CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
It was nine forty-five in the morning and Bach still hadn’t arrived. Wisteria could see the town clock from the bank of Barton Lake. She wouldn’t have considered stepping out after Hailey’s attack but she wanted to see Bach and talk about what had happened that morning. Now it seemed there might be nothing to talk about at all.
He was over two hours late.
When a couple of kids from school showed up in an attempt to avoid class, she left. She returned home, as she had no appetite for school that day.
After locking all the doors and windows of the house, she sat on her bed. It was better than facing Hailey and her crazies. As for Bach, she was finally done with him. He’d messed her around too many times to count. She was done being a fool for any guy. Then, she spotted Garfield heading to work, apparently someone nearby must have a rat problem.
Jumping up, she raced out of the house to meet him.
“Er…hi,” Garfield muttered when he saw her.
She noticed he had a shiner across the side of his face. “What happened to you?”
“I slept funny. What happened to you?” He pointed to her bruises. The boy started to go before she could even answer.
“How’s Bach today?” she asked as they walked together.
“Today?” he replied nervously. “No, I haven’t seen him today. Why? What have you heard?”
“Nothing. You live with him, right?”
“Uh, right. Actually, he kind of—left town. Listen, I’ve got to leave. I’m late.” He marched off.
Wisteria hurried after him. “What?” She wasn’t sure if she’d heard him correctly. “He left?”
“Yeah, last night.”
“Did he say why? What happened?” This made no sense. He wouldn’t do that, after what he said to her last night.
“Wisteria, it isn’t a good idea for me to talk about this.”
“Since when?” She was stunned.
“I just can’t, okay? We’ll catch up later. I’ve got to get to work and so do you. Apparently, there are rats on Harvey’s farm.”
He left her standing alone in the road confused.
* * * * *
“Where have you been?” Wisteria’s mother demanded that evening. “I was told you weren’t in school today and you didn’t go to work.”
“I just didn’t feel like going today.” She sat on her bed reading. Not only did she not want to face Hailey and her gang, she didn’t know how she would deal with Bach abandoning her.
“I’ll talk to town hall to let you have a couple of days off, but you have to face those girls sometime.” Her mother sat on the bed with her. “They might be crazy, but we Kutis are crazier.”
Wisteria nodded, but didn’t laugh. She didn’t feel like being happy.
“That’s nice.” Her mother pointed at Wisteria’s guitar. “Where did you get that from?”
“Bach gave it to me.”
“That’s a really nice gift to get from a friend.” Her mother gave her a doubtful look. “Are you sure there isn’t something going on between you two?”
“I’m too young to be wasting my time with boys.”
“You are too young, but I know what it’s like to be young, too.”
“He’s left the island, so you don’t have to worry.”
“He left?” Her mother looked shocked. “I hope he said goodbye?”
“Garfield said that he just left.” She sniffed and resisted the urge to cry. “I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get so carried away. It was just with everything that had happened, I just wanted someone who could make me happy.”
“Baby, no one can make you happy. You’re already such a happy girl. Don’t let others steal that from you.” Her mother put her arms around her. “You’ll feel better once this passes. Just like the other boy, Steven.”
“Steven? Bach was nothing like him. Steven was a crush, but Bach was different and I didn’t care.”
“Different—how?”
“It’s hard to explain.”
“Well, I think I know. And I know you may not want to accept it.”
Her mother knew?
“There was a rumor that he was infected. He was like a super carrier and he would’ve infected the water on the island. I heard they cured him.”
“But it’s just a rumor, right?” Frantically, she grabbed her mother’s upper arms. “It’s not true!” Wisteria waited and watched for a sign that her mother didn’t believe the rumor.
Her mother’s expression remained serious. “I don’t know if it’s true, but he was cured by one of the trackers as he left the island.”
“No!” Wisteria felt breathless and the tears she was holding back began to fall. “Who killed him?”
“I don’t know who cured him and I’m not going to find out because I don’t want you to be hurt every time you see that person.” Her mother gently stroked her back.
“At least, tell me—it wasn’t you?”
“No, it wasn’t me. I wouldn’t do that to you,” her mother replied softly as Wisteria wept.
