The Coltons of Shadow Creek

If they had any slow months this summer, she intended to pay the men to build Cody a tree house. She’d thought about having it done last year, but had never accomplished it. One of the trees was perfectly formed to hold such a structure and she knew Cody would love it.

Instead of sitting at the kitchen table to wait for Cody to come home, she moved outside to sit on the porch swing. It was a gorgeous afternoon, but she was grateful for the weight of her sweater against a faint cool March breeze.

She moved the swing back and forth and her head once again filled with thoughts of Knox. The night before she’d ached with his pain as he’d told her about his forced sabbatical because of his mother’s escape from prison.

When she and Knox had begun dating in high school, Livia had pretended to approve of the match, although Allison had suspected she didn’t approve of Allison’s blue-collar background.

Nobody had been more surprised than Allison when she’d been awarded a scholarship to Boston University. The opportunity was too good to dismiss. It wasn’t until she had to pull out of school to nurse her father that she’d discovered her scholarship had been made available to her thanks to the charity of Livia Colton. A friend of hers who worked part-time in the bursar’s office had told Allison.

Livia had gotten her wish to break Allison and Knox apart through distance, but the minute she had returned to Shadow Creek, they had resumed their romance...until he’d left her.

All thoughts of Knox fled her mind as she saw Cody in the distance heading toward home. He walked with his best friend, Josh Inman, who lived on the next block.

This was the first year Allison had allowed her son to walk the three blocks from the school bus stop to their home. He’d begged her to be allowed to walk home instead of her picking him up, and she’d finally relented.

Josh veered off the sidewalk for his house and Cody hurried forward. He spotted her on the swing and waved and her heart swelled with overwhelming love. He was such a good boy and only very rarely pushed boundaries.

When he reached her he pulled his fire-engine-red backpack off his back and tossed it onto the porch, then sat next to her on the swing.

“Good day?” she asked. She took a deep breath, loving the scent of sunshine and all things young boy that filled her nose.

“Great day,” he replied. “Tony Mantelli brought his hamster for pet day and it got loose. All the girls jumped up in their chairs and screamed and Stacy Burrwell’s cat was going crazy in the cage and Danny’s dog was barking. It was totally awesome.”

Allison laughed. “Did Tony ever get his hamster back?”

He nodded. “Mrs. Jackson finally caught it and got it back in the cage.” He kicked his feet to move the swing a little faster. “I wish I had a pet.” He slid her a sly glance.

“And I’ll bet I know what kind of a pet you’d like to have. It’s bigger than a dog and smaller than an elephant.”

Cody grinned at her. “And it has a mane and hooves.”

“Cody, having a horse is a huge responsibility.”

“I know, but I’m ready for it, Mom. I always do my chores on time and I get good grades. I’m responsible and Miss Jade will tell you I’m great with the horses. Just please tell me you’ll think about it.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it,” she replied. “And what I’m also thinking about is walking to the Cozy Diner for dinner this evening. It’s a beautiful day.”

“Hmm, spaghetti Monday.” Cody rubbed his stomach.

Allison got up from the swing. “Homework?”

“Yeah, a little.”

“Let’s get to it so that you don’t have to worry about it when we get home from eating.”

It was just after eight that evening when she and Cody left the diner for the six-block walk back home. Clouds had moved in, making the darkness of night come faster than usual.

“I’m so full,” Cody moaned as they began the trek home.

“Me, too, and I didn’t have a big piece of chocolate pie like you did,” she replied.

“No, but you totally pigged out on the garlic toast. Besides, the chocolate pie was worth it. It was delicious.”

Dinner had been pleasant. They’d visited with friends and neighbors and enjoyed the good food the diner always provided. “You know what the best thing about eating out is?” she said.

“No dishes,” Cody replied.

“That’s right,” she agreed with a laugh.

The neighborhood sidewalk was darkly shadowed as the clouds hid the moon. Their footsteps rang out in unison in the otherwise still of the night.

She was definitely feeling the lack of sleep from the night before and all she wanted now was the comfort of her bed and a night with no dreams.

Her body tensed as she thought she heard the scuff of a footfall behind them. She whirled around, heart pounding, to see nobody sharing the sidewalk with them.

Had she only imagined it? They had only gone a couple more steps when a rustle sounded. Once again she turned around, her heartbeat accelerating even faster.

She saw nobody. However, there were bushes and trees right next to the sidewalk where somebody could hide, and her intuitive senses were screaming that somebody was following them.

“I’ll race you to the house,” she said to Cody. She couldn’t explain the fear that suddenly torched through her, she could only respond.

Her heart still banged an unsteady rhythm as Cody shot just ahead of her. “Winner gets a cookie before bedtime,” he exclaimed.

She ran, making sure Cody stayed just ahead of her. He could win the race and have his cookie, but she intended to see that nobody sneaked up on her son.

The house had never seemed so far away and she’d never felt the kind of abject fear that coursed through her as they raced to safety.

“Ha, I win,” Cody said as he reached their front porch two steps ahead of her.

Allison fumbled her keys out of her purse and quickly unlocked the door. She pushed him through the doorway. “Get upstairs and get your pajamas on and then you get your cookie reward.”

As he headed for the stairs, Allison remained at the front door. She looked down the sidewalk from where they had come. Had somebody been following them or had it only been a trick of her imagination?

A dog barked in the distance and a chill walked up her spine. She quickly closed the door and locked it, then leaned with her back against it as she waited for her heart to resume a more normal pace.

If there had been somebody out there, it was possible it was Chad being drunk and stupid and hopefully no harm had been really intended. Still, that thought somehow didn’t chase away the simmering fear that remained with her long into the night.

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