Pitifully Ugly

Chapter 16

Sometimes it pays to lie…to Kalen.

I sat propped up against the headboard, trying to keep my

eyes open. I’d held my cell phone in my hand since I’d gone to

bed, awaiting Hailey’s text message. I glanced at the clock and

noted with disdain that it was a little before midnight. Hailey said

earlier that she had to work the next day, and I figured that she

must’ve been having a great time if she wasn’t home yet. I couldn’t

help but feel a bit anxious about that. Who was entertaining her?

I nearly cleared the bed by six inches when my phone vibrated.

Home safe and sound.

Have a good time?

They were a rowdy group. Alicia was as you described.

Shit! She was there. I chewed the inside of my cheek.

I put her in her place. Hailey wrote before I could respond.

Thank you for letting me know that you made it in. I’m coming

home tomorrow. We arrive at three.

Hailey’s reply was immediate. Is something wrong? I thought

you’d stay longer.

Dad and Mom are fine. Kalen is missing her hubby and is

ready to get back.

Then you should be in bed. Your flight is probably early.

You should be, too.

See you tomorrow then. Sweet dreams.

My dreams would be anything but sweet. Images of Alicia

coming on to Hailey like a freight truck were already flashing

10

Robin Alexander

through my mind, then Alicia telling Hailey in lurid detail what

we’d done.

The next morning, Kalen and I were aboard a plane full

of a group of teens who seemed to have had energy drinks for

breakfast. For a church group, they were high on something, and I

wasn’t sure it was the Lord. Kalen listened to their conversations

as we sat on the tarmac, shaking her head. When she turned to

me, her eyes were wide. “If my kid behaves like any of these, I’m

not going to make it through the teen years. Why don’t you keep

him or her until they’re twenty-five?”

“I’m moving to Canada when your offshoot hits puberty. I

remember what you were like at that age, and these kids pale in

comparison.”

Kalen waved her hand in my face. “New topic, this one is

making me queasy. You’ve been texting a lot. Are you and Marci

still talking?”

Lie to her! My brain screamed. S top that bouncing leg.

“We’re not going to see each other again, remember?” I

crossed my legs as best as I could in my cramped seat.

“Then who is it?” Kalen raised a brow as I tried to meet her

stare.“I have friends.”

Kalen’s eyes narrowed. “Stop being evasive. Who were you

texting with? And who did you call while on the beach?”

Both of my legs started jumping then. Change the subject, my

brain ordered. Do something with those legs, for Pete’s sake! “You

said you were going to take a nap. Did you lie so you wouldn’t

have to clean the kitchen?”

Kalen leaned in closer. “Who?”

“Hailey.”

Kalen’s mouth twisted. “You’re playing with fire, little sister,

and you’re going to get burned.”

“You’ve made up your mind without ever meeting her. I don’t

think she’s the monster you believe she is.”

“Shannon.” Kalen caressed my arm. “I don’t mean to be such

a downer. I’m just trying to protect you. Think about the things

10

Pitifully Ugly

you’ve told me. She cheated on her husband, and she conveniently

neglected to mention that it was her you were chatting with online

until you busted her.” Kalen tugged on my arm until I looked at

her. “You’ve really been coming out of your shell lately. I don’t

want to see you get hurt and start living like a hermit again.”

I nodded and looked out the window as our plane began

barreling down the tarmac. Hearing it all laid out like that did

cast Hailey in a disparaging light. But Kalen didn’t know Hailey

like I knew her, well, like I thought I knew her.

“Shannon?” Something in Kalen’s tone made me face her. “I

think I’m going to be sick.”

We both began digging in the pockets of the seats in front of

us for a barf bag. I nearly broke Kalen’s nose as I shoved one in

her face. She missed anyway.

When I was allowed to get up from my seat, I soaked the

miniscule bathroom, trying to rid myself of the stench of bacon

and eggs. I was nearly sick a couple of times, too. I repeated the

process on our layover in Atlanta and emerged from the bathroom

looking like I’d wet my pants. Kalen was nice enough to buy me a

sweatshirt to change into, but we had no time to search for pants.

She apologized all the way from the airport and was still

begging my forgiveness when I was tempted to put my foot in her

chest and shove her from my car when we arrived at her house.

The high side was that the subject of Hailey didn’t come up again.

I could torment myself on that one without Kalen’s assistance.

I looked at my watch as I entered the courtyard and was

relieved to see that it wasn’t quite five. I figured that I’d beaten

Hailey home from work and wouldn’t have to greet her smelling

like vomit. I was wrong. She was in her usual spot on the bench.

“Hey, welcome home,” Hailey said with a bright smile that

faded the minute I got within a foot of her. Even Fuzzy appeared

put off by my odor.

“I know I reek,” I said, keeping my distance. “Kalen got sick

the minute we left the ground in Miami.”

“I was going to ask you to dinner, but I just lost my appetite,”

Hailey said as she fanned her grinning face.

10

Robin Alexander

That invitation would’ve thrilled me before the conversation

with Kalen. Now I stood mute, pondering a comeback.

“I’m just teasing,” Hailey said as her expression turned

serious. “You’re probably tired and just want to relax.”

“It was a hellacious flight,” I tried to explain. “Can I take a

rain check?”

Hailey looked disappointed but recovered quickly. “Sure, go

shower. We’ll get together another night.”

I smiled as best I could and kept my distance as I made my

way to the door. I heard Hailey and Fuzzy come in behind me,

and I turned to look at them. “You may not want to ride up in the

elevator with me.” I gestured to the stain on my pants.

Fuzzy looked as though she agreed wholeheartedly. The ball

clamped between her jaws was not rubbed on my pants.

Hailey pursed her lips. “Good point. We’ll take the stairs.”

I put my jeans into the washer, then turned it off when the

tub filled to let them soak and went straight to the shower. As I

washed the rank smell from my body, I thought about Hailey and

the way she looked when I declined dinner. I hated to disappoint

her, but Kalen’s words floated around in my brain, filling me with

doubt.

I felt like there was something good between us. Something

we could build on, but then I’d hear Kalen’s voice warning of

disaster. I was in deep thought when I got out of the shower and

heard my cell phone chime in the bedroom. Wrapped in a towel,

I retrieved it and read Hailey’s message. Is something bothering

you? Why did I have to be surrounded by intuitive women? Couldn’t

they just be dumb like me? And speaking of dumb, I responded

without thinking. I think we should talk, but not tonight. How

about dinner tomorrow night?

Hailey’s reply was slow in coming. I think I understand. Some

things are better left unsaid. Let’s just leave it at that.

My heart sank. I called her and waited until her voicemail

picked up. “Please don’t do this, Hailey. I…I don’t want to talk via

voicemail and text messages. Please call me.” She didn’t return

110

Pitifully Ugly

my call, nor did she answer my text messages. With a head full

of wet hair, I pulled on a pair of sweats and marched down to her

apartment. She didn’t answer my knock.

I pressed my face between the door and the facing. “This is

usually said of me, but don’t you think this is a bit childish?”

“She’s not home.”

I turned to see Kevin, the maintenance man. He’d been

standing a few feet away the whole time with a paintbrush in

his hand. He jutted his chin toward the elevator. “She left about

ten minutes ago with her dog and what looked like an overnight

bag.”“Umm, thanks,” I said before taking the stairs up to my

place.

111

Robin Alexander