Surfing Midland (Complete/ First draught).

Chapter 18

When I woke it was nearing lunch time, and Declan still wasn't back in his office, I wiped the droll away from the corner of my mouth and sat up to rearrange my clothing. I had only slept an hour, but it had felt like much longer. The disappointment at Declan not being there when I'd woken gnawed at me but instead of mopping around I decided to go for another walk downtown.

"Hey Vince, is there someplace I can buy a new cell phone? I dropped mine in the horses' water yesterday." The lie was an easy one to tell, and there were a lot of water buckets around the place for animals. It wouldn't be hard for something like that to find it's way into the water out at the ranch and Vince didn't seem to question me on it but instead gave a small laugh before showing me to the front door.

"Just go down past that little grocer, and there's a tech shop just there...do you see it? My brother works there, just tell him I sent you." I couldn't quite tell where Vince was pointing but nodded anyway just to get out of the offices quicker.

"Can you just tell Declan I've gone for a walk? Don't tell him where I've gone," Vince nodded but wisely kept his mouth shut.

The store wasn't too hard to find, it had fake phones in the window as well as product boxes. The doorbell chimed as soon as I stepped foot through the door and a girl a little older then I stepped into my path with a smile on her face. I stopped in my tracks; she was the sort of sales clerk I might expect in the city but not out here.

"Can I help you with anything in particular today?" I shook my head, stepping around her as I went to the displays of cell phones. I already knew which phone I wanted; it was just a matter of getting it. Contract or none, I wasn't too bothered. Sure it would mean paying more money for another deal, but the one on my other phone was almost up so it wouldn't be too much of a burden for much longer.

Turning to see where the girl was I reeled back a little as she popped up behind me, glancing around the store quickly I realised I was the only customer in the store. "I want this phone," I said as I pointed out the black Samsung that took my attention.

She nodded and disappeared, a half hour later I had a new cell phone and was back in Declan's office waiting for it to charge enough to use. Declan still wasn't out of surgery, and Vince hadn't been at the front desk when I walked through the door.

"Hey, how are you? Sorry about taking so long, we had to go in and clean that poor dogs wound up before we could admit him into the kennels. Are you okay? It didn't freak you out or anything?" My heartbeat began racing as soon as Declan's voice broke the quietness of the small office, I squealed as I turned to face him and almost gave him a smack when he smiled.

His smile didn't last long though, and I saw his eyes narrow as they took in the new phone charging through one of the wall plugs at his desk.

"Don't even think about taking it, I'll just get a new one anyways." Despite my having moved to Montana my mom still puts my monthly allowance into my bank account plus a little extra. She didn't even call me and leave a message like she usually did to say that she'd added extra money. Often the money was accompanied by a warning on spending it wisely; maybe it was because I was in Montana and there wasn't a heck of a lot I could spend my money.

"Leah, you're killing me here." Declan groaned as he plopped down in the other chair that I assumed was Jason's. He looked tired and a little old, but I was determined not to let that impact me in any way.

"I don't care; I'll keep buying phones if I need to. Mom has already put my allowance into my account, and I can get a few phones with it." Declan's eyes snapped open at the mention of my allowance, god I couldn't just keep my fat mouth shut?

"How much is your allowance from your mother?" Despite the fact that I tried to keep my mouth shut I sighed and gave in, it wasn't like me to stay quiet when someone asked a direct question.

"A grand," Declan's expression turned to shock when the sum of money sank in, he was an open book and extremely easy to read. It was like shock, mortification, anger and surprise all rolled into one weird look as he focused on me.

"Your mother gives you a grand? For doing what? Do you do chores? You certainly don't go to school, so I guess that is a stupid question to even think about." I was a little offended, did Declan think I did nothing? I picked up after myself occasionally; I did things around the home too. Maybe not to the extent that Declan or Trisha expected of me, but there just wasn't that much to do around my mom's house in California.

"Do I need to do anything to be given money? You taught your kids to work for money, my mom taught me to budget with mine so don't go judging me." Again I was angry, and Declan seemed to pick up on it even before I began ranting and held a hand up in some peace offering.

"Sorry, that's not how I meant it to come out. It's just that a grand is a lot of money, Val and the kids don't even get a quarter of that for pocket money." I wanted to say something to that, for starters they probably weren't making enough money to give each kid a grand a month but also they probably spent all money that they had on their ranch.

"Yeah well, I'm an only child, and I'm not expecting pocket money from you and Trisha either so relax." Flaunting what I had come naturally but I could tell Declan was uncomfortable hearing just how much money my mom was giving me and in some way how much she was earning. She didn't need him financially either, which was probably a good thing considering my mom had expensive tastes.

"I'm not worried about that; I would give you money if you asked. You know that right?" I nodded at the question, I didn't know but assumed as much. Declan and Trisha came across as wholesome people that would always do good or do right by other people.

"I just....I never wanted you to get used to handouts is all. The way your momma has raised you and the way I would have raised you are two completely different things. You're a good kid but you seem a little lost from time to time, and I don't think money is going to help you through those periods where you do get lost." Shaking my head I could not believe what I was hearing, I was not one that 'got lost' that was a ridiculous idea...what did that mean anyway?

"Well, maybe you should have stuck around longer?" That question hit a sore spot, and Declan left the room in a hurry, without saying anything. Maybe he wasn't over it as much as I wasn't?

Whatever the case I was going to bug Declan until he gave me answers.