Nobody Knows

Chapter 2

After we landed and picked up our two small bags from that weird spinny contraption, I tow Nate out of the crowd to an empty green bench.  We sit down while I search my cheap LG phone for the contact Mary Collins.  “Ah-ha!” I say aloud. People are looking at me, so I hastily push the send button.  The phone rings more than a few times and I’m beginning to think she won’t pick up.

“Hello?” A clear melodic voice rings out from the other end of the phone.

“Um. Hi. This is Lacey. Lacey Summers. From Massachusetts?” I offer.  I wasn’t quite sure if she knew who I was, but I’m positive she recognizes the last name Summers.

“Oh! Yes! Helloooo, Darling!  You must have already arrived then? Did you have a nice flight?  Did you eat enough? Oh, I bet you’re both starving you poor things!  Airplane food tastes just awful doesn’t it!  There are some little food stands around there somewhere…  NEAL JAMES COLLINS GET OFF OF THAT COUNTER RIGHT THIS INSTANT!” I hear a loud thud, some grumbling, and then Mary continues. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. You know, those boys, never can keep them in line no matter how hard you try.”  She laughs. “So, what were you saying?”

Well, I wasn’t saying much with your constant babbling, ma’am, I was tempted to say. But I don’t because this woman is raising seven children now, and supplying me and Nate with food, water and a roof over our heads, so I don’t have a right to complain. “Um, I’m really excited to be here that’s all. But we will need a ride to your house.”

“Oh my gosh! I sent Keith over there half an hour ago, but there must have been traffic!!!  I'm super duper sorry, honey!  I will have him call you real soon, but in the meantime go get yourselves something to eat!"

“Alright. I will see you soon then Mary."

“Oh, I haven't seen you in forever, dearie!  I'm extremely excited for your arrvials!” She responds. Then in the background I hear a CRASH. “MATHEW KEITH I SWEAR ON MY MOTHER’S GOOD CHINA IF YOU ARE DRINKING OUT OF THE MILK CARTON AGAIN I WILL PERSONALLY CHOP OFF YOUR BALLS!  Listen, I’m super sorry, but I have to go. I will see you soon though! Tootles!”

I feel so bad for that Mathew kid.

I turn to Nate who is sitting to the left of me, clutching his crotch with a terrified look on his face. “Did she just say what I thought she just said?”

“Yep,” I conclude standing up. Nate takes the hint and stands, too. “Let’s go get something to eat.”

“Aw, man. I am so screwed. Everyone knows that the only way to drink milk is from the carton!   Right?”

“I guess she doesn’t.” I really don’t want to talk about this subject anymore.  I hear a grumble from my stomach telling me to eat. “Hey, I thought we passed a Chick-fil-A stand on our way here. Do you want to go get some?”

“Hell, yeah!” he yells jumping into the air.  I laugh at his joy with this simple task.  Chick-fil-A is his favorite.

We grab our bags, which are little more than handbags, and head over to the stand.

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After we ate, my phone started blasting, “Ehhhh sexy lady.  Op op op op oppa Gangnam Style.  Ehhhh sexy lady.  Op op op op.  Eh eh eh eh eh eh.”  Nate choked on the soda he was drinking as I crossed my fists and started dancing.  People were glaring at us by now so I stopped the awesome song from playing and picked up the phone with my signature, “Yellow? What’s your favorite color?”

“Aquamarine.  Is this Lacey?”

“This is she. May I inquire who this is?”

“I’m not sure if inquire is the right word, but its Keith Collins.  I’m here at LAX to pick you up. Where do you guys want to meet me?”

Um. This is a hard decision. I put the phone to my chest and asked Nate where the closest exit would be; he said it was the United Airlines drop off place. “We will be waiting for you at the United Airlines drop off place.  Do you know what I speak of?”

He chuckled. “Yup, I will see you there. Oh, and I will be driving a white Ford Expedition.”

“Okay, cool! Me and Nate -ahem- Nate and I will be there shortly. Goodbye.” I hung up the phone and took Nate by the arm. “You do know how to get there right?”

“Of course I do, Lace. Why do you even bother asking anymore?” Nate is super smart and can remember anything. Before we got on the plane, he had looked at a map of LAX.  In case you didn’t know, this place is HUGE. But he memorized every twist and turn.

By now he was leading me through the maze of people and towards two glass double doors.  We sprinted the last few yards to the doors and shoved them open.  I was desperate for fresh air.  But it turns out the air out here wasn’t so fresh out here either.  Hundreds of cars were honking, drivers were yelling, and travelers were smoking.  This is Los Angeles, California?  Home to all the movie stars? You have got to be kidding me, I thought. I miss Massachusetts already.

“LACEY!” Nate was screaming. That’s when I realized he wasn’t standing right next to me. I started to panic. I spun around looking for his struggling body being taken hostage in the crowd, but I couldn’t find him. I was just about to shout his name when he hollers, “I’M OVER HERE, LACEY.”  I whip my head towards the voice and find him hanging out of the window of a car. A white Ford Expedition.

I stomp over to him.  I can’t believe he would not tell me where he was going and cause me so much stress.  All I know is that I can’t lose him, too.  I mean, it’s bad enough I am an orphan, but I don’t think I could live knowing that I was totally alone.  He must have been reading my mind because as soon as I shut the car door he says somberly, “Hey, Lace? I’m really sorry about running off like that. Next time I’ll tell you.”

I am not going to say ‘It’s alright’ because it’s not. And I don’t want to say ‘Thank you’ because he should be the one thanking me for not going mental on him. So I just mutter, “You better.”  But he doesn’t take it very seriously because I’m smiling.