STICKS AND STONES ↝ S. HARRINGTON

[8]

"Can I ask you guys a question?" Steve asked, his footsteps pounding down the carpeted steps as he walked into the living room, where Anna and Becca's eyes were glued to an episode of Family Ties.

"You just did," Becca sighed, forcing her eyes away from the television to look back up at her older cousin. "How can we help you?"

"Has Nancy seemed off to you guys lately? She's just been distant, and then I stopped by her house a little while ago and she was in her garage, swinging a baseball bat around, but she claimed she was thinking about trying out for the softball team." Steve explained, nervously running a hand through his hair as he recounted the events to the girls.

Softball season wasn't set to start for another six months or so, but Anna didn't have the heart to tell Steve that at how visibly worried the boy seemed. Or the fact that, knowing Nancy for as long as she had, she wasn't sure the girl even knew how the sport of softball was played. But that was a much easier pill for Steve to swallow than that what Nancy had actually been practicing for was hunting down a monster that may or may not be traipsing through the Harringtons' backyard.

"She's just got a lot going on." Anna reminded him. "Everything with Barb, and the funeral for Will."

"Yeah," Steve nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."

As the television switched to a commercial break, the teenagers looked up as Kerry Harrington walked into the room, Steve's mother and Becca's aunt. She was still clad in her work clothes from the mayor's office, blonde hair pulled into a tight bun as she flashed a too-white grin at the three of them.

"Well I'm headed upstairs," Kerry announced to the teenagers before turning to Steve. "Steven, don't forget to do the dishes before you go to bed."

"Yes, Mom," Steve said.

"Thanks again for dinner, Mrs. Harrington," Anna said, getting up from the chair and grabbing her jacket and purse, knowing it was nearing Steve and Becca's curfew Kerry and Mark had instated as punishment for the party the other night.

"You're welcome, dear," Kerry said. "Goodnight, kids. Anna, get home safe,"

"Goodnight Mom," Steve said.

"Goodnight Aunt Kerry," Becca chorused.

Steve waited until the click sounded of Kerry shutting her bedroom door, and then peeked around to make sure his father wasn't within earshot before looking back at Anna. "Mind if I sneak out the front door when you leave? I don't want them to hear the door a second time and this would save me a trip having to climb out the window."

"Uh, yeah, that's fine," she said as he swiftly grabbed his keys from the table near the front door and she quickly exchanged a quick knowing look with Becca. "Later, Becs,"

"Bye," Becca said, turning back to the television screen as they shut the door behind them.

"So, where're you off to?" Anna asked as soon as they were outside, the lamps hanging above the front door illuminating the night around them.

"Catching a movie at The Hawk with Tommy and Carol," Steve explained as they walked back towards where her car was parked next to his in the driveway. "We're going to see All the Right Moves. I asked Nancy if she wanted to come with, but she said she still had a lot on her mind and just wanted a night at home."

Anna nodded, knowing full well that Nancy was anywhere but in her own home that night, most likely already on her way to meet Anna and Becca in the woods with the others to look for the monster. "I've heard that's a good one," she said simply. "Have a good night, Steve."

"Yeah, you too," he said, getting in his car, and Anna followed suit, pulling out of the driveway and waiting until Steve's car was out of sight before pulling over around the corner, killing the engine and jogging back towards the backyard of the Harrington house.