles Lily, highly doubtful. "What are the new books?" asks Tommy, ignoring Lily's discomfort. "I don't know." I shrug, wondering if Lily was going to eat or start fighting with the gloppy lump on her plate, "I think it's new science books? I'll have to ask my mom."
"Well," says Tommy, obviously disappointed, "At least there's free internet. I can check up on the sport scores." I snicker and Lily gave me a confused look. "Yeah, right." I said to Tommy, "You're not into sports." "Yes, I am." he says, his ears turning red, "I'm into sports, big time!" "Right." I wave, "Who's your favorite team?" "Uh..." he says, becoming flustered, "Uh... The best one!" Lily rolls her eyes and I giggle. "Leave me alone!" he retorted, folding his arms, like a child.
"Oh." sings Lily, giving up on the meatloaf, "I get it. You're surfing for porn!" All the blood drained from his face. "No!" Tommy yells, "No, I'm not!" "Yep," I nod, giggling, "He's definitely a pervert." "I'm not surfing for porn." he growls, through clenched teeth. "Spoken like a true porn-addict." sighs Lily. Tommy looks as if he's going to pop a vein. "We're just teasing you." I smile, grabbing his hand. "Yeah," giggles Lily, leaning her head on his shoulder, "Sorry. It's just that you're such an easy mark, you know?" "We only tease, because we love you." I giggle.
Tommy lets out a long sigh and his anger disappears quickly. "Girls..." he mutters, "I don't know why I'm friends with girls." "Because we're the coolest!" I cheer, squeezing his hand once and letting it go. "Right." he says, rolling his eyes. "Hey," says Lily, sitting up and her eyes huge, "Maybe after hanging out at the bookstore for a while, we can stop by the local music store? There's a new metal band I want to check out." "Cool." I nod, not having a problem with that.
"So," says Tommy, going over the plan, "We'll spend a few hours at the bookstore and then head for the music store for a few. And maybe we can stop and see a movie?" He was dying for a movie with us, I could tell. "It's okay with me.", I said, giving Lily a look. "Sure, whatever." she sighs, taking my cue. "So," I smile, "It may be a whole day, sort of thing." "That's not a problem?" asks Tommy, a little worried that the movie plan may be canceled. "No," I smile, "It's just... I think that would be nice. To spend a whole day with you guys, outside of school."
"Yeah," frowns Lily, "Nice. But this is the only weekend I can spend a whole day with you guys." "You want to hang out with Rolmir." says Tommy, resentment on his face. The mention of his name sends shock-waves through my spine, but I try to pretend that it doesn't bother me, coolly sipping my orange juice. "No," waves Lily, as if the idea was silly, "I've got to study and continue with my grades." "What?" I choke, dribbling a little juice down my shirt. I quickly grab a napkin to clean it.
"Wait," says Tommy, leaning a little closer, "I thought the deal was that you clear a few tests, to get the car." "It is." nods Lily, nonchalant, "But I want to keep getting those high scores on my tests, anyway. It feels nice. And besides, who knows, I may want to go to college someday." Suddenly, Lily seems more mature and more grown-up. Both Tommy and I were shock to hear this from our slacker friend, but I was happy for her decision. "So," I grin, "The study sessions with me will continue?" "For a while, yet." she winks, "If you don't mind." "No," I breathe, "Not at all! Sure, I'll help!"
And then I remember that most of the sessions were held at her house and I suddenly felt ill. "We can study at your house," she quickly adds, "From now on. My parents have been acting strange lately and I don't want to be embarrassed." "Weird how?" asks Tommy, but I don't listen to the rest. I feel so ashamed of this fear and I know I can't ask Lily to always meet at my house or the bookstore forever. Somehow, I'm going to have to get over my fear of Rolmir, so I can be a better friend to Tommy and Lily. But I have no idea how. I wonder how Tommy and Lily do it, but I could never ask and admit to them that I'm having a tough time with this.
By Saturday, I decide to no longer feel guilty or think about my fears, just concentrate on my friendships. They were being supportive and was no longer keeping secrets from me. And that's all that matters. I turn towards the door of the shop, as the chimes rang, that lets my mother and I know that customers had just entered the store. It was early, almost ten, and not many teens were here yet. This was good, so Lily wouldn't get too many whispers or stares.
"Hey, Tommy." smiles my mom, sitting behind the counter. "Hey, Mrs. D." he nods, and then tugs Lily closer, "This is Lily." "Oh, hey." she smiles, throwing a hand towards Lily for a handshake, "My little Jody has told me a lot about you. Nice to finally meet you." Lily shakes my mother's hand politely, smiling nervously. "Yeah," she mutters, "Uh, hi." "Hey, guys." I nod and then pointing towards the back, "I cleared a spot for us, so we can have privacy." "Cool," sighs Tommy, "Our own table in the back, just like school." Lily snickers and heads for the back corner.
"Well," she says, collapsing in a chair, "That's what you get for being friends with me. You'll be marked, 'undesirable'." "Don't be silly." I wave, having a seat across from her. "No," she says, as Tommy takes a seat in front of a computer, one chair away, "Face it. We're outcasts. But, I'm cool with being a outcast. Are you guys cool?" "Heck yeah." I nod, getting a funny look from them both, "I rather be a outcast than not hang out with you." Lily leans across the table and gives me a tight hug. "Now," says Tommy, "All we need is a theme song and a secret fortress." "Oh," says Lily, "About the song, can it be something by Korn?"
"Eh," frowns Tommy, "I was thinking of something by Neal Hefti." "What?" I laugh, nearly falling out of my seat, "The guy who wrote the 60's Batman theme?! Isn't he dead?" "I don't know," shrugs Tommy, turning towards the computer, "I'll Google him." "That's okay." frowns Lily, as I laugh. "Tommy is such a dork." she sighs. "Yeah," I shrug, my sides hurting, "But that's why we love him." "So," Lily says, "I think I'll browse the books. We have a few hours at this place, until the music store."
Before Lily could move, my mother rushes over to the table. "Jody," she says, her face filled with worry, "The truck broke down, so our guy can't bring in the new shipment this morning. We're going to have to pick it up, at the warehouse, ourselves." "Oh, man." I frown, not wanting to cancel my day of fun with work. "It's okay, Mrs. D." waves Tommy, "You and Jody can go get the books, I'll look after the store, with Lily." "Are you nuts?" I frown, standing from my chair, "You can't run a store, full of people." "What people?" frowns Lily, looking around.
The few teens, that were here earlier, had left when I wasn't paying attention. "Hell," frowns Lily, "Just let me sit in the window and no one will ever enter." "What?" frowns my mother, giving Lily a squeeze on her shoulder, "Don't be silly! It's the weekend, it's not always busy on these days. Most people stop by on the weekdays, especially the teens." Tommy and I exchange looks. This wasn't all the way true, sure on some weekends the place was barren, but most weekends it wasn't.
And it wasn't like my mother was lying to spare Lily's feelings, either. My mother tends to be bright and cheery, changing her outlook on a problem and bending the truth to make it positive. Even till this day, my mother seems to think that my father didn't abandon us, he's just staying away to become a better man for his family. And that one day he will return to us and we'll be one happy family. But, I know better. It's been eleven years and he's never coming back. I've made my peace with it, but my mother is still waiting.
"I'm sure Tommy can handle the store, with Lily." nods my mother, "Besides, it won't take long. Just a few hours, to get there and back." "Oh, okay." I said, still worried about leaving the place in Tommy's hands. Not that he's irresponsible, but he has no idea how to run a bookstore. "Cool." nods Lily, "When you get back, we can head for the music store." "Yeah." I sigh, a little disappointed that on part of our fun day I would have to work. My mother and I leave the store and hop into the mini-van.
"I'm sorry!" pleads our book guy, an tall and handsome guy in his early fifties, "Mrs. Dodson, I don't know what happened with the truck. I went to turn on the engine and-" "It's okay, Stephen." my mother assures, "Things happen. We can take the books back with us. How many cases are there?" "Just four boxes." he nods, opening the metal gate to the small building, "Since you're the only order for today, I thought I'd drive it to you. I didn't call anyone else into work, either. But after I had loaded the boxes in my truck, it breaks down. It's too late to tell anyone to come in, I gave them all the weekend off."
My mother nods, not noticing how disappointed Stephen was that he couldn't do this one thing for her. It was obvious that the guy likes my mother and I think it's pretty cool. But, my mother would never go for it, still being loyal to my dad who is never coming back. It makes me a little sad for her. She opens one box and pulls out a new book. I swallow hard, my eyes stuck on the gruesome cover, and the huge red letters that spell, "ROLMIR". My heart starts to race.
"Good." smiles my mother, putting the book back into the book, "The teens have been asking for these, non-stop. Jody, help me with the boxes." "No, no." smiles Stephen, "Let me help you with those. And excuse my manners, hello Jody." "Hi." I said, weakly. After Stephen loaded up the boxes into the van, he leans besides my mother's window, smiling at her. "So," he says, a little awkward, "See you soon?" "Of course," waves my mom, a little annoyed, "You haven't lost my business, with this little mishap. Don't be silly." "Okay," he grins, stepping back from the van, "Later, then."
My mom pulls off, oblivious that the man was trying to flirt with her. "That's dumb." I sigh. "Yeah," giggles my mom, "Like I would stop coming, because his truck breaks-" "No," I growl, frustrated, "It's dumb that you haven't noticed." "Noticed what?" she asks, confused. "Gah, you're just like Tommy!" I huff, "Can't you see it? Mr. Stephen likes you!" "What?" she laughs, "Oh, no he doesn't." "Yes, he does!" I said, waving my arms like mad, "And he's nice, has a good job, and he's cute." "Jody!" frowns mom, turning red. "You should go out on a date with him." I nod, folding my arms.
"No." she says, shaking her head, "He doesn't like me. And even if he did, it would never happen. I'm a married woman." "In name only." I frown, not bothering to see the reaction on her face, "It's been years... years and years... Dad's not coming back and he's not thinking about us." "Jody-" says my mother, but I shake my head. "No," I said, my eyes on the road ahead, "He's not coming back and sooner or later you're going to have to face that, mom." She says nothing, just concentrating on the road, with worry on her face.
We pull up to the bookstore and I grab the first box, convincing myself that it's full of science books. I head in, a little worried about my mom, but deciding I said what she needed to hear. It might have been a little harsh, but it was the truth, and she needs to stop holding onto the past. Or she'll keep missing out on guys like Stephen.
Once inside, I drop my box and my arms are numb, as I realize that the shop is in shambles. "What?" I gasp, looking at the overturned stacks and the shattered computer screens. My mother yelps, looking around our shop, in utter disbelief. "What happened?" she whimpers. I hear Tommy groan, from somewhere in the rumble and fear runs through me. "Oh, my god!", I stumbled into the wreck, "Lily! Tommy! Are you okay?! Where are you?!" "I'm here." says Tommy, weakly. He was trapped under a overturned stack. My mother and I quickly lift it off him, only to find him lying in a pool of his own blood.
"I'm calling for help." says my mother, shakily, and heads for the backroom. "Tommy!" I shriek, dropping by his side, "What happened!? Where's Lily!?" "He took her." he gasps, holding tightly to my hand with his bloodied one, "I tried to stop him, but he... he was too strong... too fast... he wasn't human." "Keith?" I gasp. "No," he croaks, and then coughs blood, "The gray-haired man..."