Betty's Cardigan

Afternoon Train

Betty wiggled her toes in the the shallow water near the right bank of the creek behind Adam's home. 

Adam had called her over to talk. He had been excited about something. She loved it when he was excited. 

Standing in the creek, she felt peaceful. This was her time, and her no one was going to ruin it for her. Her arms were thrown up towards the sky and the wind whistled as it rushed by. She took a deep breath, full of fresh air, and forgot about the angry nail scratches on her arms caused by her mother's hold the previous night when she dragged her back home from the park after the party. James had protested, but Betty had told him to leave.

The morning was new and so was Betty. She felt like a leaf after a heavy shower, clean and sparkly. The belief that better days were to come was the only hope she held on to as she dragged herself out of bed. 

"Betty," Adam called from behind. 

Betty turned to face her oldest friend. He was smiling widely and showing off the solitary dimple on his left cheek. 

"We're going to the beach!" he announced. "And you're coming along."

Betty was taken aback. They had gone on vacations together when they had been younger, but his parents had stopped taking her along because of her mother.

"I'll tell my mom to pack," she said in confirmation. 

Adam's smile dropped. "She can't come," he stated. Betty didn't like the coldness in his voice.

"But she's my mother," Betty protested. 

"Exactly!" Adam said sharply. She took a moment to process the rage behind those words. "But she doesn't act like one."

Adam looked her in the eyes. He inhaled deeply and calmed himself. Reigning in his evident anger, he explained, "I know that she was there when your father left. She has provided for you and has 'raised' you. But Betty I can't stand how she is destroying you." He fell to his knees on the soft grass. "I can't."

"She won't let me go without her," Betty reasoned. A part of Betty wanted to defend the woman no matter what. The other part was disgusted by her naivety. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help it.

"We won't tell her yet," Adam said. He nodded vigorously. "We'll catch the afternoon train and reach my vacation house by evening. You can call her from there."

"Adam-"

"She can't follow you there."

"I need to think!" she said. She held up her hands and Adam shut his mouth. He never pushed her, but his eyes looked at her pleadingly. 

Betty knew that she needed to get away in order to think about her situation clearly. Her mother would rage for weeks and then beg for her forgiveness and Betty would give in hoping that it was the last time, as her mother kept promising. Ms. Brooks also kept breaking her promise.

Betty had also worked part-time jobs for the past four years, so that she could enjoy her last year in high school without having to worry about college tuition.

"Okay," she said after some more contemplation. Seizing control over her life would be much easier if she maintained a safe distances from the detrimental forces. "Lets do this!"

"Really?" Adam started to smile hesitantly.

"Yes!" Betty said. Without wasting a single second, she splashed his grinning face with water from the creek.

Adam's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief. Soon enough, he was standing beside her as both of them splashed each other with water. Betty was tearing up with joy, but she doubted that Adam could see them through all the water. It had been a long time since she had been this happy.

*****

James met up with them at the station. He hadn't sounded enthusiastic on the phone when Betty had informed him about the impromptu trip. But, he had shown up anyway to say goodbye.

Betty hadn't gone back to her place. Even though her mother was working, she would often head back home during break to take a swig. Her manager had a no alcohol on premises rule, but their house was only a minute's drive away. Betty's suitcase, provided by Adam, contained the clothes she kept at his home. 

"Take care of yourself," James said. His brows were furrowed and eyes worried. "Don't go too far out. My third cousin's friend drowned a couple of years ago because he went too far out into the sea."

"Yeah." Betty shook her head with feigned seriousness. James' family was so large that he always had some relative who had 'been there, done that'. Betty enjoyed the stories too much to actually take it solemnly.

"Don't talk to strange dudes on the beach," James said. His eyes flitted to Adam and then back at Betty. A warning. "And if anyone tries to take your picture, call the police. And if you see my niece, Pamela, run the other way and don't look back." Pamela was a forty-year-old suburban nightmare. Everything in her home was bought from infomercials. Betty had no intention of dropping in on her beach home.

"Don't worry," Betty said. "I'm just gonna have fun."

James took her hands and pulled her away from Adam. 

"I'll just confirm the train timing," Adam said and went away to do just that.

"We were supposed to be together this summer!" James exclaimed, clearly upset.

"You're supposed to be working with your dad," Betty said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I was going to." Betty raised an eyebrow. "It's just, I'm happy that you're happy, but I cannot bring myself to jump with joy because you're going to be away for so long." Adam had said that the length was indefinite. they would stay there as long as Betty needed to. His parents would visit off-and-on, in between business trips. 

"I need this James," she explained. "I love you, but I have to go."

James nodded his head. "I understand. Have fun, okay?"

"That's the plan."

James smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Adam returned just as the train stopped at the platform. 

Betty kissed James goodbye before stepping on the train. She waved at him until the platform was no longer visible.