Page 126 of Under Her Skin

“It’s all I’ve known since that day. Don’t worry about me. If you want to help anyone, help her. She needs it more than I do. She always has.” He turns back and goes to sit down way at thetop.

“She has a place to stay inside out of the weather. She has a mother and a father to take care of her when she lets them,” I tell him. “Tell me why you would do this to yourself over a woman likeher.”

“She wasn’t always this way. Once she was sweet and full of love. Somehow, getting pregnant with you changed her.” His eyes narrow a bit as he looks at me. “I hated you for a longtime.”

The fear creeps back in as his eyes go icy and his body tenses as if he might be getting ready to spring at me. “I understand. I’m sorry. I’ll let you get back to your life here.Goodbye.”

I turn and walk away. He shouts out, “Thanks,kid.”

I wave without looking back. Into the truck I go and pull away from the side of the road. Something hits the back window and shatters against the thick glass. Orange is sprayed everywhere. I look in the rear view mirror to see my father standing in the middle of theroad.

He’s flipping me off with both hands. Yelling incoherently curse words and screaming my mother’sname.

My body aches with the knowledge that she did that to him. I feel bad for them both, but mostly I feel bad for me. They are my gene-pool, those are the closest people to me in this entire world and I’m lonelier than I think I’ve everbeen.

Max

Orange fills the sky as the sun sets behind her. Head hung low and shoulders drooping, Rachelle walks away from an old, blue, Ford truck. Zane pushes through my legs as he seesher.

He turns back to look at me. “What’s a matter wif Chellie,Daddy?”

“She’s sad. Go give her a hug. That should brighten her up some,Zane.”

He takes off running towards her and she lifts her head to look at him as he shouts, “Chellie! Chellie! You’rehere!”

She smiles and I can see it’s despite herself. She opens her arms up and he flies into them. He kisses her cheek, and she runs her hand over his little head. “Hey, cutie. Miss me?” she askshim.

“I did,” he says then he leans down and sniffs her shoulder. “Chellie, youstink.”

She laughs a light laugh that’s full of sadness. “I know I do. I met someone earlier and even though he smelled awful, I gave him ahug.”

“You should not have done that, Chellie.” Zane leans way back from her and wiggles for her to put him down. She does, and he says, “Why you want to hug a stinkyperson?”

I wrap my arm around her sagging shoulders and lead her into our home. “Maybe she felt like the person needed it, or perhaps she’s the one who needed it.” I kiss the side of her head and take her down the long entry hall. Zane takes her hand as he looks up at her with concern in hiseyes.

“Ihada dream and I remember what your name used to be, Max,” she tells me. “You were Randy once. You were my older brother, and you were really nice to me. I ran to find my mother, and you helped me. You made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk and you made me feel a lot better in that awfultime.”

“Hilda makes the best. I’m going to get her to make us a couple of them and then you and I can have a talk about why your sweet, little face has so much sorrow running over it.” I pull her along with me to say hello to Lexi and the otherkids.

Lexi’s eyes light up as we go into the playroom where she’s watching the other two children. They quickly dim as she sees the state Rachelle is in. She gets up and come tous.

She pulls Rachelle into her arms and Rachelle bursts into tears. I nod at Lexi and she takes her from the room. Zane looks up at me as theyleave.

“Daddy, what’s made her so sad?” He loops his little hand intomine.

“I don’t know yet. But she had a hard life just like Daddy did when he was a kid. But Mommy and Daddy are going to try to help her.” I tussle his blonde locks. “She’ll be okay, buddy. Don’t youworry.”

“Okay, Daddy. I’ll try not to.” He goes to play with Zoey as she runs her Barbie Jeep all over thefloor.

I watch my three children play on the floor of the large room and wonder how some parents can do things to their children like abandon them. A day without seeing my kids’ faces is a day I’ve lostforever.

Blake

Pumping iron for the third time today, I jump as my cell phone rings. I drop the weight and answer the call. “Hey, Max. How’s it going,buddy?”

“Good. I just wanted to let you know that Rachelle is here with us. She told us how she took off from you and I just wanted you to know she’s safe,” hesays.

“I guess I’m glad to hear that,” I say. “Did she mention why the hell she did that to me. Not that it matters one bit, but I’d like toknow.”