New Rules £ Mileven

Chapter 13

"Mama?" Evie looked back at her mother. "Benny said he told you his secret." She looked unsure as she spoke, like as thought she wanted Jane to tell her otherwise. 

Jane nodded. "Yes, he did, sweetheart." She confirmed her daughter's fears. "Why do you ask?" She returned to brushing the nine-year-old girl's hair out. 

"No reason." Evie shrugged a shoulder, and focused back on the television before her. 

You see, Mike had taken Benny to the movies after speaking with his wife about the new development. He had always planned to take Benny to the movies, however, Jane wasn't aware of it.

Mike knew Evie felt like her mother never spent time with her anymore. Sure, Jane woke her up and got her ready, but it always seemed like she was shipped off with her father while Benny stayed home. 

This was his way of getting them to have a girl's night-plus he liked spending time with his son. 

"Are you going to send Ben away?" Evie asked after a moment, fidgeting with the edge of her shirt. 

"Of course, not." Jane laughed. "Wouldn't even dream of it." She assured. 

Evie nodded-physically relaxing at the words-and leaned back against her mother. She closed her eyes and prayed the noise in her head would go away, but it never did. 

Evie had a secret. 

"They always lock the alien up at the end of X-Files." Evie commented. "That's why I thought you would send Ben away." She answered her mother's unasked question. 

Jane looked inquisitively at the child, but didn't say a word about it. "Yeah, well, maybe you should cut back on the X-Files." The brunette teased. "You wanna go get ice cream before the boys get back?" 

"I was just thinking that." The irony of her words made Evie smile. 

Maybe one day she would explain to her mother that it wasn't Benny who broke the music box, nor the mirror, nor the light bulb. 

With that the two Wheeler girls went to get ice cream from the diner. 

"Maybe Aunt Max is working." Evie said excitedly, holding the door to the diner open for her mother. 

"Maybe." Jane agreed. 

It was cute how much Evie loved Max. Jane reasoned it in her head as Max had babysat Evie so many times when Jane had school work to do. 

Seating themselves at a small booth by the window, they waited to order. A few seconds later-much to both their excitement-a tall redhead approached the table. 

"There's my two favorite girls." Max slid into the booth beside Evie, wrapping her arms around the small girl. "Any later and you would have missed me." 

The actual waitress came, took the order, and left, before Jane spoke up. "Well I'm glad we came when we did then."

Evie nodded in agreement, snuggling closer to her aunt. 

That's when something rather peculiar happened. The phone on the wall began to ring, followed by the phone on the counter. 

Evie shot right up, a look of fear crossing her face. "Don't answer that." She commanded. "No one get the phone." 

Jane looked at her daughter, completely puzzled. "E, it's just the phone." She laughed. "Calm down." 

No one listened to the young girl, and soon enough someone had picked up the receiver. They listened for a minute, then slammed down the phone. "What kind of joke was that?" The cook demanded. "Say who came up with that prank?" He looked like he had seen a ghost. 

"Mom." Evie said slowly. "We need to go." Jane didn't budge. "Now, Mama, we need to go now!" Evie nudged her aunt out of the booth. "Please."

Jane finally gave in. "What's wrong?" She inquired. 

"I'll tell you outside." Evie didn't even look back as she stepped out into the warm June air, leaving the two adults to trail after her. 

"Okay," Jane spoke once they were inside the car. "What was that scene all about?"

"Yeah, it was just the phone." Max said, trying to ignore the nagging voice in the back of her mind. It was just a phone then too. 

"One of the men in there was planning to rob the place. The phones were his signals." Evie explained. "He had a gun." 

"How do you know this, kid?" Max turned to face the backseat. 

Evie went silent for a beat. "I could feel it." She finally replied. "I could hear it." 

Jane and Max shared a glance. "You could feel it?" 

Evie nodded. "Benny didn't break the music box. I did." She looked down at her hands. "Sometimes I-" Suddenly Evie let out a pained scream and slumped forward. 

"Evie?" Jane pulled over the car. "Hey, E, wake up." She shook the child, but nothing happened. 

Max sighed. "I'm driving. Hop in the back with her." The women quickly switched spots, and Max started the car again. 

"Evelyn." Jane shook her daughter. "Come on, you, gotten wake up."

"Mama?" Evie's voice came out weak and labored, her eyes opening just a crack.

"I'm right here." Jane brushed some of the hair back from the girl's face. "I need you to stay awake, okay?" 

Evie's eyes began to slip closed again. 

Jane curse. "Hurry, Max." 

"I'm going." Max watched the numbers rise to well above any reasonable speed limit. They were going way too fast. At least Jane's father was the sheriff still. 

The redhead could hear her best friend telling the child to stay with her, but it wasn't working. So Max did something she never does. She prayed. 

For the redhead knew Jane would lose it without Evie, much like Terri had without her. 

Finally Max parked the car in the Hawkins Lab parking lot, and quickly went inside to get help.

A sigh of relief ran through both adults as Evie was rushed inside by a team of nurses. 

Question, would you rather I continue this half of the story in a sequel, or leave it like it is?
Sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger - Izzy