Beware Of The Dark

Chapter Three

A week before we were supposed to leave, Corey came down and helped me get things ready for a yard sale the next day. The only things that I was going to keep were our clothes. I threw our winter clothes in a box marked "Yard Sale", and he laughed as he said, "Are you saying that we don't need winter clothes?"

"Summer lasts all through at least November," I laughed at his expression. "It only gets cold in January and February. By St. Patrick's Day, it's warm again."

"Damn," he shook his head then he smiled at me.

He kissed the side of my neck and then winked at me. "What are you doing?" I asked him, even though I knew what he was doing.

"I think we have a few hours before Dakota and Landon are home," he kissed my neck again and I softly moaned.

"I think we need a break from this," I said as I stood up.

We went to my bedroom and I tossed some clothes onto the floor. He stepped behind me and brushed my hair away from my neck. I turned to face him and he gently laid me down on the bed.

After we made love, we were back to organizing the house. "Tell me more about Virginia," he asked me as he lifted a box.

"There are race tracks around there," he stopped and looked at me. "There's Richmond Speedway, Martin Speedway, and more. In Virginia Beach, there's a go-kart race track."

His face lit up when I told him that. I had to laugh because I remembered something from when I was a teenager. "Though you don't want to race me on the track."

"Why?" curiosity was in his voice as he looked at me.

"Better for you to hear it from me," I laughed as I got up from the floor. "My dad took me and my younger sister to Motorsport World. I was in the number twenty-eight car. Was zooming around the track like I was racing at Daytona. But when it was time to come in, I hit the gas pedal instead of the brake."

"Oh lord," he laughed out loud. "And you are still driving?"

"I was like sixteen or so," I pretended to pout and he came over and kissed my lips.

"I'm surprised they gave you your license," he teased me and I playfully punched him in his arm. "What about softball?"

"We'll find a league out there," I smiled at him as I heard footsteps walking up.

It wasn't time for the boys to be home but someone was there. There was a knock at the front door and Corey put a shirt on as I went to answer the door. My friend, Kelly, was standing there. "Am I interrupting something important?" she asked as she walked in. When she saw the boxes, she hugged me. "I'm going to miss you when you leave."

"You can always visit," I told her and she faintly smiled.

"I'm glad Corey is coming with you," she hugged him too. "But it still feels unreal."

Then she noticed the box marked yard sale and saw that it was winter clothes. "What?" I asked her as she pulled out a sweater. "Virginia doesn't get cold until January."

"Lucky," she said with a laugh. "You'll have to share that warmth with me out here."

"It's all mine," I said with a laugh.

We went to Dakota's room to pack it up. The only argument that we had was over him bringing his Playstation. I had told him that it could easily get stolen or lost. "Are you going to sell the Playstation?" Corey asked me and I looked at him.

"No, he's bringing that with him," I told him as I tossed some winter shirts in the box.

"That's asking for it to go missing," Kelly paused to look at me.

"I told him to bury it in one of his big suitcases," I told her and she shook her head.

By the time Dakota and Landon came home from school, the house was almost packed up. For a treat, since it was payday, I decided to order Papa John's for dinner. I think when Dakota saw the boxes, reality set in. "Do we really have to go mom?" he asked as he kicked a box.

"Dakota, you had no problem before," I wearily told him as I sat down on the couch.

"Yea but grandmother never once called to check on us," he protested and I knew that he was right.

"Your grandpa was the one that asked for us to come out," I told him as he sat down in a huff. "He's the one that needs us the most."

"Hey, let's think of this as an adventure," Corey said as he sat down beside me. "It's an adventure to me because I have never left Colorado before except for trips."

I could see that Corey's words were breaking through to him. Dakota sat there thinking about what Corey had said. "Alright, you're right," Dakota finally said and I smiled. "I'm just going to miss my friends."

"Do you have their numbers?" Corey asked him and he nodded. "Then you'll still be in touch. I'll miss the friends I have and my softball buddies. But I have their numbers too. And we talk on Facebook too."

"I guess you are right," Dakota finally admitted and he smiled. "I'm sorry mama."

Dakota came over and hugged me. Corey stood up saying, "I'm going to step outside to put a chew in."

"Eww," Landon said with a laugh and I shook my head.

"I would say do your homework but it's the weekend," I stood up and stretched.

"I better get home," Kelly said and we looked at her. "The husband will be home soon."

Corey and I walked her outside as the boys went to their rooms. "Oh, can you take us to the airport next Friday?" I asked her and she looked at me.

"I can do that," she hugged me then she hugged Corey. "You two behave."

She waved to us as she walked to her car. Corey pulled me close to him as we watched her drive away. The "for sale" sign swayed in the small breeze. Next Friday, I was going to be heading home.

Corey let me go to answer his phone. I looked over then looked away. "It was boss," he said, sliding his phone into his back pocket. "He wants me to work tomorrow." I stood there, looking at him and he shrugged. "I know, I know but when he calls, I answer."

"What time?" I was hoping that he was going to go in at a later time.

"He wants me there at nine in the morning," he hugged me quickly. "I'll stay a little bit longer for dinner."

"Okay," I forced myself to smile. But I felt like he was lying to me about going to work tomorrow. I wanted to say something but decided not to say anything. We were having a good day and I didn't want it to end in an argument.

We walked back in and I called Papa John's to order dinner. I could hear Dakota and Landon laughing as they were probably playing Madden 18 on the Playstation.

After dinner, Corey left to head back to Nathrop with the promise that he will let me know when he got home. I watched him as he pulled away. That feeling that he was lying was still there like a stone sitting in my stomach. Just maybe we'll get back on track once we were away from Colorado.