Standing In Shadows - 31. Chapter 31

SIS 31

Waking up and smiling, I looked down to see Trouble curled up at the foot of the bed chewing on the covers. Glancing out the small window in my room, I saw that it was still early. Groaning I sat up and slid out of the bed and scooped up Trouble and like every morning, walked her right outside to the small patch of grass to let her do her morning routine of sniffing and peeing. Satisfied that she isn’t going to get me killed with any puddles on the floor, I picked her back up and stroked her between the ears as I walked back up the stairs to the apartment.

I watched as she trotted around the couch back to my room to go eat and get a drink of water. I stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of orange juice and opened a packet of pop tarts. Waiting for them to heat up in the toaster I downed the glass of orange juice. I grabbed a paper towel and wrapped them up when they finished and put them on the counter. Then I walked around the kitchen table, that took up too much space in the small kitchen.

With Mom working, we might be back on our feet faster. Dad would be starting summer workouts and football camp soon. The apartment felt lonely when it was just me in here, I doubted that it would ever feel like home. I only had a year left of High School and the last summer before college. Having football in my life, I thought it would be an easier road. That one or two colleges may offer me a scholarship to play. I wasn’t expecting a big conference school, our town was too small for that. Now with a broken arm and a season on the bench, I doubted I would get a scholarship offer. Not from the schools that showed a little interest in me last season.

After getting dressed I grabbed my wallet and keys. Trouble started bouncing around my feet knowing that we were going for a drive. She followed me to the front door and I let her out as I locked up behind me. She was still too small and too scared to tackle the stairs so I picked her up and walked down the steep metal staircase and across the narrow access road to the public parking area where my car was. I slid in and put her in the passenger seat and after so many nudges when she tried to crawl over the console, she finally sat and watched me as I backed out of the lot and started to Jenny’s. I had promised to help with the adoption party she was having for the puppies and today was it.

I wanted to spend time with Clinton today, I hadn’t talked to him since we talked to his parents after they got home that morning. We had just gotten the house clean and the garbage taken out when they arrived. At first I thought they were going to ask me to leave, but his mom offered me a small smile and held the door open for me to enter the house. Then I watched as Clinton tensed as his mom wrapped him into a hug and then blush when she kissed him half a dozen times and started crying. His dad had to gently pry her off him and Clinton tensed again when his dad wrapped him into a hug. After his mom fixed some lemonade she led us all into the living room.

“I don’t want you to be friends with Cj anymore,” his Mom said as she handed out the glasses of lemonade. It was sweeter than Jenny’s, and came from a plastic canister.

“I’m not friends with him anymore,” Clinton said glancing at me.

“We were afraid he was your…” Robert started then surprised me when he pointed at me. Then he glanced at Clinton’s Mom, and I realized I couldn’t remember her name.

“Boyfriend, Robert,” his mom answered rolling her eyes.

“Merie and I were going to ask you about it soon,” Robert said turning back to Clinton. “About how Cj had been treating you.”

“Especially after I found out he uninvited you for that rock climbing trip,” Merie said crossing her arms. “You should have called us, we would have come back and got you.”

“I didn’t want you to come all the way back,” Clinton said and I wanted to sit closer to him, but I was too scared to move from my place in the chair in the corner. He was sitting in the chair on the other side of a small end table and his dad was standing by the entrance to the kitchen and his mom was sitting on the couch.

“I wonder why,” Merie said glancing over at me. I felt my face flush, but she only took a small sip of her lemonade.

“And we saw the motorcycle in the garage,” Robert added and I turned to see Clinton sink lower in his chair.

“You haven’t been riding that have you?” Merie asked and Clinton shook his head.

“I tried, but I couldn’t figure it out,” he answered shrugging his shoulders. “It’s Corey’s bike anyway.”

“No it’s not,” I countered and saw him rub his hand over his face, but I didn’t want to go down for his stupid surprise, no matter how nervous he still was about this talk. “It was mine, but I sold it to some guy and he bought it off him.”

“That was sweet of you,” she said turning to Clinton. “But you know how I feel about things like that.”

“I know Mom,” he whined shaking his head. “Corey can teach me how to ride it when his cast is off, I won’t get hurt.”

“We’ll talk about it later,” she said crossing her arms. “Corey, how did your parents take the news?”

“I don’t think Dad accepts it too much,” I said seeing Clinton relax slightly. “Mom is a little sad, but she’s okay. It sort of took her by surprise, but Dad seemed to already know.”

“Really?” Robert asked crossing his arms. “Lee must be getting quicker in his old age, back in high school he seemed to be the last to know anything.”

“Robert,” Merie hissed offering me a small smile.

“Yeah he’s still in denial about all the weight he’s gained,” I offered causing Robert to smirk.

“We’ve not heard much from the other kids at your school,” Merie said and I cringed hearing the word kid. Seemed like all mothers liked to use the word, even though we were all only a few months to a year shy of eighteen.

“I know that Jenny is fine with it,” I said, “and Keith and Andy, but I’ve not ran into anyone else.”

“I haven’t either,” Clinton said, “I’ve kept my phone off.”

“Well that’s a start,” she said and for the first time I saw the uncertainty in her eyes. I knew then that Clinton was going to be fine, at least where his parents were concerned. They would try to protect him from the worst of it, if it even came. In a small town like this though, it was difficult to know the impact of anything. Sometimes the smallest of things caused the most trouble.

When someone knocked on my car window I jumped and saw Jenny holding a puppy. I turned off the car and picked up Trouble. She opened the door for me and I stepped out of the car. When I turned to look at her she glanced over at Clinton’s house, seeming to know where my mind was.

“Riley Corey Wells,” she said and I smirked thinking she sounded a lot like my mother when she said that.

“Yes Ma’am?” I asked and she frowned.

“I need you focused,” she said as she closed the car door. “You can meet loverboy later, he went fishing with his Dad this morning anyway.”

“Really?” I asked as we started towards her garage. The day was already getting hot and the sun caused me to squint. Trouble was trying to squirm out of my grasp, but I didn’t put her down until I got into the back yard where the other puppies were playing. Jenny had set up a small metal playpen just inside the air conditioned garage, but the garage door was open.

“Yes, really,” she said rolling her eyes. “Have you really not talked to him since you and him talked to the parents?”

“Not a whole lot, no,” I said and she frowned as she put the puppy she was carrying into the playpen. Knowing Trouble would want to play as well, I put her in and smiled when she started bouncing around greeting all of her brothers and sisters.

“I wish I could just keep them,” she said shaking her head. “I am keeping the momma dog.”

“Where is she?” I asked glancing around the garage and not seeing her.

“She’s being babysat by Dr. Pflum,” Jenny answered, “well I guess your Mom too now, she seemed happy.”

“Yeah,” I said, “she finally stopped crying and kissing me every time she saw me.”

“Awe,” Jenny said nudging me. Then we both heard a car door slam around front and Jenny’s eyes widened slightly. “I haven’t put the sign up yet…”

“I’ll do it,” I said, but she had already grabbed a roll of tape and a large white poster board that read, ‘come around back,’ and shoved it into my chest causing me to grunt.

“Sorry,” she said, “I’m always a wreck during these things.”

“I’ll try not to hold anything you say against you today then,” I offered smiling as I stepped around the back of the house towards the front yard. The driveway had once went all the way around back, but after Jenny’s parents bought the house they ripped up the paved driveway and planted grass and then put in the pool. Now the garage was just a place for storage.

“Hi stud,” Amber said as she walked around the corner and saw me jogging around the house. “Jenny back there?”

“Yeah,” I answered slowing down after realizing it was Amber and not someone looking to adopt a puppy.

“So,” Amber said reaching out to stop me from walking around her. “Jenny told me that the text I got from Cj the other night was true.”

“I figured she would,” I said as she studied me for a few moments.

“Katy and I already suspected as much anyway,” Amber said, “we told Jenny that was likely it after you totally bailed on Junior Prom.”

“A lot of people probably did,” I said blushing slightly.

“I think it’s hot, all that man meat just rolling all over the place,” Amber said smirking as she took her hand off me. “Oh and Cj is so kicked out of my party invites, so don’t be a stranger.”

“Alright,” I said and she pulled her sunglasses off the top of her head and slid them over her eyes.

“We’ll make his life hell if he tries anything,” Amber said then she playfully slapped me on the ass as she started walking again. “Better get that sign up I know how she gets.”

“Thanks,” I said, but she only waved her hand over her head as she turned the corner to the back yard and I turned and walked around the house and taped the sign up on her front porch. Then I jogged back around to the back of the house to find Jenny and Amber setting up a small brown table. Jenny was holding a stack of papers. Seeing me hovering by the open garage door she shook her head.

“Could you stack the bags of puppy food up in front of the table?” Jenny asked and I nodded as she pointed to a small pile of puppy food in a corner of the garage next to a box labeled ‘Christmas Tree.’

Just as I finished putting the small bags of puppy food out in front of the table, we heard more car doors shut and this time we heard children talking excitedly. I glanced over at Jenny as I sat down beside her and she sighed offering me a small smile.

“I don’t know why I’m here,” Amber whispered leaning back in her chair on the other side of Jenny. “I must love you.”

“You do,” Jenny added patting Amber on the arm, “unlike Katy.”

“Katy is allergic to dogs,” Amber countered and I saw her roll her eyes. “So she says every time you try to talk us into this mess.”

Jenny stood when the kids darted around the house and ran right to the puppies. Jenny offered them a smile as the puppies bounded over to them and started licking their hands. She walked over to them when a young couple walked around the house.

“Hi,” Jenny greeted offering her hand. They both shook it and then I glanced at Amber, not knowing if I should do anything, but she wasn’t making a move to stand. So I turned to watch as Jenny pointed to each of the puppies telling them which ones were boys and which ones were girls and that Trouble was already adopted, that she was the one with the green collar. Watching her, I couldn’t help but see her in a completely different way. I had saw a lot of it, off and on over the past couple of days, but it kept surprising me.

“If you weren’t gay, I would think you were hot for her,” Amber whispered leaning across the empty chair.

“I would be,” I said not liking how Amber kept making me blush. She smirked, knowing the effect she was having on me.

“Corey, help them with their bags of puppy food,” Jenny said causing me to jump. I stood and grabbed a small bag of food and cradled it on top of my cast. Then I saw that the two boys had settled on two of the puppies, each of them struggling to carry them. Smiling I reached down and grabbed a second bag as Jenny handed two pieces of paper to the mother and I followed them around the house to their car. I handed the bags of food to the father and he shook my hand and I smiled and waved as they struggled to wrangle the two kids into their booster seats and the two puppies into the pet carrier.

When I got back around the house Amber was texting and Jenny was sitting back down wiping her eyes on her shirt sleeve. When she saw me she rolled her eyes and smiled.

“What do the papers have on them?” I asked as I walked around the table to sit beside her. She glanced down and then slid one over to me.

“It’s a free spay and neuter coupon,” Jenny said, “I guess you need one too, since you adopted Trouble.”

“It’s okay,” I said shrugging, “are you going to be alright?”

“She’ll cry after every one of them,” Amber answered not looking up from her texting.

“I can’t help it,” she said as she smoothed out her shirt shooting Amber a glare.

“I know you can’t,” Amber said offering her a small smile. “You do good work Jen, most people would just throw them into the pound.”

“Yeah,” I offered putting my arm around her.

“And Corey told me that if he wasn’t into dicks that he’d so take you behind the bushes,” Amber added and Jenny looked up at me.

“I didn’t say it like that,” I said shaking my head. “She’s as bad as Andy and Keith.”

“Sometimes,” Jenny said, “especially if she’s doing something she doesn’t like.”

“So have you heard from a lot of people from school?” Amber asked turning to look at me.

“No I’ve been avoiding them really,” I answered shrugging my shoulders. “Dad has kept me busy helping him set things up for camp too.”

“How did that gorilla of a man take the news?” Amber asked and I saw Jenny look at her.

“I’m still alive,” I answered shrugging, “I don’t think he’ll ever be thrilled about it.”

“There’s something about still being alive,” Amber said smirking. “Most of the people I talk to seem shocked by it, big football star a locker room ass grabber.”

“I don’t grab ass,” I said as Jenny laughed.

“Most people will mind their own business after a few days,” Amber said and I was surprised at how supportive she seemed to be. “The ones that don’t are assholes anyway and don’t leave anything alone.”

“Like Cj,” Jenny offered, “I took back my deal, I turned over all my evidence to the police.”

“You did?” I asked shaking my head, “I thought I had talked you out of that.”

“I talked her into it,” Amber countered, “really Corey, he called and texted everyone, even parents.”

“His Dad flipped out too, I heard,” Jenny said, “told him to apologize to you and your parents.”

“He won’t,” I said frowning.

“Of course he won’t,” Jenny said crossing her arms.

“How much trouble will he get into over the puppies?” I asked glancing down at the rest of them. They all had seemed to tire themselves out and started stretching out on the cool concrete floor of the garage.

“Eight counts of animal abandonment and eight counts of neglect,” Jenny said shrugging, “probably a couple thousand in fines.”

“The newspaper is running a story too, of course,” Amber said, “Cj won’t see the light of day until school starts back up.”

“Maybe some of the swelling will be gone by then,” Jenny said smirking. Her knuckles were still a light shade of purplish green where she had punched him.

“Have you talked to anyone from the football team?” I asked turning to Jenny first. When she shook her head, I turned to see Amber looking at me.

“No,” she said, but I thought her tone was off. That she was keeping something from me, because she didn’t like being the one to pass on bad news. “I’ve been busy with all this stuff.”

“Liar,” I said fiddling with the coupon in my hand. “What have you heard?”

“Just rumors and I don’t want to get you all worked up over rumors,” Amber said glancing back down to her phone after it buzzed.

“I need to talk to Andy and Keith,” I said slumping down in my chair. Jenny patted me on the shoulder and when I looked up at her she offered me a tight smile.

“Let’s not worry about it,” Jenny said and then we heard another car pull into the drive and people coming around the side of the house. Jenny sighed forcing a smile before the family turned the corner. This one only had a young daughter with soft blond hair blowing in the slight breeze. Like the other kids she ignored us completely and went right to the puppies. I looked up at the couple as Jenny greeted them and I noticed both of them looking over Jenny’s shoulder at me. When Jenny noticed she was no longer being paid attention to, she glanced over her shoulder at us.

“Hi, I’m Corey,” I said making a move to stand and offer my hand for them to shake. “This is Amber, we’re helping Jenny with the adoptions.”

“Hello,” the young woman said turning back to Jenny as the little girl tried to climb over the playpen to get to the puppies. After their attention turned away from me I let my hand drop and sat back down.

“Real smooth,” Amber whispered nudging me with her shoulder. I glanced up to see the father still looking at me as his daughter and Jenny discussed the puppies. When she finally picked one that looked similar to Trouble, but had one blue eye Jenny handed them her coupon. I made my move to stand again, but Amber reached over and grabbed my shoulder. “I’ll handle it.”

“Okay,” I said as she scooted her chair back and stood. It was a small enough bag of puppy food, that the father could easily carry. Jenny, though, would have fussed if he had.

After Amber was leading them back around the corner of the house I heard her sniff and wipe her eyes again. When she sat back down I carefully put my arm around her and she turned to me.

“I almost asked them to leave,” she said frowning. “I knew I would just be hurting the little girl though.”

“They didn’t say anything bad, maybe they were just surprised to see me,” I said shrugging, “I didn’t know who they were, did you?”

“Probably graduated a couple of years ago,” she said shrugging. “They definitely knew you.”

“Not everyone is going to like me anymore,” I said smiling, “it will be alright Jenny.”

“I see that you’re scared,” Jenny countered crossing her arms. “So don’t you dare try to comfort me when you’re scared.”

“I brought this on myself,” I said shrugging. “I had planned to come out before Cj’s shit with the texts.”

“Fucking loser,” Amber hissed as she stomped back around corner of the house. “Didn’t you recognize him?”

“Who?” I asked and Jenny rolled her eyes.

“Who was he?” Jenny asked as Amber walked around the table to sit beside me.

“He played football and baseball when we were freshmen,” Amber said crossing her arms, it made her boobs look bigger and she glanced down at them like she was happy with what she saw.

“Oh,” I said offering Jenny a small smile when she grabbed my hand and started massaging it around my cast.

“I only know because,” Amber said as I turned to look at her. “I had the biggest crush on him and made a fool of myself.”

“Was that him?” Jenny asked her mouth flying open. “You never would say before who that was.”

“Well when you’re still in braces and most of your boobs were napkins and padding,” Amber said her face flushing. “Well anyway, yeah that was him.”

“Dodged one then,” Jenny said rolling her eyes.

“I hope his hairline totally keeps receding,” Amber said sticking out her tongue causing both of us to laugh.

“You’re horrible,” Jenny said, “I don’t think the mom minded.”

“Slut,” Amber hissed and I turned to Jenny and she only rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t think you even liked me,” I said after an uneasy quiet fell on us. The puppies were getting hot and panting as they tried to sleep. The heat of the day was well on us and not even the fans plugged in behind us offered us much comfort. The puppies were still in the shade though and they had a small plastic blue pool to cool off in if they got too hot.

“You should be a dumbass meat head,” Amber said after I turned to look at her. “You should be crunching beer cans on your forehead.”

“So that’s why you like me?” I asked trying not to laugh, “Because I’m boring?”

“No, I like you because you’re a sweetheart,” Amber said and I felt my face get hot. “Bryan is a softie too.”

“Is he?” I asked chewing on my bottom lip.

“I wouldn’t call him that if I were you,” Amber said rolling her eyes. “But seriously, anyone that gets you should thank your Momma big time.”

“Someone already does,” I said my blush deepening.

“So Clinton and you are really close?” Amber asked and I felt Jenny reach behind my back and smack her on the shoulder.

“Amber stop,” Jenny said and I turned to see her shaking her head.

“What?” I asked as Amber uncrossed her arms and started texting on her phone a smirk playing on her lips.

“She was so totally going to ask you very sexual questions,” Jenny answered trying not to smile. “She was just reeling you in, she’s bad for that.”

“Thanks for that,” I said and we all sat behind the table. It wasn’t long until more people started showing up. One time three families at once. Unlike the one couple, they all gave their attention to the puppies. This time Jenny needed help as she tried to organize all the kids and made sure each puppy left with a bag of food and a coupon. When it was over though, only Trouble was left in the playpen. After seeing that she was the only one left, she no longer seemed to like the play pen and she whined until I knelt down and picked her up. After the last few puppies left, Jenny sighed and this time didn’t try to hide her tears by wiping them on her shirt.

“I’m glad that’s over,” Amber said as she wrapped Jenny into a hug. “They have good homes Jen.”

“Yeah,” I said, reaching up to rub her shoulder. Then we all heard another car pull into the gravel drive and doors shutting.

“Shit,” Jenny said, “I hate when they come and there’s no more puppies.”

“Want me to head them off?” Amber asked then I glanced over my shoulder as a little boy ran around the corner and straight to the play pen. Trouble, being the only one still in there, she bounced up to him and started licking his fingers.

“Hi there,” Jenny said offering the boy a small smile as she broke away from us as the boy’s Mom turned the corner. I noticed she had looked worried until she saw there was a puppy left and relaxed a little.

“I thought we were too late,” she said, “it’s so late in the evening.”

“Well,” Jenny said turning to the mother. “She belongs to Corey here.”

“Oh, I see,” she said glancing down at her son still playing with Trouble. I could see the tension wash back over her and then I looked down when the little boy squealed and started laughing. Trouble had nearly climbed out of the little playpen, her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth.

“I’m sorry we were just about to take the sign down,” Jenny said and she nodded her head towards Amber and pointed towards the front of the house. Amber shuffled past me and offered the young mother a small smile as she stepped around the corner to remove the sign.

“It’s fine, the mother,” said smiling, but her eyes were already tearing up.

“Darren,” she started and the little boy turned to look up at her. Trouble flopped out of the playpen then and the little boy stood and took off after her as she bounced around him barking.

“Wait,” I said causing them both to look at me.

“What is it?” Jenny asked as I stepped around the table to stand with them.

“I don’t really have time for a puppy,” I answered and I saw Jenny begin to shake her head.

“Corey, you can’t,” Jenny whispered turning on me.

“Hi my name is Corey Wells,” I said offering the mother a smile as I raised my hand.

“Mary Adamson,” she said taking my hand shaking it.

“Darren seems to like the puppy,” I said turning to see him laying in the grass with Trouble on top of him chewing on the button of his polo.

“We moved just outside of town a few weeks ago,” Mary said letting go of my hand and I looked over to see her smiling as she watched them play. She was small, like my Mom, but her hair was longer and blowing in the breeze. She was wearing a cotton dress and flip flops. “I promised him a puppy once we settled in, he had been so worried.”

“About not getting a puppy?” I asked and Mary turned to look at me and I saw the tear glide down her cheek. Amber walked through the garage entrance behind us with the poster board rolled up, out of the corner of my eye I saw her watching Darren play with Trouble.

She offered me a smile as she quickly wiped it away. “His father is currently deployed and Darren has been worried that his Dad would get lost trying to find the new house.”

“Oh,” I said and I felt Jenny lean into me slightly. “Then I think he needs a puppy then.”

“I couldn’t accept her if she already has a home,” Mary said waving her hand. Darren had broke away from Trouble, the collar of his polo hanging open. Trouble had chewed the button off and she was running at his heels trying to get his attention again as the boy ran up to Mary. She tried to round him up as she knelt.

“Is it Darren?” I asked before his Mom could say anything. I had seen the careful expression Mom used on me before she gave me bad news cross her face.

“Yeah,” the boy said out of breath shying away from me.

“Her name is Trouble, but you can probably change it if you want to,” I said and when he understood what I was doing he smiled and looked up at Mary. She was looking at me, but didn’t look about to interrupt me. “Do you like her?”

“Yeah,” he said still out of breath from all the playing.

“Going to take care of her?” I asked and I saw Trouble tugging on one of his shoe laces.

“Yeah,” he said finally smiling as Trouble untied his shoe.

“Good enough for me,” I said looking at Mary before I walked back to the table. Amber handed me the coupon that Jenny had saved for me and I walked back to stand beside Jenny and handed her paper. “Do you know where the Apartments on Main are, beside the public parking lot?”

“Yes,” Mary answered a slight quiver in her voice.

“Could you stop by later, to pick up her toys and food bowl, I didn’t bring any of that with me,” I said and she smiled and nodded.

“Alright then,” I said turning to Jenny, “do you need to tell her anything?”

“Just make sure you have her in for her spaying at the date on the coupon,” Jenny said and Mary glanced down at the coupon.

“Are you sure?” Mary asked turning to me.

“She’ll get into too much trouble if I keep her,” I said, “I’m not really good with pets either.”

“Thank you,” she said and she surprised me by wrapping me into a quick hug. When she broke it she looked down at Darren and Trouble. “Ready to go?”

“The puppy too?” Darren asked and she smiled and nodded.

“Be good Trouble,” I said as Darren, like all the other kids, struggled to keep hold of the wiggling puppy as they walked back to the car.

“Corey,” Jenny whispered turning back to me. “We could have gotten her another puppy or something you didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes I did,” I said feeling a tightness in my throat. “In a year she would be bored and alone most of the day, in an Apartment.”

“You are so hot to me right now,” Amber said causing us both to jump. “I better go get hold of Bryan before I catch fire or something.”

“Oh shut up Amber,” Jenny sighed, but hugged Amber and kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks for the help.”

“Anything for you, slut,” Amber said as she broke the hug and then turned to me.

“Stay you,” she said as she slapped me on the ass as she walked by.

“Is she going to make a habit of that?” I asked feeling the sting her hand left behind.

“Yes,” she said rolling her eyes. “Bryan’s ass probably is callused over by now.”

“Didn’t look callused the other night,” I offered and her eyes widened.

“Corey, your first gay joke,” Jenny said laughing as she slapped me on the shoulder.

“I thought I might as well since Andy and Keith seem to enjoy them,” I said shrugging, trying not to frown. “What do you think Amber is keeping from me?”

“You know small towns like the rest of us Corey,” Jenny said her face falling as she wrapped me into a hug. “Nothing stays quiet for long, we’ll know soon enough.”

“Yeah,” I said glancing over her shoulder past the glimmering pool in the early evening sun to the empty field hoping it wasn’t too bad at least.