Dark Paige pt1

1.

    

     "How long do you think we have before they realize were gone?" Lana asked looking back over her shoulder at the big steel double doors.
     "They ain't gonna count heads again till after lunch." Paige said leaning down to pull the key out from under the wheel well.  "We've got about an hour before that bitch Sandy raises the alarm." Paige found the hide-a-key with her hand, pulled out the key and unlocked the Jeep.  "Let's get the hell outta these clothes and take an actual shower."
     "Do we have time to get some breakfast?"  Lana asked Paige as she climbed into the passenger seat of the Jeep.
     "We gotta make a stop real quick and then we'll pick something up on the way to the hotel." Paige told her as she started the Jeep and put it in reverse backing out of the parking space.  "I just want a shower and a decent outfit with a little shape and color as soon as possible." Paige added pulling onto the street and away from Brookside Mental Institution.

2.

     "I don't want to go." Carrie said dropping her backpack and crossing her arms in that defiant way of hers.

     "I don't either honey." Dave said kneeling down to pick her up.  "I wish we could stay and play all day too but I gotta go to work and you gotta go to daycare."

     "They're mean at daycare." Carrie countered not ready to back down.  "I hate it there."

     "You don't hate it there, who's mean?"

     "Boys." Carrie answered blushing.

     "That just means they like you.  Ignore them and they'll like you even more.  Now, will you be a good girl and go for me even though you don't want too?

     "I guess.  But I wanna go to Chuck E. Cheese's on my birthday."

     "Okay baby but that's not till April.  How about we go to the park on Saturday?"

     Carrie lit up at that.  "Can Angie come?"

    "We'll ask her mom OK?"  Carrie nodded and Dave carried his daughter to the car and buckled her in her seat.  "You got everything baby girl?"

    "Yes."

    "Well then let's ride baby." Dave said and closed her door and went around to his door and got in.  he pulled out of the driveway and headed out towards Carrie's daycare like any other day.  He didn't notice Paige and Lana in the Jeep when he passed them on the street so he had no way of knowing it wouldn't be.

3.

     Paige pulled into her old driveway after Dave was gone, parked and got out. 
     "Dave was always predictable.  I always loved that about him."  Paige said as she knelt down and looked in the flowerbed by the front door.  She lifted the rock that wasn't a rock and took out the key from inside and showed it to Lana.  "He's great isn't he?"

     "I like him." Lana said smiling.  "Let's get whatever we're getting so we can eat and smoke a bowl." 

     "Pack one now he won't be home until seven." Paige said as she unlocked the door and headed into her old house.

     Everything was as it had been before she left.  Dave hadn't changed a thing.  The only thing that had changed was she no longer lived there.  Her Husband and Daughter did but Mommy?  No, Mommy's crazy didn't you hear?  Yeah, she's nutty so she lives at Brookside and her husband lives here in her old house with her Daughter.

     It's all as it was.  Same curtains, wheres Mommy? 
     "I picked out that couch."  not really talking to Lana but to herself.  "These are my things.  All of them, I picked them out and I put them where they are.  He didn't even like that couch."

     "Guys suck." Lana said as she lit her pipe and inhaled deeply.  The fragrant odor of Marijuana filled the house.

     "It's not that." Paige said.  "He got scared and he was right to.  It was scary.  I wasn't careful.  I forgot to watch the door and the monster got out."  Paige stared blankly at a family portrait on the end table then back at Lana.  "Gimme that."

     Lana passed her the pipe.  "Watch it that stuff is pretty decent and we've been out of the game for awhile.  Hey, do you think Dave has any cereal in this house?"

     "Check the cabinet by the fridge."  Paige said gesturing towards the kitchen.  "Grab me a Pop-Tart." 

     Lana headed towards the snacks and Paige was close behind but headed to the cabinets under the sink.   She pulled out a cleanser container that wasn't a cleanser container and took out a big roll of twenties. 
     "Dave is so careful. Its one of the cuter things about him."  Paige took the money to the table and counted it.  "Three sixty." She said as she took her Pop-tart from Lana.

     "That's better than you expected."

     "Yeah, My Davey came through.  Let's finish this bowl and take a shower and then we should get out of here."

     Lana hit the pipe and took a deep drag.  "I thought we had until seven."

     "We do but we've done everything we need to do here and also they'll be looking for us here.  We should get moving somewhere safer till the heat dies down a bit." Paige finished her Pop-Tart and picked up the pipe and hit it once more.  "I'm gonna hit the shower.  Enjoy your cereal."

     "Oh I will baby it's been six years since I had me some Crisp.  Let me know when the showers free."

     "OK." Paige said and headed up the stairs to the second floor.

4.

     Paige got to the top of the stairs and went into the first door on her left.  When she had first went to Brookside this had been Carrie's nursery.

     Now the room was different.  Same paint and teddy-bear border but a twin bed sat where Carrie's crib once did. 
     Paige began exploring her Daughters room looking at her Daughters toys,  Her Daughters books, Her Daughter's life.  "I've missed so much Carrie but Mommy's back." Paige said to the empty room tears welling in her eye's.  "Mommy's gonna make up for everything."

     Paige turned and left Carrie's bedroom before she got any more upset.  No use in doing that.  Focus.  That's what she needed to do now.  Getting upset would mess up everything.  Control.  She had to maintain control of her emotions. 
     "Keep your head up Lil Bit." She said to no one but herself and headed for the shower.

5.

     Only Paige and Dave really know the real reason why Paige was sent away.  Other people knew one story but it was the one Dave had given them.  He had decided the real story was too terrible to tell family and friends.  He even doubted they'd believe him.  Dave was one of very few people who had seen Paige's dark side.  Everyone else only knew her as a soccer mom and devoted wife who had a breakdown and needed a little help to get through it.  Just a stress overload.  They all thought she had checked herself into Brookside.  Dave and Paige knew better.

     It had all started with an affair.  

6.

     Paige finished her shower turned off the water and took her towel from from the hook.  She dried herself and then stood naked looking herself over in the mirror. 

     "I took decent care of myself in that Zoo." She said to no one but herself.  "Best I could.  I held it together nicely I think considering the garbage they fed us."

     She hoped Dave would think so too.

     It was so sad the way he had looked at her when he had her committed.  They used to have an electric chemistry.  When he'd look in her eyes she could see forever.  With him she felt anything was possible.  That day his eyes had been empty.  That was the worst part.  She loved him. Needed him but he just stared blankly back at her as they escorted her down the long plain white hallway into the core of Brookside to her prison for the next two years.  Just stared empty and said nothing.  She didn't want him to ever look at her that way again.

     She turned side to side admiring her figure.  "It's gonna be different now.  I'll be more careful.

7.

     Paige got dressed, all her clothes were still hung up right where they had been, and went back downstairs. Lana was still in the kitchen giggling wildly and watching Spongebob on the little 13 inch TV in the kitchen.  "Showers free."

     "Awesome.  Hey, check this show out it's hilarious."

     "Your high."

     "Yes I am." Lana said smiling ear to ear.  "And now I'm gonna go get clean.  We're there any frilly soaps up there?  I wanna smell like a girl."

     "Nope.  All boy soaps but the razors are new and the waters hot."

     "That sucks but it's a good sign Lil Bit.  Ol' Davey's liven like a bachelor.  He hasn't replaced you yet."

     Paige's eyes suddenly glazed over a bit but then cleared.  "I was never worried about that Lana.  Dave wouldn't cheat on me.  I was only worried he'd move to avoid me.  Dave may run but he'd never stray.  He's just scared that's all."

     Relief flushed Lana's face and she quickly back-peddled.  "Of course not.  I was just saying it's a good sign.  Most guys aren't as great as your Dave.  I'm gonna go get wet now Lil Bit.  See you when I'm pretty again." 
     On that note Lana quickly turned and headed up the stairs to the bathroom.  As she climbed the stairs she hoped to herself Paige hadn't seen anything in her eyes she didn't like.  She didn't wanna upset Paige.

     Like most people who had met the dark side of Paige Lana was terrified of her.

...To be continued