The Girl In The Dirty Shirt

Chapter 16

landed at the Toronto airport seven and a half hours later. I'd left France at eleven o'clock that night, but given the time difference it was one thirty in the morning on the same night; six thirty the next morning in France.

I hadn't even bothered calling my Mom. I just got into a cab and went to the house. I was surprised to see all the lights on when my cab pulled up.
I paid the driver and walked up to the house, the door was pulled open before I even reached the porch.

My little sister, Sally, came tearing out of the house shrieking with excitement she threw her arms around me.

"Lyla!!"

I looked up towards the house as I hugged her back, Mom stood in the doorway with her arms folded. Sally picked up my suitcase pulling it along with me into the house.

"Hello Lyla" Mom said, giving me the ‘I told you so’ look.

"Mom" I smiled weakly. "How did you know I was coming home?"

Mom closed the door; Sally taking the liberty of answering for her.

"Some guy called here last night after dinner, he said to be expecting you"

"Some guy?" I looked at my sister confused

She nodded. "An English guy"

"What was his name?" I chewed the inside of my cheek waiting for her to answer.

"He said you called him Chief"

I furrowed my brow biting back a small laugh. Sally just looked at me confused. "Who was it?"

I shook my head. "No one"

I wasn't about to tell my sixteen year old sister about the lifestyle I'd currently been taking a part in, especially not with my mother standing next to me.

"Where are the rest of your things?" Mom asked.

"I'm having them sent back."

"Why did you come all the way back home?"

I shook my head. "I really don't want to get into it Mom, you were right okay? I was an idiot and I should have never gone."

"What happened?" Sally asked

"I made a huge mistake, and if I stayed I was going to just make it worse." I rubbed my temples. "But I'm really tired, so if you don't mind I'm going to bed"

I gave them both hugs before I trudged up the stairs to my bedroom. I put my suitcase off to the side and kicked off my shoes; I pulled off my jeans and climbed into bed in my t-shirt and panties.

I laid in the dark listening to my mom and sister come upstairs and go to bed themselves. I stared at the ceiling and found myself thinking about Noel. I felt bad for not properly saying goodbye; he had been more of a friend to me than anyone and I would probably never see him again.

My door cracked open letting a sliver of light fill the darkness. I looked up to see Sally standing in the doorway.

"Can I come in?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just close the door"

I moved over as she climbed into my bed laying her head next to mine on the pillow. Ever since Sally was little she would sneak from her bed to mine and she would lay with me and just talk.

"I missed you Ly"

I wrapped an arm around her and she laid on my shoulder. "I missed you too, kid"

"What was your mistake?" She asked looking up at me.

I sighed. "Sal, it really isn't important"

"If it made you come all the way home it must be pretty bad."