Arden's parents were anxiously awaiting her in the living room when she finally decided to go downstairs. She'd postponed it with an extra long shower and a few minutes of reacquainting herself with her soft, king-sized bed and big, cushy pillows. But she'd decided it would be rude to nap without filling her parents in on the details of her little ordeal. So she looked in the mirror, lifted her brows and placed a prim little smile on her lips. Then she bounced down the steps with enough pep to offer her parents' some relief, but not so much that she seemed overly excited about anything.
Her mother had coffee set up in the living room. When Arden walked in, the aroma nearly lifted her off her feet, which made her think of Travis, which made her frown and thereby caused her mother to straighten in alarm. "Baby girl, I was so worried about you!" Laura Butler said, jumping to her feet and opening her arms.
Arden smiled and embraced her mother. They sat on the sofa and Laura poured her a cup of coffee. They could have been twins if not for the age difference. Laura was Arden, twenty-years later. Both were of average height with shoulder-length blond hair and light brown eyes. Both were slim with slight features. And both carried themselves with an indefinable air of superiority.
"I was perfectly safe, Mom," Arden said. She smiled at her father who sat on the other sofa across the coffee table from them.
"I hope you don't mind," Laura said, "but I went ahead and called Nick. He'll be over shortly. I know he was worried sick, especially not knowing anything about this mechanic."
"Travis. He's okay. Ask anyone around town. He has a good reputation." Arden sipped her coffee and leaned back against the cushions of the couch. She swore to herself that she would never again take for granted central heat.
"A good reputation," her father said, "if you don't count bar-fighting and womanizing. And if you overlook the fact that he comes from a family of deadbeats and criminals."
Laura placed a pale hand over her chest. "Oh dear," she gasped.
Arden groaned and sipped her coffee. "I got to know him quite well. He's a good man. And maybe he gets in a lot of fights, but he's not a womanizer." A flirt, yes. Deadly charming, for sure. But generally very respectful.
"You know what people will say when it gets out that you spent four nights alone with him," her father said.
"Yes, I know," she groaned again.
"I just want you to be prepared in your mind. And..."
She was startled that he hesitated. Mark Butler spoke his mind boldly. "What?" she asked.
"And...I wanted to make sure that Mr. Lanier treated you...um...respectfully...and not in any way...inappropriately."
Arden's jaw dropped. "I'm engaged! You think I would sleep with another man while I'm engaged? After knowing him only a few days? How could you think that of me?"
Mark squirmed and cleared his throat and looked away.
"Sweetheart," Laura said, "It isn't that we don't trust you...but you were in a stressful situation and sometimes in instances like that..."
Arden slammed her coffee mug on the table, spilling a little coffee out onto the newspaper beneath it. She crossed her arms over her chest and jutted out her jaw. It was one of many of her Princess Poses, as Travis liked to call them.
"Don't be offended, Arden," Mark said gently.
"I am offended. I have mountains of moral fortitude and you people, my own parents, seem to think me capable of crumbling at the mere hint of danger and a handsome rescuer."
"Honey, please," Laura said. "It's just that people will talk."
"And you want to be able to truthfully refute any rumors?" Arden asked. "Well rest assured, I did not sleep with Travis." Not that I didn't want to, she thought. And then she sat taller with pride at the self-discipline she had displayed. God knows he had begged often enough. Poor man.
There was an awkward silence which Arden enjoyed since her parents looked mildly ashamed of themselves. She reached for her coffee cup and then paused as she saw the folded up Splitlog Chronicle on the table. The front page carried the headline, "Lloyd Redding Found Dead, Suicide." Arden picked up the paper. "Did you guys see this?"
There were audible sighs of relief from both parents at the subject change. Mark shook his head and Laura said, "Tragic. Just tragic."
None of them knew Lloyd well. He was her parents' age but very far from sharing their circle of friends. He owned a few trailers that he rented out and was generally known about town as a heavy drinker. But reading about this death so close to her experience at the Raymer's sent chills throughout her body. She was about to share this with her parents, but Mark spoke up first. "Where was it you and this...Travis...ended up taking shelter?"