Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Hunter James loaded her few possessions into a small duffle bag and closed her metal locker. It felt strange to wear street clothes again, and she was fortunate that they still fit. After tying her shoes and picking up her bag, Hunter left the cubicle that had been her home for five years. Hunter had already said goodbye to the few people she considered friends, so her walk to the discharge center was done alone. The loud buzzing of the locks on the heavy metal doors rang in her ears. Hunter turned briefly to look at her past. When the doors clicked open, she walked through quickly for the last time.

Sharon Collins escorted her to the parking lot gate. “I hope if our paths cross again, it will be under different circumstances. Good luck.” She signaled for the gate to be opened.

“Thanks.” Hunter walked through the gate and looked for her mother’s car. She heard a car door open and watched her mother exit the vehicle. Elizabeth James looked much older than the five years that had passed, and Hunter knew that was partially her fault for the angst her family had experienced. Dropping her bag, she took her mother in her arms and hugged her tightly.

“You look good,” Hunter said.

“So do you.” Elizabeth smiled. “A bit on the thin side, but I know how to take care of that.”

“Thanks for coming to pick me up.”

“I hope you didn’t consider for a moment that I wouldn’t be here.” Elizabeth ran her hands through her graying hair. “I would have been here much sooner if you had allowed visits.”

Hunter felt the tears fill her eyes. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you or Carson seeing me here. It was selfish but much too painful for me.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Toss your bag in the back, and let’s get out of here. We have a long ride ahead of us. What would you care to eat once we get on the road?”

“I will buy you a steak dinner if you find a spot.”

“I think I passed a place not too far from here.”

Hunter buckled her belt. “Dad couldn’t make the trip today?”

Hunter saw her mom’s tears wetting her cheeks. “We have a lot of catching up to do. I haven’t seen your dad for four years.”

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Don’t be. Let’s talk about that later. Right now, let’s get a decent meal together.”

 

†

 

Hunter acknowledged her mom’s request to keep the conversation light during the meal and focused on finishing every bite of her meal and the dessert her mom insisted she order.

“That was terrific,” Hunter said. “I haven’t eaten that much in ages.” Hunter regretted the comment when she saw the painful look on her mother’s face, but it was too late to take it back. She reached for the check when the waitress brought it, but Elizabeth handed the woman a credit card.

“I insist.”

“Thank you for a terrific meal. I may have to nap after that.”

“We’ve got a six-hour drive ahead of us, so kick back and nap. It won’t bother me at all.”

“I can help with the driving,” Hunter offered.

“That’s not necessary but thank you.”

 

†

 

Hunter stretched three hours later when she woke from a nap. She wiped her hand across her face.

“I guess I was more tired than I thought. I’ll admit, I didn’t sleep much last night.”

Elizabeth smiled. “You needed it, and you didn’t miss much.”

Hunter stared out at the passing landscape as they drove north. So much growth had occurred that nothing seemed familiar, so she turned back to look at her mom. “So, how have you been?”

“I’ve been well. I’m still working at the bank. A few more years and I’ll consider retiring,” Elizabeth said. “I’ve been dating Jim, a gentleman I met, for almost a year now.”

“Do I know him?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “He moved to town two years ago. Jim’s the new fire chief.”

“How did you meet a fire chief?”

“We met at a support group for people who lost loved ones to crime. His wife was a murder victim in LA.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Hunter waited to see if her mom would elaborate.

Elizabeth smiled, “He invited me to coffee after a meeting, and we’ve been dating since. He’s a good man and is excited to meet you.”

“He knows?”

“Yes, he knows about Lilly. He understands your actions more than you could know.”

Hunter let her mom’s words sink in for a moment. She took a deep breath and slowly released it before asking, “What happened with Dad?”

“After you went away, he fell into a deep depression. He felt guilty that he wasn’t the one to do what you did. He felt it was a father’s duty, not yours.”

“What I did was wrong. I know that now,” Hunter replied.

“We didn’t see it that way at all. You loved Lilly deeply and were hurt just as badly by what happened to her. I only regret that you lost five years of your youth because of him.” She sighed. “Anyway, he started drinking, lost his job, and one night, he didn’t come home. At first, I assumed he was out on a bender and would eventually show up. Six months later, I received divorce papers from an address in Texas.”

“That was shitty of him. He couldn’t even face you,” Hunter replied.

“I know, but it was for the best for both of us. It gave me the freedom to move on in life.”

“Still no excuse for being a coward. I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Don’t be. I’m happy and have become a stronger woman because of it.”

“I’m glad that you’ve found someone who can appreciate you. Is it serious with him? Do you think you and Jim will marry?”

“Possibly in the future. We’ve talked about it a few times.”

“I hope it happens. You deserve to be happy with someone who treats you well.”

“Have you heard anything from Carson?”

“She wrote for the first year, but that faded quickly when I wouldn’t allow her to visit. She’s playing professional basketball in Las Vegas now. She’s also moved on with her life and was married last year.”

That should have been us playing ball together and getting married, Hunter thought.

“I’m sorry,” Elizabeth said.

 

†

 

When they reached the edge of her hometown, Hunter noticed how things had changed in her absence. “This place has really grown.”

“The population of California has increased significantly. Housing can barely keep up with the growth,” Elizabeth said as she turned into their subdivision. She activated the remote for the garage and turned the car into the drive.

Hunter took a deep breath as her mom pulled into the garage. Her heart raced with excitement and trepidation.

Elizabeth turned off the engine. “Let’s get you settled in, and we can decide on dinner.”

“Is Franco’s pizza still here?”

“Yes. Just as good as you remember.” She smiled. “That was an easy decision.”

Hunter exited the car and took her bag from the back seat. She walked through the house and stopped outside the door with a wooden sign, “Lilly’s Room,” hung on it. Hunter instantly felt an ache deep in her chest. She had dreaded this moment when she returned home to find the room empty. Hunter walked on and opened the door to her room. It was just as she left it when she entered college. Her sports posters still filled the walls, and her trophies filled several shelves. She tossed her bag onto the bed and sat down. Her eyes scanned the room. She was a much different person than the one who had left the room over five years ago. Hunter lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling until her mom entered.

“I know it’s your first night home, but would you mind if Jim brought the pizza and joined us for dinner?”

“No, that’s fine, Mom. I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

“Thanks. Is ‘meat lovers’ still your favorite?”

Hunter offered her a smile. “Don’t you know it? Anything else is a waste.”

“I’ll get it ordered then.” Elizabeth stopped in the doorway and turned back to Hunter. “Welcome home, honey.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

 

†

 

When the garage door lifted, Hunter’s eyes spotted a sizeable, covered item in the back of the garage, and hoped it was her cherished Indian motorcycle. She had worked hard in her last two years of high school to purchase the bike to take to college, and she was hopeful it was in good shape. Hunter knew she would probably need to replace the battery and perform routine maintenance, but the prospect of riding lifted her spirits. She had lain awake for weeks, failing to plan for her return home with no final decision, but suddenly, her plan began to form.

Returning to her room, Hunter opened her closet door. She smiled when her eyes landed on her motorcycle boots beside her helmet. Hunter placed her jacket and a few clothing items in the closet and left the room.

 

†

 

Jim had just arrived with the pizza when Hunter entered the kitchen. He kissed Elizabeth and turned when he heard Hunter enter.

“Hello,” Hunter said, offering her hand.

“Hey. I’m Jim. Nice to meet you.” Jim took her hand, shaking it firmly.

“Likewise. Mom has told me a lot about you today.”

“All good, I hope,” Jim said with a nervous smile. He shuffled his feet, waiting for her reply.

“Nothing but.” Hunter returned his smile, hoping to put him at ease. Jim was only an inch taller than her six foot and had sparkling blue eyes. She could see why her mom was attracted to him. He was handsome.

Elizabeth pulled out three plates. “What do you want to drink?”

“Do you have a soda?” Hunter asked.

“I got your favorite,” Elizabeth said, pointing to the refrigerator.

Hunter walked over and opened the door. A six-pack of Mountain Dew was chilling. “Perfect,” she said, plucking a bottle from the shelf. “What can I get y’all?”

“A coke for me,” Elizabeth said. “There’s beer if you want one,” she told Jim.

“Could I have a Dew?” he asked.

“Not a problem.” Hunter carried the drinks to the table as her mom served large slices of pizza.

“That smells heavenly,” Hunter said as she sat across from her.

“Still the best in town,” Elizabeth said.

Hunter took a bite, closed her eyes, and moaned. “Tastes great, too.”

 

†

 

They made small talk during the meal. “Hey, Mom, is that my bike covered in the garage?”

“Yes. I know how much you love that bike. Jim has been taking care of it for you.”

Hunter’s eyebrow shot up.

“I put a battery tender on it and have started it regularly to keep it charged. Changed the oil and refreshed the gas in the tank.”

“Thanks. Do you ride?”

“I’ve got a Harley Roadster that I have managed to get your mom on back a few times.”

“Mom on a motorcycle? This I’ve got to see. You always said that bike would be the death of me,” Hunter teased.

“Jim has convinced me how fun it is to ride. It wasn’t easy, but he was patient with me. We’ve taken a few rides down the coast.”

“Very impressive. Thanks for taking care of my baby. I worked two hard years to afford it in high school.”

“She’s a beauty. I’d take her off your hands if you ever wanted to sell. That’s a classic. They don’t make them like that anymore.”

Hunter chuckled. “Not a chance.”

“I’ve kept your tags legal also, so if you’ve got a current license, you should be good to ride,” Elizabeth said.

“I’m good for another year,” Hunter said.

“Maybe we can take a ride this weekend,” Jim suggested.

“I’d like that. Maybe I can take her out tomorrow to get used to riding again and see the town.”

“I’ve got a board meeting in the morning, but I’ll be home after lunch. Sorry, I couldn’t get out of it.”

“That’s okay, Mom. Please don’t feel like you must take time off for me. I’ll stay busy.”

“Your mom told me you were quite the athlete and had a full ride to play basketball. Have you considered going back to college?”

“I don’t think I can get admitted with a felony conviction.”

“You can if you are upfront during the admissions process. A one-time expungement program would allow you to have the felony removed from your record.” Elizabeth smiled. “I checked if you wanted to consider that as an option.”

“I have a lot to consider,” Hunter said. “I’ve already had my record expunged as part of my release program. I need to decide where to go from here.”

“I still have the college fund we set up for you and Lil…Lilly,” Elizabeth stumbled, speaking.

Hunter reached over and covered her mom’s hand. “I’ll give it some consideration. I worked on electronics contracts and put some money away also.”

“There’s no rush for you to decide on anything,” her mom said.

“Good. Right now, I want to take a nice hot bath and sleep in my own bed. Thank you for the pizza and for caring for my bike. And my mom,” Hunter told Jim.

“It was nice to meet you finally. I’ll see you this weekend,” Jim said as Hunter left the table.

“Let’s plan on a ride Sunday if that’s good for you,” Hunter suggested.

Jim smiled broadly at her suggestion. “That works for me.”

“Goodnight then.”

 

†

 

Hunter had finished bathing and was walking to her room when Elizabeth stopped her.

“I’ll be home as quickly as I can tomorrow. I won’t wake you, but there are plenty of options for breakfast in the morning.”

“I’ll be fine, Mom. Get some rest. You’ve had a long day, too.”

“Goodnight, honey. I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.” Hunter pulled her in for a hug. “It’s good to be home.”