Run Away

“True, come help me in here!”

“I’ll be right in there mom,” I yelled from the living room, which was next to the kitchen where my mom was.

Walking in I could tell by the mess she needed me on clean up duty. Her short brown hair was pinned back as best as it could be out of her face and she had some flour, well, all over her. My mom looked like a mom, not like the ‘super model’, well dressed put together moms you see on TV. She also is sweet and usually straight to the point. You could see the gray in her hair starting to show and she loved it. Everything about growing old made her happy, especially it being with my dad.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Come take your dang dog outside and then come clean the mess he caused.” From the looks of it, he tried jumping up for her attention and his paws knocked the bowls around on the counter causing flour to go everywhere.

I call Zeus to me and put him in the backyard before he causes my mom anymore heartache. She loves him, but she’ll never admit it to anyone. As I start to clean up the flour I smelt the sweet aroma of bread. Every Saturday my mom makes bread for the week and a few extra loaves for the neighbors. My mother’s a saint and I hope I get those qualities from her.

“Thank you honey. Any luck with getting a job? I know it’s been hard having to live at home for you after the restaurant closed.”

“I’ve put in a bunch of applications everywhere, but haven’t heard back yet.” I hated having to make the call when I was out of work, but I had no other options. Luckily Mom and Dad let me come back home, even at 21, they still love me. Good to know I didn’t ruin that for me in my teens.

She shook her head and gave my arm a squeeze, “I’m sure someone will call soon. You’re a hard worker.”

I heard my dad’s car pull in, he’s been away this week on business and we were excited to see him. My mom rushed to the front door, watching and waiting for him. “It’s taking him forever to come in,” my mom stated peeking out of the window watching his car. It’s been awhile since he’s been gone for this long and it makes my mom nervous for some reason. When I was a kid I barely remember him being around, until we moved to Baker City, Oregon.

“Then go to him,” I teased.

“He’s coming in!”

I could see him walk by the front window, he’s over six foot tall and built like a marine, so you can’t miss him. My mom opened the door for my dad to come in, but he met my mother’s excitement with a cold blank stare. I don’t know if it was meant for her or from his week long business trip, but I’ve never seen my mom shatter like that. Although she hid it quick so my dad didn’t see. “What’s wrong honey?” She questioned him softly. He whispered something into her ear and I saw her expression change from shock to scared.

“True, your father and I are going to go for a drive, watch the bread I have in the oven, please?”

“Okay, what’s going on?” No answer, “...Dad?”

“We’ll talk about it when we get home,” he said sternly.

I watched out the window as they backed out and headed down the street. I had a feeling they were keeping secrets from me, which wasn’t like them. I heard the beeping of the oven timer and my thoughts on what it could be, left me. I took the bread out of the oven and put the next ones in. I let Zeus back into the house and had him cuddle with me on the couch as I flipped on the TV and started the next episode of ‘The Office’. We made it through one episode before Zeus started whining and went to the door.

“What do you need boy?” He just stared at me tilting his head to the side. I looked at my phone, 4:27, “you ready to go for a run?” With that he got excited and started jumping around. I usually try to take him on a walk or run every day around this time.

The timer on the oven went off again and I went and turned the oven off and took the bread out. Zeus followed me upstairs to my room so I could get in my running clothes. It was the end of April, so things were a little chilly still. I slip on my jacket and head downstairs. Zeus was waiting impatiently for me to put his leash on, even for an 8 year old German Sheppard mix, he’s still got a lot of spunk.

We start at a slow jog so that I can give him more time outside. As we head up the street, I notice a car round the corner I’ve never seen before. I glance back to where it’s going as it pulls into my driveway. I almost turn around to go home, but something in my gut says ‘keep going’. Zeus pulls on the leash and we keep going. I glance back again and still no one has gotten out. I round the corner of my street, which is five houses from mine, and pull out my phone to call my mom.

It rings twice, “what do you need sweetheart?”

“I’m taking Zeus for a run and I saw a black car pull into the driveway. Are we expecting-“

She cuts me off quick, “No!” I notice the worry in her voice, but her tone changes as she says, “keep going on your run, Zeus needs it.”

“Mom, what’s going on? Do you know who’s at the house?”

I could hear whispering then, “True,” it was my dad talking now, “where are you at?”

“I just rounded the corner out of our cul-de-sac. I’m in front of the Jefferson’s on 3rd street.”

“Keeping running towards the gas station and we’ll meet you there.”

“Dad what’s going on?”

“We’ll explain when we see you,” he hung up and I began to run with Zeus to the gas station that’s at the end of 3rd street. It took me about 10 minutes to get there and I saw my parents’ car waiting for me. I open the back door and Zeus jumps in and I scoot in next to him. My dad starts driving in silence. My curiosity is killing me with what’s going on and I can’t handle the silence anymore, even though it’s been only like two minutes.

“Mom, Dad, can you explain to me what’s going on now?”

“Well,” my mom started and I could tell she didn’t quite know where to go from there. She looked back at me and looked so scared.

Noticing my mom wasn’t talking my dad started, “True, do you know what I do for work?”

He didn’t like to talk about work and it never seemed too important to ask and find out. I knew he used to be in the military. That’s why they sent me to military school, but I’m not sure what he does now. He still has the military haircut and physique.

“Um, something for the government?” I take a guess.

“As you know I was in the Marines when you were younger and in a way I still am.” He pauses for a moment, “because of my special training I get contracted out by other agencies for protection, to gain intel, or anything they need that utilizes my skills.”

“Wow Dad, that’s pretty cool,” my dad was like a secret agent spy. I wanted to do something similar while I was in military school, but once I graduated I decided on going to a culinary arts school.

He shook his head, rolling his eyes, and continued, “on one of my contracts I was teamed up with Lucas and we became an unbeatable team. From then on he became my partner for every contract. You met him a few, times we did few family events together.” His face becomes sorrowful as he continues. “But that all changed after we figured out something on one of the missions. Lucas and I were contracted by a company that thought some of his employees were smuggling in drugs. He didn’t want us to get involved, but to stand by unnoticed and either confirm or deny to him that he was correct.” He looks at me in the rear view mirror and then back at the road, “after we found out that they were smuggling drugs as well as other things, we went to Mr. Lotus, the owner, to tell him what we found. It seemed like he was hiding something as he asked for details and if the transaction was completed. While Lucas and I were writing our report of what happened, at work, we decided we needed to spy on Mr. Lotus to see what hand he had in this ordeal. We made a plan and found out that he was in charge of the operation. He just wanted us there to make sure there was no other troubles and that the drugs and other illegal things came into his possession without any mishaps. I don’t know how but, Mr. Lotus found out we knew what he was up to, he must have friends in the same department as we were. He put a bounty out on us so that we didn’t spread his business. It wasn’t just on Lucas and me, but on each of our immediate family members. Luckily he doesn’t know what you or your mom looks like or what your names are, as far as I know. Lucas and I decided that it was best if we went our separate ways and never saw or spoke to each other unless absolutely necessary. We both moved away and started new jobs. We each have an untraceable phone that we use to communicate, if needed. We put you in military school as well as karate and boxing so that you could defend yourself if necessary.”

“Wow, so why didn’t you tell me any of this sooner and why does it matter now?”

My mom this time, “Honey we didn’t want to scare you.” It probably would have scared me a lot less then, than it does now.

“I got a call from Lucas last night. He told me that Mr. Lotus figured out where I worked and the area we lived. I assume that car you saw was someone that works for him. True, it isn’t safe here anymore, we have to go to Lucas so that I can get all the information.”