Chapter 38 #2
Clem nodded. “Yeah, well, I should have done more too. So we’re even.”
Lily didn’t think they were in the slightest bit even, but if Clem was going to forgive her, then maybe she should just accept that and move forward.
Lily wiped at her eyes. Clem walked over and stopped in front of her. “We didn’t do much touchy-feely stuff as kids.”
Lily snorted and then covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, I’m so sorry about that.”
Clem snorted. “Don’t worry about apologizing for that. That might be the first thing we have in common.”
“Did we just both snort?” Lily asked her.
“Yep. Got a problem with that?”
Nope. She had no problem at all with that.
“There were no hugs from our parents when we did well or fell over and hurt ourselves.”
“Which you did a lot,” Lily said with a small smile.
“Still do,” Clem told her with a smile back. “But I was wondering if you wanted a hug now.”
Lily stared up at her for a long moment, blinking.
“Or not,” Clem said, taking a step back and her face shutting down.
Urgh, she was such an idiot. Lily jumped to her feet before she pounced, wrapping her arms around Clem.
Clem let out an “oomph” and took a half step back to steady herself, but she managed to stay on her feet. And then her arms came around Lily, squeezing back tight.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted something more in my life,” Lily said.
“Well, good,” Clem said, patting her back. “You know, you can let me go now. I kind of like breathing.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. Was I squeezing too hard?” Lily stepped away from her. “I’m not used to hugging. I mean, I’ve hugged Harvey, but no one else.”
“Hey, it was a joke,” Clem said with a small smile. “You’ve got to get used to hugs if you’re going to stay here with me.”
“You really want me to stay here with you?” Lily asked.
“Yep, you’re staying. Right, Jaret?”
“Of course,” Jaret said, looking at them both. “Lily, you can stay as long as you like.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t like to impose.”
Clem snorted. “It’s not imposing when it’s family. It’s obligatory.”
Right, she felt obliged to offer Lily somewhere to stay. Lily got it. But that didn’t mean that she should say yes.
“I’ll be fine,” Lily said. “Really. Although it might be quite nice to stay in the town for a while. I’m sure there’s a motel or somewhere I can stay.”
The only problem was she couldn’t actually afford a motel, but surely there’d be a nice park where she could sleep in her car. Haven looked like it hadn’t changed much since she’d been here as a kid, and she remembered everyone being really friendly and kind.
Clem put her hands on her hips. “I didn’t ask because I felt obliged to. I don’t do anything because I feel obliged to. You’re staying. If you don’t stay, you’ll insult me, and then I’ll be really mad. And then I’ll send my killer rooster after you.”
Lily felt her eyes widen. “Killer Rooster? That rooster doesn’t really peck out eyeballs, does it?”
“Sure does,” Clem said.
“Clem,” Jaret said warningly. “Do you think Lily’s going to want to stay here if she’s worried that Drumstick is going to peck out her eyeballs?”
“Fine. He doesn’t peck out eyeballs. He’s a bit of a jerk, and he will wake you up early in the morning.
In fact, sometimes he goes off at different times at night.
I think he’s a bit confused about what his job is.
He makes a pretty good watchdog, though.
Or watch rooster, I guess he would be. It means I don’t have to pay for a security system. Or even lock my door.”
“Oh, is that why the door was unlocked when I arrived?” Lily asked. “It was actually a little bit open.”
“Clem,” Jaret said warningly. “I’ve told you that you need to lock the door when you go out. And you especially need to shut the door. If that guinea pig has gotten into my boots again . . . there’s going to be trouble.”
Clem grimaced as Jaret disappeared down the hallway.
“Uh-oh,” she said to Lily. “Pretty sure that Piggy-Wiggy has been in here.”
“Piggy-Wiggy?” she asked.
“Yes, I’ve now got three guinea pigs and four rabbits, but Piggy-Wiggy keeps escaping and coming into the house. Pretty certain she thinks she’s Jaret’s girlfriend.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because she makes a little nest in his shirts and likes to knock over his boots and climb into them, and she often leaves him little presents in there.”
What kind of presents could a guinea pig leave? Oh, wait . . . yikes.
“Lily,” Clem said seriously.
“Yes?”
“I wish I’d known what was going on with Mother and Doctor Wallace doing those things to you. I’d have come for you. And I wouldn’t have left until I had you with me.”
This time, the tears dripped down her face and she threw herself at Clem.
“I’d have come for you because you’re my sister,” Clem told her.
“Clem!” Jaret yelled.
Clem let go of her, making a face. “Yep, we’re in trouble. Let’s run.”
“I don’t think I’m in trouble,” Lily said.
“Well, you’re my sister. All for one and one for all. Come on, let’s go.”
And then Clem took hold of her hand, and they raced toward the back door. To her shock, Lily let out a small giggle.
“Clem, get your butt back here,” Jaret called out.
Lily looked over her shoulder to find Jaret standing on the porch, a boot in one hand and a really fat white guinea pig in his other arm.
And it may have been her imagination, but she did think the guinea pig was looking up at him with adoration. Aww, how could he be mad when a guinea pig loved him like that?
They headed around the back of a shed, and Clem stopped to catch her breath. “Sorry, but if I go back there, my ass is toast.”
“Your ass is toast? Are you saying that Jaret . . . that he will . . .”
“Spank me? Yeah. He totally will. Loves a good spanking, that man does. I wouldn’t tell him this, but I don’t really mind one myself.” Clem shot her a look. “It’s not weird or anything. It’s all consensual.”
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean to imply that it was weird. It’s just, well, Harvey’s threatened me with that a few times.”
“Really? I didn’t see that coming from Harvey. He seems so good-natured and easy going.”
“With Harvey, what you see is not always what you get,” Lily told her.
“Hmm, that’s often the way with these men. They like to keep us on our toes.”
“Clem? Come back here now!”
“Nope, that’s not happening,” Clem said. “Come with me. I’ve got something to show you.”
They headed out back and into the trees. Lily followed behind Clem, still holding onto her hand as they walked along.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s not too much further.” Clem gazed back at her. “At least you’ve got some decent shoes on for once, not those ridiculous high heels you’re always wearing.”
“Those shoes were so uncomfortable,” Lily said. “They pinched my feet.”