As the week went by, Stef managed to get her brother, Mike, to listen to Camille's story even going as far as to confide in him about what she had learned. Of course, she ended up leaving the girl with Esther knowing full well that Esther could handle her own. But Camille was never far from the blonde's mind, and the knowledge that she wanted to legally change her name and start over ran deep within her soul.
She knew she would do everything in her power to help the girl, and since no one else knew of her, she would begin to just call her Lena Adams to anyone she knew considering there was a major reason the caramel skinned girl wanted to have a new identity.
*Stef*
"Did you remember to get the lemons, Stefanie?" I have just walked in the door, and my mother is frantically trying to finish dinner. Tonight, she had insisted on having Esther and Lena over for dinner and family game night, and I'm even more grateful that Mike had to work because the last thing I wanted was for Lena to have a panic attack.
"Yes, ma! Right here!" I roll my eyes as I set the lemons on the counter and grab a glass of water from the fridge. "You're making your homemade lemon squares?" I lean against the counter as I watch her measuring out the ingredients having memorized the recipe by now.
"I sure am. Do you think your new friend, Lena, will love them as much as everyone else in town?" She winks at me as I manage to avoid her question by downing the rest of my water.
"I'm gonna shower, Ma. I think they'll be here around 6ish or so. Try not to have a coronary while I'm gone!"
"Some things never change, do they, Stefanie?" She hollers after me as I head down the hallway towards the stairs.
"I'll be back, Ma!" I call over my shoulder.
"Okay, sassy pants!" She hollers back making me laugh. I run up the steps to hurry and shower and straighten my unruly hair. I'm not sure why, but I feel like I need to look my best for tonight. I had known Esther my whole life, but Lena? Well, she was already something special to me.
——————-
*Lena*
"Thank you for having us over, Sharon! That was a lovely meal," Esther wiped her mouth and winked at me as I blushed softly and sipped my water. I had been catching Stef watching me closely since I walked in the door, and I want to get her alone to ask her what her deal is.
Over the past week, Esther has been having me help her on her farm, and I'm really loving feeding the cows and sheep. She hasn't let me out to tend to her pigs yet, but I certainly can smell them a mile away. She even taught me how to drive her four wheeler, and I've been having a blast running it as fast as I can thru the snow.
Due to working so hard, I find my appetite increasing and my sleep deeper with no nightmares. But I'm skeptical at how long this will last. She had insisted on paying me for my help, and after working so damn hard all week, I now had $300 to my name.
"You deserve this, Lena. You really do, and I want you to know that you don't have to pay me for room and board. I should be paying you more for your hard work, but this is all I can afford for now."
"I won't be here long. But thank you for your kindness. As soon as I have enough, I'm gone." I take the money with so much gratitude as I shyly look down at the envelope of money she had given me.
"Let me help you, Lena. Let me help you change your name. Okay? I'll pay for it..."
"No. No, you've already done so much for me, Esther. I can't..I can't let you do this for me," I interrupt her now as I am looking into her soft green eyes.
"Look, I never could have kids of my own, Lena. Just let me...let me help you. Please. Then you can be on your way." She reaches out and runs her hand softly down my arm, and I stiffen some. I'm not used to this much affection, and she certainly has shown me quite a bit this week. Even when Stef was here, she had done the same. Was everyone in Emporia like this? Kind? Loving? Affectionate?
"Let me think about it, okay? I just. I'm an adult now, and I need to be able to take care of myself," I laugh awkwardly as I turn to head upstairs to change for dinner at Stef's.
"Lena, you're just a child to me, barely 18!" Esther tries one last time, and I try my hardest not to snap at her for I know she means well.
"I'll let you know, Esther!"
"Help me clean up, Lena?" I'm broken out of my thoughts as Stef offers me an opportunity to be alone, and I'm thankful because I want to know what's up. I help her gather the plates and silverware and follow her into the kitchen.
"You doing okay out there with Esther?"
I set the dirty dishes down on the counter and place my hand on my hip. For some reason, I'm feeling kind of bold with her right now. "What's going on? Why do you keep looking at me like that? Am I going to jail?" I blurt out making her stop rinsing the plates as she looks at me, her mouth opened wide.
"Excuse me?"
"Am I going to jail? You've been looking at me funny ever since we entered the house! Just tell me so I can be prepared!" I glare at her right now as all she can do is shut the water off and wipe her hands on the dish towel.
Leaning against the sink now, she folds her arms as she looks at me softly. "No. I'd have already taken you in if you were going to jail, Lena."
I watch her features soften as she watches me intensely, so intensely in fact I can feel it in my toes. I begin to feel uncomfortable now as I lower my eyes and turn to scrape the food off the plates into the small kitchen trashcan.
I don't even notice when she walks up behind me, but just about jump out of my skin as I feel her soft hands running down my arms. "Shhhhhhhhh," she whispers softly into my hair, but I'm so stiff and I can't breathe. What is she doing to me right now? Never in a million years have I ever ever felt this way...with..with anyone. "Do I scare you? Hmmm?" She asks softly closer to my ear, and I squeeze my eyes shut as I tell myself to breathe.
"Yes...I mean...I mean...no. I don't know," I squeak as she stands there running her hands softly up and down my arms and I begin to calm. I soon find my breathing slowing down some the longer she does this, and after a while, I begin to relax. Maybe she isn't so bad after all. Only time would tell, but I don't plan on being around long enough to tell.
YOU ARE READING
Break Away
FanfictionCamille Grafton (Lena Adams) knew that she needed to escape her NYC life after the continued abuse from her older brother, Roman. Her father had died when she was only 4, leaving her mother, Ariel, to raise her and her brother alone. Ariel was a coo...
