The Wrong Way Back To You

Ch. 18

Jake put his plate in the sink and walked towards the front door. He was expecting to see his family returning but instead found Maddie's car. Panic set in. This was not what he needed right now.

"Hey, do you mind loading the dishwasher real quick? My mom will throw a fit if we leave dishes around." Jake had to keep Allie in the kitchen. He was not prepared for the two of them to come face to face yet.

"Since you cooked, I can do that."

"I gotta get something out of my truck. I'll be right back." Jake rushed out the front door and ran over to Maddie's car, reaching her before she got out. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Is it a problem that I am here?"

"Uh, no. I was just stopping here to pick up something. You almost missed me."

"But I thought that you were coming here to discuss some family issues with your mom."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. She had to run to town real quick unexpectedly."

"I am surprised that Randy isn't here. Where is your dad?"

They all went to town. I got here and everyone was gone. Called Mom, and she said something came up, and they were all in town, and we would talk later."

Maddie wasn't buying it. Something was up but she wasn't sure what. "Whose truck is that?" Maddie motioned to Allie's truck, suspicion growing.

"I have no clue. Randy probably borrowed it from someone. I know he mentioned having to move some stuff."

"Oh. So, what are you doing now?"

"I am going to head out. Do you have plans today?"

"I was thinking about doing some shopping with Stacey before work. We could use some new bath towels at the house. You have practically ruined all the ones that we have."

"Sorry that I come home dirty from work."

"Just saying, they are old and stained up. New ones would not hurt."

"You're right. Let me run to the ATM and give you some cash to get some. You can follow me there, then you can go off shopping with Stacy. I will probably call my mom and see exactly where she is at and then meet up with her."

"I can pay for it, It is not a big deal."

"No, let me give you some money. You don't need to be spending your money on towels for my house."

"Your house?"

"You know what I mean. I am the one who ruined them, so I will pay for them." Jake did not mean to say that it was his house. He had never said that before, and he was sure that it caught her off guard and pissed her off.

"Your house? Why are we playing that game all of a sudden? What the hell is going on?"

"Damn, Maddie. Nothing is going on. It is still early. My brain is not completely functioning yet. Cut me some slack."

"Whatever. Fine. I will meet you at the ATM at the gas station." She quickly revered her car and drove down the drive, furious at what Jake had just said. He had never called it his house. It was home or the house or our place. Never his house. Yes, it was true that it technically was his house, but as long as they had been together, she felt that it was just as much hers.

Jake let out a sigh of relief as he watched her drive away. He made his way back inside and Allie was wiping down the table.

"Who was that?"

"Who?"

"Whoever was in the car in the drive?"

"Oh, just someone who was lost. Made a wrong turn and got turned around. Gave them directions and sent them on their way."

"Oh." Allie noticed something off in his tone but could not put a finger on it.

"Why don't you go get ready and we can go for a drive and talk a little more?"

"We can talk right here."

"I figured we could just go for a drive and do a bit of sight seeing, maybe hit a few of the old spots we used to hang out at."

"Fine."

"While you do that, I am going to run to the gas station and fill up real quick."

"Can't you do that when we leave?"

"Uh, we are going the opposite direction and I figure it would give you time to get ready."

"Whatever." Something was up. She knew it. He seemed so nervous and on edge all of a sudden but she had no clue why.

"I'll be right back." Jake grabbed his keys and rushed out the door. 10 minutes later he was pulling into the gas station and stopped next to Maddie's car.

"Took you long enough."

"I had to remember where I tossed my keys. How much do you think you will need?"

"I don't know."

"Two hundred be okay? If it costs more, let me know and I will pay you back."

"I told you earlier that I did not have any issue with paying for things for the house. You are the one making things all weird."

"How am I making things weird?"

"Seemed like you had an issue with me showing up at your parents house. You tell me that you are meeting your mom and then no one is there but you and a strange truck. You call it your house instead of the house or just home. It just seems like there is more going on than what you want to tell me."

"There is nothing going on, Maddie. Jeez. Do we have to go through this every time?"

"What the hell is your problem? You have been snappy and on edge every since you came from from your mom's yesterday. What happened? What went on that you are not telling me?"

"There is nothing going on. There is nothing to tell. You always want to look for problems where there aren't any." Jake walked away from her car and inside to the ATM. He withdrew some money for Maddie and walked back to her car. She was on the phone when he reached her door.

"Hold on a second, Stacy. What?"

"Here is two hundred. If it costs more than that, just let me know."

"Whatever."

"Stop acting like this."

"I'm not acting any way. I will see you later. Will you be home for dinner tonight?"

"I'm sure I will. If anything changes, I will let you know."

"Okay. I'll see you later." Maddie rolled up her window and drove off without another word to Jake. He ran his hand through his hair and hopped back in his truck.

He wasn't sure how long he would be able to hide the fact that one he had a seven year old son and two, Allie, the one person that Maddie despised, was back in town and back in his life. Things were going to get really tense and really messy and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Sooner or later it was going to happen.