My Paper Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

and toward the wooded area beside the road.
    "Shit!" I bolted out of the door as fast as I could, not even looking back to see if the cop was following me.
    "Mama! Mama! I know you're out here! Mama!" Brittany cupped her hands over her mouth like a makeshift megaphone.
    Before I could reach Brittany, Blaine had bolted out in front of me and grabbed her. I was surprised to see him since I thought he had long passed me. He held Brittany by both shoulders and turned her toward him, looking into her face.
    "Brittany, now you know your mama ain't out here. Her spirit is up in heaven, not in the swamp.” Brittany looked at him with tears in her bloodshot eyes.
    "She has to be! This is the spot I last saw her! Remember, before she got arrested!" Brittany screamed almost choking on her tears. Blaine held Brittany close to him as her tears and muffled words soaked through his shirt.
    Blaine nodded toward me as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned my head back to see the cop with his eyes tapered and his lips formed a tight line as he stared right at me.
    I bit my lip. "Um...I wish I could say I can explain." I sighed. "But I can't and I’m sorry." I put my wrists out toward the cop. "Go on, take me in."
    The cop started laughing uncontrollably, spit forming at the sides of his mouth and lingering on his mustache. "Do you really think I’m going to take you in?"
    I tilted my head. "Um...what?"
    "Look, I pulled you over because of that illegal U-turn, but it's not like I’m going to take you into jail. Is that what they do in Chicago?" The cop laughed again, especially at the word Chicago like he had made some hilarious joke at my expense.
    "Look." He put his hand on my shoulder. "This isn't the first time something like this has happened with Brittany, and what your aunt don't know won't hurt her."
    I looked over my shoulder at Blaine rubbing Brittany's back as they walked toward us. I tried to hide a longing smile. Beau would have never done anything like that for me, or anyone else for that matter. When his little brother broke his arm, he used his cast to rest his beer on. Blaine was doing just the opposite, putting someone else before himself and it was hard for me to stay mad at him. No matter how hard I was trying to maintain a serious disposition.
    "Blaine told me what was going on, and don't worry. Dee may be good on the town gossip, but what she don’t know won’t hurt her." The cop said as I turned my attention back toward him.
    I smiled weakly. I didn't know if he was just a dirty cop that Blaine paid off, or maybe this was just how people took care of each other in small towns. Either way I was afraid that if things were like this all the time I would have a heart attack before the end of the summer.
    "Let's get you two home," Blaine said. He patted me gently on the back with his free hand, his other arm still protectively around Brittany. I couldn't help but lean in closer to him as we approached the car. I wondered what was really going through his mind and how this guy could appear to be such a hard ass, but yet would go out of his way to help someone.
    The cop left and I got Brittany back in the car. Blaine's eyes seemed to never leave our car. Even through the mist it seemed like I could see nothing but the blue of his eyes and trusted that he would help us find our way home.
                                  
    Finally, after what seemed like hours but was only minutes, we pulled into Aunt Dee's carport.
    "You better go inside and wash up before Dee gets a smell of you." Blaine called to Brittany as she got out of the car. She nodded and ran toward the front porch. I couldn't tell if she was embarrassed or just coming down from her high.
    "I don't know if I should be pissed at you or thank you." I put my hands on either side of my hips as I leaned back against the car.
    "Well if you would have been watching your cousin, or even the road, maybe none of this would have happened."