When Secret Places Collide

Martie

My cheeks are wet when I put the trap door back in place.

"Are you alright?" Tara asks. She relights the candle. I wipe the tears away from my face. "I can't believe that your dad is going to take this place down.

"He's not going to," I say, my voice comes out low and angry.

"How do you know that?"

"I just know."

We now sit opposite each other with the burning flame between us. There is a vibration coming from Tara's bag. She pulls out a cell phone and answer it.

"Hi mom." She says, her voice cheery with a big, fake smile on her face. She doesn't look at me.

I can hear what her mother is saying to her on the other end of the line. "Where are you?" She asks.

"I'm staying with a friend. We are having a 'thank god that final is over get together'"

"Which friend is it? Are you okay?"

"Yes, Mom, I'm fine. I'll be home tomorrow."

"What are your car? It's in the drive-way."

Tara winces, but continues, "Yeah, I had to come home and get some stuff so they just picked me up from the house."

"Oh, okay honey, be safe and I love you."

"I love you too Mom, see you tomorrow." She hangs up the phone and I snicker. "What?"

"You're an amazing liar," I say letting a small amount of awe creep into my voice.

"Yeah, I've had a lot of practice," Tara replies sheepishly.

The sound of my father's four wheeler once again approaches where we are hiding.

"What is he doing back here?" I ask. I march across the tree house to look out the window. I feel the anger and tears start to well back up inside me, "Not this again." I look out the window. This time my dad is wearing gloves, earplugs, and safety glasses.

"What is it?" Tara asks as she joins me. My dad pulls a chainsaw and a foldable ladder off the back of the vehicle. "What is he doing?" Tara's face is now formed into a look of shock and horror.

"I don't know, but that's my father for you." I say to Tara, then I yell at my father, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I am cutting down this wretched tree house, so I suggest that you come down son."

"What are we going to do?" Tara asks with a quick breath.

"We are going to stay here. He's BLUFFING! ISN'T THAT RIGHT DAD?" Martie screams.

Then we hear the sound of a blade on wood and shortly after, the sound of a branch hitting the ground.