Shudder

Chapter 5

Katie sat her niece down on the couch and poured two glasses of lemonade, requested by the young guest. She handed hers to Beth and then took a seat on the opposite side of the room.

Initially, the impulse to shut the door on her was tempting, but those beautiful brown eyes and innocent face prevented her from doing it. The warmth in Beth's eyes were opposite of her father's. Looking at her now, the only trace of Jay that Katie saw in her was her nose. She didn't know anything about Jay's wife; just that her name was Jenna, and she'd learned that much from the reunion.

"Thanks for this," she said, lifting up the mug.

"It's freezing outside, and you wanted iced lemonade," Katie said. "You're welcome for it but I gotta assume you're a little nutty."

"Weren't you drinking it to? Doesn't that make you nutty as well?" Beth asked, fighting a giggle.

Katie shrugged. "I never said I wasn't."

Beth laughed, but silence quickly followed.

She tried not to look at Katie, but Katie had a hard time doing the same. All she had of Beth was a picture of her and her brother when they were 7 and 5. She's never had contact or seen any other pictures. She didn't know her likes or her dislikes, how old she was or even why she was here. Her presence struck a new curiosity in Katie.

"Does your dad know where you are, Beth?"

She stared down at her mug. "Not really. He's. . ."

"Good to you, right?" Katie finished with obvious alarm in her voice.

"He's so awful," Beth said, leaning back into the couch. "He and my mom never let me do anything!"

Her arms flew up at the end of the sentence.

Katie relaxed at Beth's teenage whining. She was just about ready to call every emergency first responder that there was.

"Please don't make me go back," She whined.

"You have to go back." Katie took out her phone and tossed it across the room.

Beth caught it in her lap.

"Call your mother," Katie said. "Tell her where you are."

Beth scoffed. She started dialing and put the phone to her ear.

"Put it on speaker," Katie demanded.

If Beth was anything like her father, she was sneaky, and Katie wasn't about to let her pull anything.

"Hello?" A woman answered.

"Hi mom," Beth said, rolling her eyes.

"Beth, where are you?!" Her tone is a mixture of both concern and irritation.

"I'm fine. I'm at Aunt Katie's."

The phone went silent.

"Katie?" She repeated.

"Yes, mom, it's a name, and it belongs to Dad's sister. Remember?"

Her sarcasm had definitely come from Jay.

"She's there with you now?" She asked, as if to check if Katie could hear them.

"Yes."

"Okay," She finally said. "I'm sending your father over to get you, and thank Katie for letting you intrude on her unannounced."

She hung up before Beth could reply.

"Sorry," Beth said.

"Don't be," Katie replied. "But this is the first time we've ever met. How'd you know where I live?"