History Must Repeat Itself

Chapter 35

        My eyes peaked open when I heard my name being said in a whisper. My head was against something hard and as I turned to rub my forehead against it, I knew what it was. Or I remembered who it was to be more accurate. Fingers ran down my hair, drawing a sound of contentment from my chest. Moving my head to rest against the back of the couch, Steve's hand stayed across my shoulder. He smiled sweetly at me. He got a sleepy one in return. Another voice caught my attention. One I shouldn't be hearing. I gasped, shooting up. Nancy picked up the walkie from the coffee table and my heart returned to a normal pace. Eddie hadn't magically appeared in the room.

"Hey, it's Nancy."

"Wheeler! Hey." Eddie's voice sounded relieved. "Um, I'm gonna need a food delivery, like, really soon, unless you want me going out into the world."

"No, no. Don't do that. Stay where you are, and we'll be there as soon as we can."

'Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen, um... can you pick me up a six-pack?" Nancy glanced at me, and I rolled my eyes. "I know, it's stupid as shit, drinking right now, but a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves."

"Did he say jangled?" Steve muttered.

Nancy's face flashed with worry. "Hey, I'm gonna have to call you back."

Nancy turned the walkie down and went over to Dustin. I shifted, my gaze following where Nancy's had been and my eyes rested on the empty sleeping bag. My stomach was about to empty its little contents on the floor.

"Dustin, wake up."

"What?"

"Aren't you supposed to be on Max watch?"

I shot to my feet, ignoring the fact my bra wasn't sitting properly from sleeping on the couch and ran up the stairs. Spinning towards the kitchen, I caught sight of Max sitting at the kitchen table with Holly. I ran my hand through my hair, my stomach settling as footsteps pounded up the stairs behind me. Dustin and Nancy saw her too, relieved.

"Morning, guys," Mrs. Wheeler said from further in the kitchen. "Everything okay?"

I smiled at Nancy's mother as she spoke with her daughter. I walked up to Max and placed a kiss on her head. I reached a hand out to Holly for a high five which she gave me with a grin then turned her attention back to her LiteBrite. When Nancy sat down, Max paused Kate Bush and took her headset off.

"You okay?" Nancy asked.

Max shrugged. "Just couldn't sleep. People keep blasting music in my ears, for some reason."

I walked over to the phone. "Mrs. Wheeler, do you mind if I call my sister?"

"Of course."

I ignored her husband's grumblings as I dialed the Seattle number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, why're you answering Izzy's house phone?"

"You haven't called in days. Call it sisterly instinct."

I glanced back to the table. Nancy was furiously folding the papers Max had been drawing, as she and Dustin watched over her shoulder.

"Um." I turned away, trying to focus on my sister. "How's everything going?"

Madison's voice dropped. "Mum called a couple times. Tried to get me to come back and even asked if I wanted to move to Indianapolis with her."

Nancy rushed past me, heading back for the basement. Dustin and Max were quick to follow. Knowing I'd missed something important, my sister's words caught my attention too.