Page 1 of Breakout (Walker University #3)

FIVE YEARS OLD

I watch as Mommy curls her hair.

“Are you sure I can’t go with you?” I whine.

Mommy laughs. “Not this time, sweetheart. Today’s Mommy and Daddy’s anniversary, and we are going out to celebrate.”

“What’s an anniversary again?”

She sets her curling iron down and picks up a can. She sprays the yucky-smelling stuff all over her hair. I hate that stuff. If I stand too close, it touches my skin and makes me feel sticky.

Once she’s done, she walks over and crouches down next to me.

“Well, years ago, before you were even thought of, Daddy and I got married. We promised to love each other forever in front of all of our family and friends. Today marks ten years since we made that promise to each other, so we are going to go celebrate.”

“I don’t see why I can’t go,” I mutter.

Mommy smiles softly as she runs her hand over my hair. “I know it’s hard to understand, but trust me when I tell you it’s important for mommies and daddies to take the time to go out just by themselves. Now enough, are you ready to hang out with Marcy?”

Marcy is the teenage girl who lives next door and watches me when Mommy and Daddy have something going on that I can’t go to. She plays games with me and cuddles when we watch movies. She’s nice and nothing like the babysitters I’ve seen on TV.

“Yeah, she promised me we could watch Mulan .”

“And eat ice cream, I assume.” Mommy tickles my neck, making me laugh.

“We’re going to do sundaes.”

“Oh, how fancy,” she teases before she stands and holds out her hand. “Do you want to help me pick out a dress?”

I hop off the closed toilet seat and take her hand. When we enter her bedroom, I jump onto her bed and cross my legs. Mommy walks over to her closet and begins to move hangers around.

“What do you think of this dress, Pey?” she asks as she holds it up to herself.

The dress is red with white polka dots.

My nose crinkles. “It looks like a tablecloth.”

“No, it doesn’t!” She laughs as she hangs it back up before grabbing another. “What about this one?”

This one’s blue with white straps.

“You wear that in the summer, and it’s not summer,” I point out.

“True,” she says as she places it back in the closet and grabs another. “This one?”

The dress is black and shines when the light hits it just right.

“That dress is pretty. You should wear that one.”

“You are such a big help, Pey. What would I do without you?” She walks over and kisses the top of my head before going back into the bathroom to get dressed.

When she comes back out, I watch her stand and put on her jewelry in the mirror on her dresser.

Her eyes meet mine, and she smiles. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Daddy whistles as he steps into the room, making us both look his way.He stands at the edge of the doorframe with his hand over his heart.

“Damn, how in the hell did I get so lucky to land a smoke show like you?”

“John, language!” Mommy scolds.

Daddy laughs. “Please, you like my dirty mouth.”

“Your daughter is right there,” she says as he pulls her in for a kiss.

“She is, and I can’t wait to embarrass her when she’s older and understands,” he says before kissing her again.

“Ew, can you two stop?” I gag.

Why are parents so lovey-dovey?

Daddy lets go of Mommy and walks over to me. He picks me up, and I wrap my arms around his neck, and he swings me around, making me laugh.

“Daddy!”

“Yes, Peyton?”

“Stop.” I laugh.

“Are you sure?”

“If she gets sick, and we have to stay home, I won’t be happy,” Mommy tells him.

Daddy stops spinning.

“Fine.” He sighs. “Doesn’t Mommy look beautiful tonight, Peyton?”

I lay my head on his shoulder. “I hope to be as pretty as she is when I grow up.”

Daddy rubs my back. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about, sweetheart. You and Mommy are the prettiest women in the world.”

After slipping on her heels, Mommy walks over and joins our little hug.

“I’m a lucky bastard,” Daddy says before kissing both Mommy’s and my head.

“You won’t hear me disagree,” Mommy says with a smile on her face.

The doorbell rings, and Mommy steps back. “There’s Marcy.”

We go out to the living room, and Mommy lets Marcy in. Daddy gives me a kiss goodbye before grabbing his keys and wallet.

“We will be home late, but we will see you in the morning, okay?” Mommy says as she bends down in front of me.

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I love you most,” Daddy says, making me smile.

“I love you mostest,” I tell him.

After kissing my cheek, Mommy stands and walks over to Daddy. I watch as he grabs her hand before they walk out the door.

“Are you ready for some popcorn, ice cream, and Mulan ?” Marcy asks.

“I’m ready!”

A pounding on the door wakes me up, making me frown as I sit up. Did I fall asleep while watching a movie again?

“Dad, someone’s here, can you come over?” I hear Marcy say quietly in the kitchen.

“Police!” someone yells before pounding on the door.

Oh no, is someone in trouble? The police come only when something bad happens.

“Marcy…what’s going on?” I say, voice shaking.

“Hey you.” She smiles, but it doesn’t look quite right. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure it’s okay.”

“Marcy, sweetheart, open up,” her dad says through the door.

Marcy walks over to the front door, and I trail behind her. When she opens the door, I see her mom and dad standing there in their robes along with two men in blue uniforms.

“Can you tell us what’s going on?” her dad demands.

“Is this the home of John and Stella Anderson?” one of the men asks.

“It is, now tell us what’s going on?” Marcy’s mom says, her voice sounding weird.

“We’re sorry to inform you, but John and Stella were in an accident. They passed away,” one of the officers says.

Marcy and her mom start to cry while I stand there confused.

Accidents happen sometimes, what’s the big deal? If they are hurt, all they need is the hospital to get better, right?

Marcy’s mom walks over to me and kneels in front of me. She reaches out and runs her hands along my arms.

“Peyton, honey…” she says as tears run down her face.

“Are we going to the hospital to see my mommy and daddy?”

Marcy’s mom sobs and shakes her head.

I wait for her to respond, but instead the answer comes from Marcy’s dad. “No, sweetheart, we won’t. Your parents went to heaven to be with the angels.”

“No, they went to dinner,” I correct him.

I know you shouldn’t correct adults, but he’s wrong.

“They won’t be coming home, Peyton, they are gone,” Marcy’s mom says softly.

They are wrong. I know they are. Mommy and Daddy would never leave me.

Marcy’s mom is bawling, and I don’t understand why. People flutter around us as Marcy’s parents call people. They ask me about family members, but all I have are Mommy and Daddy.

They will come home. I know they will.

I wait and wait. They will walk through the door and tell the adults it’s been a big misunderstanding. I keep waiting when a nice lady comes and tells me to go to my new home. I don’t want to go to a new home. If I leave, how will my mommy and daddy find me? No, I need to stay here.

That’s when the tears start to fall. I cry and scream as they remove me from my home. They tell me they will find someone to take me in. A family member, but until then, I have to stay with a stranger.

I hate it. I want to go home.

Mommy and Daddy never come, though, because they really did leave me to be with the angels. I knew I should have pressed harder to go with them on their date.

If I would have, then we would all be together.