Lyrics of a Small Town by Abbi Glines

Thirteen

Rio had been sitting on the front porch swing when I pulled into my driveway. I had texted him when I left the nursing home. My visit had taken longer than anticipated. Wanda Sellers had ended up being more than an old lady I was to drop a book off to. I promised to come back and bring proper ice tea because the stuff they serve at the nursing home has no sugar in it, according to Wanda.

I headed to go up the stairs and stopped when I reached the top. “Sorry,” I said although I wasn’t sorry I had gone.

He shrugged. “You’re just thirty minutes late,” he held up a bag from the burger place in town. “Gave me time to eat dinner.”

“Okay, well, want to go inside to do this?” I asked him and went to unlock the door.

He picked up a large 11 x 14 envelope and his burger bag. “Yep. Especially if you have some muffins or cookies.”

“I have cupcakes I made yesterday as a trial. They are gluten, dairy and nut-free, but I think they turned out good. The icing needs some work before I make them for the café,” I said.

“I’ll eat ‘em,” he replied, and I closed the door behind him.

“Make yourself at home. I will get the cupcakes and a couple bottles of water unless you like oat milk and want that instead.”

He scrunched his nose. “I’ll stick with the water.”

“Thought so,” I replied and went to make up a tray with the cupcakes and a few slices of blueberry loaf I had left.

“Can we go search the attic after you read these?” he asked, as I walked back into the room with the food and drinks.

“Sure. I’ve not been up there yet because I hate ladders, but I will toughen up.”

He handed me the envelope then reached for a strawberry cupcake. “These look like a professional made them.”

I shrugged. “Well they don’t taste like it, yet.”

Rio took a bite as I pulled the letters from the envelope. I wasn’t sure what I was going to find out or if Rio was right in his way of thinking. What I did know was he was right about something. Gran’s list wasn’t a simple list of things she wanted done after she passed away. It was more than that.

As I was unfolding the first letter on the stack, yelling from outside caught my attention and my head snapped up to look toward the window.

“What the fuck?” Rio muttered, standing up and walking over to see what was going on.

I put the letter on the coffee table and followed him as another shout rang out.

“Dammit, psycho bitch,” Rio said and started for the door.

“What is it?” I asked, hurrying after him and out onto the porch.

“Fleur,” he said, heading down the stairs, and I realized then the red convertible was in the middle of the street two houses down and she was standing on the hood of it spinning in circles.

On the street in front of her stood Saul. He was the one who had been shouting. “Get DOWN, Fleur!” he yelled and she stopped spinning then threw her head back and laughed.

Rio was running down the street with his cupcake in hand toward Saul when I reached the bottom step. I couldn’t figure out what she was doing or why they were yelling or why the car was parked in the middle of the street. But what concerned me most was where Lily was and if she was alone.

Rio reached Saul and he glanced at him then turned his head to look back in my direction. The sun was starting to set, but there was still plenty of light left to see his scowling face clearly. It was as if our day yesterday hadn’t happened and we still didn’t like each other.

“You don’t love me!” Fleur called out then spun around again. I was starting to wonder why he didn’t just get her off the car and that was when it moved. Both Rio and Saul jumped out of the way and I covered my mouth in horror. No one was driving the car, but Fleur was on the hood of it. Had she left the engine on and the car in neutral or in drive? Why would she do this?

“FUCK!” Rio shouted and his cupcake fell out of his hand onto the ground as he went to grab the driver’s side door as Saul did the same with the passenger’s side. I continued to stand there with my hand over my mouth. If Fleur fell off the car, it could roll over her, or she could bash her head on the asphalt, or she could break her neck…

And it was at that thought the first siren roared to life and turned down my street.

Fleur lay over the front window of her convertible then flipped head first inside the car, causing it to roll backward, even as the guys were holding onto it. The cop came to a stop and jumped out of his patrol car. I couldn’t hear everything, but I did manage to get that Fleur was drunk and high.

With the officer’s help, Saul was able to climb inside and put the car in park. Then Fleur was cuffed and taken to the cop’s vehicle while she laughed about it. Saul talked to the officer and I saw him shake his head no. Two more cops arrived and the neighbors all seemed to be coming out onto their porches or front yards.

Long after Fleur was put into the back of the police car, Saul stood there talking to all three cops. Rio remained by his side and a few nosey neighbors made their way out to ask questions. When the first cop drove away, Rio and Saul began walking back toward Gran’s house. Saul looked furious and Rio looked annoyed.

It was Rio who reached me first and then Saul turned toward Rio’s Jeep and climbed in the passenger side. I said nothing, waiting for Rio to speak. A few neighbors were still outside looking our way. I felt like we were on display.

“I’ve gotta go,” he said. “Saul needs a ride to the station to get Fleur bailed out.”

“Oh,” I replied, thinking maybe she needed to stay behind bars a little bit until she sobered up.

“Tomorrow?” he asked me.

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

Rio glanced back at Saul who was sitting in the passenger seat with his head back and his eyes closed. “What is wrong with her?” I asked Rio, looking back at him.

“She’s a fucking spoiled bitch who uses Daddy’s money to get herself high when things don’t go her way. Blames it on some shit that happened to her when she was younger. Saul won’t talk about it. Anyway, he saves her ass when she does this shit. It’s a damn cycle that’s been going on for years. He’s never loved her, they’re more old friends than anything.”

He was saving Fleur, just like he saved his mother.

Why would he want to be with a girl that had the same issues his mother did? Hadn’t he learned from his mom that this may never end? His mom needed him right now and he was having to deal with Fleur.

“Don’t judge him. He sends her away. She comes back after he’s had time to get over it. Then this all over again. Remember he saved my ass twice when I did something stupid. I gotta give him a ride. You read the letters tonight. Tomorrow, we will go on our search.”

I nodded and watched as he walked to his Jeep. When they pulled out of the drive, I headed back up the stairs and inside. I had letters to read and hopefully it would distract me from everything else.