New York Debut (2 page)

DJ had expected to feel relieved after she’d left Taylor at the rehab facility. Really, shouldn’t she be thankful that Taylor was finally safe? Instead, DJ felt sad and worried and somewhat responsible. The hardest part was discovering that Taylor wasn’t allowed any communication from the outside.

DJ didn’t get that. What was the point of cutting Taylor off from everyone? No cell phone calls, email, or anything. It seemed weird — and slightly suspicious. Oh, sure, the rehab place had looked pretty swanky with its beachside location near Malibu. It had manicured grounds, elegant palm trees, and pretty stucco buildings with red tiled roofs. But what if it was some kind of a cult where they brainwashed their patients and promised to fly them off to Jupiter? DJ had seen a movie like that once.

Naturally, DJ was praying for her missing roommate, but she still felt concerned. What if they were mean to Taylor? What if something bad had already happened and Taylor was unable to call for help? What if Taylor never came back? Not only would DJ blame herself, she figured everyone else would too.

DJ jumped to hear Grandmother speaking to her again. “Desiree?” she said sharply. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Sorry . . .” DJ turned to look at her. “What did you say?”

“I was simply inquiring as to whether you girls got into some kind of trouble out there in Las Vegas.” Grandmother had exited from the expressway by now, and they were coming into the outskirts of Crescent Cove. DJ was surprised at how thankful she was to see this town — the same town she’d been so eager to escape before Christmas. Not only that, but she missed her friends. She would be happy to see the other Carter House girls again. Well, except for Eliza. DJ wasn’t too excited about seeing her. Hopefully Eliza was still in France for a while longer.

“No . . .”

“Now I expect you to be completely honest with me, Desiree. Did something happen to precipitate this rather shocking news . . . this news that Taylor is being treated for . . . for alcoholism?”

“The only thing that happened is that Taylor finally realized that she has a serious drinking problem. Remember, I tried to let you in on this ‘shocking news’ some time ago.”

“Well, yes, I do recall the incident with the vodka bottle. I simply assumed it was a one-time occurrence.”

“I told you it wasn’t.” DJ could hear the edginess in her own voice. But she didn’t even care. Really, wasn’t this partially her grandmother’s fault? Why hadn’t she taken DJ’s warnings more seriously?

“I do know that girls will be girls, Desiree. You can’t have spent as much time in the fashion industry as I have and not know this.”

“Were you ever like that?” asked DJ suddenly. “I mean, that ‘girls will be girls’ bit? Did you do stuff like that? Did you do drugs or alcohol?”

Grandmother cleared her throat. “I certainly wasn’t an angel, Desiree, if that’s what you’re hinting at. However, I did understand the need for manners and decorum. But that was a different era . . . people behaved more properly then. Still, over the years, I have witnessed numerous young women whose lives have spun out of control. Beautiful or not, a model won’t last long if she is unable to work.”

“Isn’t that true with everything?”

“Well, yes . . . I suppose so.”

DJ sighed and looked blankly out the window as Grandmother drove through the small seaside town. She wondered if Conner was back yet. It seemed like years since she’d spoken to him.

“So . . . how long is Taylor going to be in . . . this rehabilitation facility?”

“I don’t know. You should probably call her mom.”

“Oh, dear!” Grandmother shook her head as she turned down their street. “That’s something else I hadn’t considered. I certainly hope that Eva Perez doesn’t blame me for her daughter’s . . . well, for Taylor’s drinking problem. Do you think she does?”

“Eva is fully aware that Taylor had this ‘drinking problem’ long before she came to Carter House.”

“Good.” Grandmother sighed as she turned into the driveway. “I just hope Taylor’s treatment won’t prevent her from participating in Fashion Week. That would truly be a disaster.”

“Seems like it would be a worse disaster if Taylor didn’t get the help she needs.”

“Yes, of course, that goes without saying. But I would think that a week or two should be sufficient treatment. Goodness, just how bad can a problem get when you’re only seventeen?” Grandmother turned off the engine and looked at DJ curiously.

DJ shrugged, but didn’t say anything. The truth was she thought it could get pretty bad, and in Taylor’s case it had been scary bad. Plus, it could’ve gotten much worse. It was mind boggling to think that Taylor had been drinking daily and DJ never even knew it. Oh, she’d known about the binges. But, despite sharing a bedroom, DJ never suspected that Taylor drank every day.

“It’s just as well you came home early, Desiree,” said Grandmother as they walked into the house. “Already, Casey and Rhiannon are back. And Kriti is supposed to return tomorrow.

Eliza will be back on New Year’s Eve.”

“I’m surprised she didn’t want to stay in France for New Year’s.” DJ hadn’t told Grandmother about Eliza’s surprise appearance in Vegas. Or the role she had played in helping to derail Taylor.

“As am I. If I were over there, I’d certainly have booked a room in Paris for the big night. Nothing is more spectacular than fireworks over the River Seine. But apparently Eliza has plans with her boyfriend here in town. Imagine — giving up Paris for a teenage boy!”

Of course, DJ knew that Eliza’s life of lavish luxury didn’t mean all that much to her. Sure she was spoiled, but like a poor little rich girl, Eliza wanted a slice of “normal.” Well, normal with a few little extras like good shoes, designer bags, and her pretty white Porsche — not to mention her obsessive need to be first and best at everything. DJ remembered Eliza’s confession during their silly Truth or Dare game in Vegas. Although Eliza never would’ve admitted this if she hadn’t been slightly inebriated at the time.

“It’s good to be home,” DJ proclaimed as her grandmother opened the door. DJ was struggling to drag her baggage up the porch stairs. Naturally, Grandmother didn’t offer to help. DJ didn’t expect it.

“It’s nice to hear you say that, Desiree.” Grandmother waited for DJ to come into the house. “And I’m glad to have you back as well.” She frowned as she closed the door. “But I’d be disingenuous to say that I’m not severely disappointed that you left Taylor behind. I really didn’t expect that from you.”

DJ just sighed as she lugged her bags to the foot of the stairs. It figured that Grandmother had decided to blame DJ for Taylor’s problems. Why should that even surprise her? Why had she expected anything more?

2

YET WHAT SHE’D SAID WAS TRUE;
despite Grandmother’s insinuation that it was all DJ’s fault that Taylor was in rehab, DJ was glad to be home. Yes, home. For the first time ever, Carter House felt like home. And DJ couldn’t wait to see Casey and Rhiannon.

“You’re back,” yelled Casey from the landing upstairs. Then she dashed down and hugged DJ. “Need some help?”

“Thanks.” DJ studied Casey for a moment, trying to figure out what had changed. “Your hair!”

Casey picked up one of DJ’s bags, then grinned as she gave her strawberry-blonde hair a shake. “Like it?”

“It’s the old you — only better.”

“My mom talked me into it — actually she bribed me with a new iPod.” Casey patted her short hair. “Besides, the black was getting old. Too melodramatic, don’tcha think?”

“I think you look fantastic, Case! That choppy layered cut makes your eyes look fantastic.”

“Your grandmother approved too.” Casey grinned. “That doesn’t happen too often. At least not with me.”

DJ touched her own hair. “Taylor was nagging me to get my highlights redone. But it was so expensive in Vegas, I figured I’d just wait.”

Casey lowered her voice as they took DJ’s bags up the stairs.

“So how’d your grandmother take the news about Taylor?”

DJ stopped at the top of the stairs and stared at Casey. “Did Rhiannon tell you
everything
?
”

“Is it supposed to be some big secret?” Casey made a hurt face now. “I wondered why you told Rhiannon and not me. I thought we were friends, DJ.”

“I didn’t mean to tell anyone, but I sort of spilled the beans with Rhiannon because I was so desperate and didn’t know what to do at the time. But then I realized that Taylor might’ve wanted to keep this all private, you know?”

Casey nodded somberly. “Yeah . . . I do know.”

“You should.” DJ knew they were both remembering the intervention a few months ago when Casey had stolen DJ’s pain pills.

“So, mum’s the word?”

“Until Taylor comes back. It’s up to her to say something or not.” DJ set her bags down by the door to her room, glancing around to be sure no one was around to eavesdrop.

“I can just imagine Eliza’s big mouth. It’d be all over the school in no time.”

“Speaking of Eliza,” DJ said quietly, “that means Kriti too.”

“Kriti got here about an hour ago.” Casey whispered, nodding toward the room that Kriti and Eliza shared. “The taxi dropped her, and she went straight to her room like something was wrong.”

“What do you mean?” DJ whispered back.

“I’m not sure. She just seemed different. Kind of unhappy. I mean, she didn’t even speak to anyone.”

“Maybe she’s just missing her family already.”

“Maybe . . . but my guess is it’s something more.”

“I feel sort of guilty about Kriti. I mean, it’s like we kind of shoved her at Eliza, like she got stuck with her and can’t get unstuck. It’s not really fair.”

“And Eliza turned her into her yes-girl.”

“Anyway, I think we should probably try harder with Kriti. We need to be her friends.”

“Eliza might not want to share her.”

DJ nodded. Everyone knew how Kriti practically worshiped her heiress roommate and how much Eliza enjoyed it.

“DJ!” Rhiannon came out of her room and threw her arms around DJ. “Welcome home!”

“Man, it is so good to be back. Vegas — for more than a day or two — what a nightmare!”

“At least you got a tan,” observed Rhiannon.

“I did get in some pool time,” DJ admitted.

Now Rhiannon looked at Casey. “You both look great.”

“Thanks to that California sunshine,” said Casey.

“Don’t make me jealous,” said Rhiannon. “It was mostly rain, wind, and cold in Maine.”

“But look at you.” DJ noticed Rhiannon’s outfit. “Is that new?”

“Old and new. My great-aunt gave me some of her old clothes — totally retro, like from the forties and fifties — and I’ve been altering them.” She held out her hands and spun around to make the long circular poodle skirt flair out. “Fun, huh?”

“And cool,” said DJ.

“Rhiannon’s got all kinds of great stuff,” said Casey. “Hats and costume jewelry and scarves and things. I told her she should open a retro shop and get rich.”

“Maybe I will someday.”

“Or just sell things here in Carter House,” suggested DJ. “Between Eliza and Taylor’s clothing budget, you could clean up.”

“Oh, I almost forgot, DJ, Conner just called,” said Rhiannon. “His family just got back from their ski trip, and he said he tried your cell a few times, but it seemed to be turned off.”

“More like dead. My flight was early this morning, and I forgot to charge it last night.”

“Well, I told him you’d call.”

Casey set DJ’s bag inside her door. “Speaking of guys, I better check on Garrison — find out if he missed me, or if he got himself another girlfriend while I was gone.” She touched her hair. “Think he’ll like this?”

“How could he not?” said Rhiannon.

“Later,” called Casey as she headed for her room.

“So, how’s Taylor?” asked Rhiannon quietly.

DJ pulled Rhiannon into her room and shut the door. “You didn’t tell Kriti, did you?”

“No, why would I?”

“I just wanted to be sure. I was surprised that you told Casey.”

“Casey told me she’d talked to you while you were in Vegas . . . I just assumed she already knew.” Rhiannon’s green eyes grew wide. “Was I supposed to keep it a secret?”

“I just think we need to respect Taylor’s privacy. I told Casey to keep it to herself.”

“Absolutely.” Rhiannon held up her hand like a pledge. “So, have you talked to her since she went in?”

“They won’t let me. I tried to call, and they made it clear that they have a no-communication policy. No email, cell phones . . . nothing. It’s like a black hole. Kind of freaky.”

Rhiannon nodded. “Yeah, it was like that with my mom at first. I think they just wanted to keep her cut off from any bad connections. Then after a while, she earned communication privileges. It’s probably the same where Taylor is.”

“I hope so.” DJ didn’t want to admit how much she’d been worrying about this. Not even to Rhiannon.

“I still can’t believe Taylor went there willingly.”

“Yeah, the wild child . . . putting herself into rehab.” DJ shook her head. “Pretty shocking, huh?”