Calli (14 page)

I JOLT AWAKE, soaked in sweat. The nightmare is already starting to slip away, but I remember the couch in our living room was on fire, and it was hard to breathe because of the smoke. I think about eating a candy bar for breakfast, but instead I jump into the shower, get dressed, and then join my moms in the kitchen.

Liz pours me a tall glass of orange juice and Mom offers me a piece of oatmeal bar. It’s tougher than beef jerky, so I spit it out in a napkin when she isn’t looking.

Liz clears her throat. “Your mother and I talked briefly to Michelle and she’ll be coming over tomorrow—”

“I still haven’t changed my mind if that’s what you’re going to ask.” I tuck the napkin into my hand.

“Well,” Mom says, “one of the other things we want to discuss with you is our trip to New Orleans. It might not be wise to go if Lemond moves in.” She rambles on about how the trip might be too much for him, if he’s even allowed to go out of town.

Here I was worried about Cherish and me driving each other crazy. Mom was right at the museum. Things do change.

A trip to New Orleans would be nice, but not going won’t kill me. “Could we go some other time?”

“I don’t see why not,” Mom says and Liz backs her up.

The sky clouds up and there’s a light breeze, so after breakfast I decide to take Sassy on a walk to air my head out. If I plan to be a better foster sister, then I can be a better doggie sister too. Sassy nips my fingers out of excitement when I clamp the leash on her. It’s been awhile since I’ve taken her on a walk.

“Be safe. It looks like rain,” Mom says before Sassy practically pulls me out the door and down the street.

“Slow down, girl!” Sassy finally listens when she stops to smell some cattails in a ditch.

The breeze has picked up, but it’s still warm outside and somewhat muggy. I’m even sweatier than when I woke up from the nightmare.

A huge gust of wind cools me off, though it whips up the dust. The pine trees bend, even the ones that were partially snapped during the hurricane. Somehow they’ve managed to survive.

Sassy bites at something dark to the right of the sidewalk. “Drop it!” Whatever it is, it falls from her mouth. I don’t check it out because of what Cherish accused her of eating before.

“Brrrrruff.”

“Don’t you dare sass me, funny dog,” I say, but then I realize she’s barking at someone approaching on a bicycle. I have to do a double take before I realize it’s Dub.

He rides right up to us. “I found you.”

“Found me?” My heart feels like it’s beating his name.
Dub. DubDub. DubDub.

“As soon as the driving class ended, I stopped by your house. I had to see you. Your mom said you were out walking, and now here I am.” He parks his bike on the sidewalk. He’s out of breath. For someone so skinny, he’s out of shape.

“I’m glad you found me, Dub.” I mean it. My heart’s still beating like crazy. Sassy sniffs his bicycle tire but backs up when a clap of thunder rolls in the distance. A few raindrops begin to fall.

“I got you something.” Dub pulls a small heart-shaped box of chocolates from his pocket. “Sorry, they’re probably melted.”

“Chocolate tastes better that way. Thanks.” Sassy tries to lick at the box as I open it. All four pieces of chocolate inside look delicious, but I pick one with chocolate sprinkles on top and pop it in my mouth. Mmm . . . a melted, fudgy center oozes onto my tongue. I hold the box out to Dub. Sassy thinks I’m offering some to her. “Get down, girl!” She really could use some obedience training.

Dub selects a chocolate-covered caramel and ends up smearing some chocolate on his lips. I move in close to wipe it off. He takes a step closer to me. Instinct kicks in.

I kiss him.

Dub’s lips are chocolate-sweet and soft. Our kiss feels right. So perfectly right and exhilarating. I could stay locked to his lips for a long time, but Mother Nature decides against it. The rain picks up and the thunder booms again, this time much louder. Sassy lunges forward, dragging us apart.

“We better head home,” I tell Dub despite the fact that all I want to do is stay out here in the rain, holding him, kissing him.

We’re soaking wet by the time we get to my house, and even though Sassy just had a bath, she already smells like wet dog again. “I’ll call you later,” Dub says, leaning on his bike to give me a quick peck.

Lightning streaks the sky, and a loud crack of thunder follows. “Be careful!” I yell out as he pedals back to his house.

The front door swings open. “I was getting worried about you!” Mom tosses me a towel and then starts to dry Sassy off with an old towel. “Why in the world didn’t you invite Dub inside? Nobody should be out in weather like this.”

“He’ll be fine,” I say, trying not to give in to a case of the worries about things like the probability of lightning strikes or drivers not paying attention to a gangly teen riding a bike.

Mom tries to keep Sassy from biting the towel. “I take it things are better between the two of you?”

I can’t help but smile. “Much.” It’s the honest truth, yet I don’t feel compelled to give her any of the details about the kiss. Those are mine to savor alone, just like the remaining chocolates in the box.

I HAVE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL at some point, and I’m about as ready as I’ll ever be this morning.

When I step onto the bus, I wonder if I should sit behind the bus driver or in front of Delia and Torey. I have my answer when I remember the day that Cherish sat next to me. I park myself in the seat in front of them and turn around to say good morning.

“Morning.” Delia pulls the piece of old gum out of her mouth and pops in a new piece. It’s 7:17 AM and she’s already on her second piece of gum.

I make an effort to say something to Torey. “So how was your brother’s wedding?”

It’s hard to hear her reply because when the bus comes to a quick stop, the brakes screech and whine. “Hysterical—my brother fainted before he said ‘I do.’”

“No kidding?” Torey and Delia start laughing. I’m on the outside of their private joke.

“And when Debbie went to check on him, her high
heels got caught on her long dress. She fell on top of him,” Torey says, smacking her hands together. “It was like they couldn’t wait to do it only they didn’t get it quite right.” Delia’s laughing so hard she has tears in her eyes. “Debbie and my brother were okay, but even the priest started laughing.”

“Eek, how embarrassing!” Before my wedding, I’ll consider spending hours praying so I won’t pass out or fall on top of my husband in a compromising position. I might even wear a short dress and walk down the aisle barefoot.

The bus driver steps on the gas a little too hard and the bus jerks forward. “How was your weekend?” Delia asks after she wipes her eyes. “Did you go shopping with your moms?”

“I totally forgot you have two moms,” Torey says.

Ugh. I ignore her comment and tell Delia, “I didn’t want to shop without you, but my weekend was fine.” I instantly think about Dub and that kiss. That kiss. It’s enough to make me blush. “Maybe the three of us could go shopping sometime.”

Delia digs through her backpack to find a ponytail holder to contain her wild curls. “Maybe.” Her response lacks enthusiasm, but at least she didn’t outright say no.

“Are you and Dub officially back together?” Delia asks when we arrive at school.

I try to keep from grinning when I see him because I don’t want to rub it in her face. “Yeah.”

Delia pops a knuckle. “Good for you, I guess.”

When I meet up with Dub, I give him a good morning hug, which turns into a good morning kiss. He laces
his fingers through mine as he walks me to French. The thing I do best in this subject is kiss.

Laissez les bons temps rouler.
Let the good times roll.

The good times keep rolling when a student aide delivers a note, pulling me out of Madame Mahoney’s class right before she administers the quiz.

Mom took my maybe about seeing the counselor seriously. Mrs. Zimmer, the school counselor, smiles as soon as I enter the room, which makes the skin around her eyes crinkle. Mrs. Zimmer’s hair looks like a gray mushroom smashed onto the top of her head. “Good morning, Calliope.”

I take a seat in the stiff chair in front of the mahogany desk. “My name isn’t Calliope. Just plain old Calli.”

Mrs. Zimmer looks down at the folder in front of her like she doesn’t believe me. “Oh, sorry about that. Not sure where I came up with Calliope.” She scribbles something on a notebook pad and starts rambling. “Plain old Calli. Noted. I called you into my office this morning after talking to your mother about a few recent events.” While she recaps these events, I zone out, staring at the gazillion pictures around her office. There aren’t any photos of kids or people—just two pugs. Pugs playing in the park. Pugs cuddling on the couch. Pugs in Halloween costumes (a round devil and a fat lizard). Pugs everywhere.

“Your dogs are cute,” I tell her when she’s finished reading through her notes. I’m ready to change the subject. Ready to take the French quiz instead of being here.

Mrs. Zimmer smiles so wide that her eyes almost disappear into her skin folds. “Thanks! I adopted Mugsy and Pugsy from a rescue group. So, Plain Old Calli, I
want you to know that I’m here for you and I’m available if you ever need to talk. It’s important to reach out to others when you’re going through a difficult time period.” Then she goes all Ambulance Guy on me with a ton of questions.

Are you thinking about hurting yourself?

Are you thinking about hurting anyone else?

Are you losing sleep?

Worrying more than normal?

I keep answering no until Mrs. Zimmer moves on, advising me to stay active, take care of myself, and talk with my family and friends. “My door is always open,” she adds with an especially crinkly smile.

Sitting here hasn’t felt like a good time at all, though it is good to know where to go if I need help. I thank Mrs. Zimmer before rushing out of her puggy office.

 

When I get home the front entryway feels more spacious, and then it hits me why—Cherish’s boxes are gone. Michelle must’ve stopped by today. I can’t ask Mom about it because she’s talking on the phone in the kitchen with papers scattered all around her. She gives me a quick wave before turning away to write something down.

Mom might’ve checked the mail earlier, but there’s a decent chance she hasn’t. There’s also a decent chance Cherish hasn’t written back, but I snap Sassy’s leash on and walk with her to the mailbox. In it there are several bills and pieces of junk. Nothing else. Maybe Cherish hasn’t received my letter, or maybe I’ll never hear from her again. I hope that’s not the case, but to be honest, I’m not sure what I’d do if the roles were reversed.

Mom’s still on the phone when we get back, so I set the mail on the coffee table and then organize my homework in my room. My list is long: complete a reading guide, work on fourteen pages of math problems, practice tons of exercises for French, study for the Civil War test, and last but not least, virtually dissect a frog. Only Mr. Hatley would assign a task like that.

“Calli?” Mom calls in a loud voice.

I rush out of my room to find her still in the kitchen, stacking the sheets of paper. Her skin is flushed.

“You okay?”

Mom smiles a big smile that is nowhere near as crinkly as Mrs. Zimmer’s but far more genuine. “I’ll explain on the way to the casino. We’re meeting Liz early tonight.”

How could I have forgotten about Mardi Gras Buffet? And for the first time in months, Cherish won’t be with us.

Mom drops her set of keys when she tries locking the front door. She even fumbles with the keys to start the Hocus Focus.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

She keeps one hand on the steering wheel while reaching out to touch my arm with the other. “I should wait to say something until we meet up with Liz, but things are moving forward with Lemond as originally planned.” Mom places her hand back on the steering wheel before backing out of the driveway.

While this is good news, I have to push out the bad thoughts and make a promise to myself to do things differently, to be better.

When we get to the casino, Mom heads to the bathroom
while I wait for her and Liz near the sparkling green Mardi Gras Buffet sign.

There’s a man standing next to a woman in the corner of the hallway near the casino entrance. “Oh my God!” he says. She’s crying. “Oh my God,” the man repeats. “Two thousand dollars? How could you lose two thousand dollars!”

I want to look away, but I can’t. The woman buries her face in the man’s chest and starts sobbing even harder. I sort of know what she feels like. Once things start going wrong, you can lose control.

The man steps away and paces back and forth in the hallway. Just when I’m sure he’s about to walk away, maybe even for good, he doesn’t. He turns back to hug her. Even after she lost a huge amount of money.