Started With a Lie

Chapter Nine

Started With a Lie – Chapter Nine

 

During the night, Candy and I devise a plan to make everything work. I agreed to Lee’s request and hung up shortly after—only because he said please, is what I tell myself. Our plan is that in the morning, Mom will take her car to her gallery in New York and I will take mine to where Lee is. I’ll avoid Mom in New York City and come back before she even gets home. Everything will be fine.

            Though, the plan has no meaning in the morning.

            “Ivory, honey, I’m taking your car! My car won’t start up. Stupid freezing weather’s causing my engine to freeze,” Mom mutters in the morning as Candy and I come out for breakfast.

            No, no, no, no, I think. I need that car!

            “Mom, can’t you just, uh, ask one of your artist friends to come pick you up?” I suggest, trying to hide my motive. “I mean, tons of artists are going. Why can’t you go with them?”

            “I don’t want to bother them,” she says, waving me off. “Okay, don’t have too much fun when I’m gone. Love you, bye.”

 I’m panicking on the inside as Mom finishes her toast and hops into my car. I barely have a chance to protest before she’s driving off. My chance is gone. How will I get to Lee in time now?

            “What do I do now?” I ask Candy, sitting in the living room with my head in my hands. “I won’t make it and I’ll be forever indebt to stupid Lee.”

            Candy strokes my hair. “We’ll think of something.” How could I let Mom get away? I should’ve stopped her. Several moments pass by. “I got it!”

            She’s always the one with the great ideas and plans.

            Hope tugs at me. “What is it?” Candy gets up and runs to my bedroom. She’s gone for a couple of seconds before returning with my phone in her hand. Sitting down, she places it in my hand.

            “You need to call him,” she says. “Maybe, you can ask him for help. Maybe, he can drive you. It’s the only way. I can’t drive you—I’m grounded until summer for going to Peter’s party. Lee’s the only way.”

            “No, no!” I say immediately. “I am most definitely not asking Lee for another request so I can add ten more years to my debt to him.” There’s the pride thing kicking in again.

            “You have to.” Candy pushes the phone closer to my hands. “If you don’t, you’ll make Lee look like a fool in front of his business partners and then he’ll hate you and you’ll still be indebt to him. Wouldn’t this be even worse than creating another debt? I mean, it’s not even a big deal! You just need a ride.”

            I hate to admit it… but she’s right.

            “Are you sure about this?” I gulp and take the phone in my hand. Candy nods. I punch in Lee’s number and he picks up on the third ring. “Hey, Lee.”

            “Mr. Richardson,” he corrects. “Its Mr. Lee Richardson to you. Why are you calling me? Is there a problem?” Lee sounds fairly concerned.

            “Lee—Mr. Richardson,” I correct, “there’s a tiny problem.” I hear him groan on the other side of the phone. “It’s not that big! I promise. I just need a ride. My mom took my car and now I can’t get there.”