Casting About (22 page)

I
stood across the street from the school talking to Barb, the crossing guard, as I waited for Clarissa to come out the door.

“There she is,” I said, crossing to meet her. “See you later.”

“Hi,” Clarissa told me, and then slid her gaze toward her shoes as we headed for home.

She knew I'd seen her bedroom. Well, if I was in charge, we were going to play this game
my
way. Both of us remained silent until we reached the end of G Street.

“Don't forget,” she said. “I have to go to Chelsea's house this afternoon. We're working on a Valentine project.”

“I didn't forget—but you're not going.”

Her head shot up to look at me. “What? Why can't I go?”

“Did you see what your room looked like this morning?”

“Yeah, I'll clean it.”

“That's right, you will, and then you'll remain in your room for the rest of the afternoon.”

“That's not fair,” Clarissa whined.

“Fair? I thought your dad and I made it clear to you that it was your job to keep your room neat and clean. I'm the one that does the dusting and vacuuming in there—and I can't do that with books and towels and glitter all over the place. I'd say that's not
fair
.”

She remained silent for the rest of the way home.

Billie came running to greet us as we walked through the front door.

“Take Billie out in the yard,” I told her. “Then call Chelsea and tell her you won't be coming over. Then you can begin cleaning that mess in your room. I suggest you get the DustBuster to clean up all that glitter.”

I headed to the laundry room to fold clothes. There—I'd done it. I'd disciplined Clarissa for the first time. I wasn't sure what the aftereffects would be, but I knew I'd done the right thing.

By the time Adam returned home from school, Clarissa still hadn't emerged from her bedroom.

“Hi,” he said, coming to put his arms around me as I stood at the counter peeling potatoes. “Have a good day?”

“It was okay. And yours?”

“Yeah, but you seem upset.”

I was concerned about Adam's reaction to the incident and how I'd handled it.

“Not as upset now as I was this morning,” I told him and went on to explain the situation.

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he shook his head. “Geez, I thought we had that bedroom stuff all straightened out.”

“Yeah, so did I.”

“So I wonder what's really bothering her?”

That's exactly what Opal had said—that it could be about Clarissa not wanting to go to Carrie Sue's. How was it that they both knew that and I didn't?

“I had a message from Clarissa's teacher today,” he went on to say. “So I stopped by to see her after school. It seems she's noticed a difference in Clarissa the past month or so. She's much quieter in class, not as willing to participate and volunteer answers. She also told me that Clarissa's grades are beginning to slip. We know she's certainly capable of doing excellent work, so something's wrong. Where's she at?”

“In her room. I punished her and told her she couldn't go to Chelsea's house this afternoon as they'd planned and that she had to clean her room.”

Adam nodded and smiled. “Very good decision,” he told me.

I let out a sigh and felt like I'd passed a pretty important test. “I'm glad you agree.”

“Of course I agree. I told you when she came to live with us that we both had to be on the same page. You can't leave all the disciplining to me—you're her stepmom.”

“But something is definitely bothering her. Now it's affecting her schoolwork. What're we going to do?”

“Well, I have a strong suspicion that all of this has to do with her not wanting to visit Carrie Sue. And I'm not sure what I can do about that, since it's Carrie Sue's
right
.”

“But, geez, doesn't Clarissa have anything to say about all of it? It isn't
right
to force a child to go someplace she has no desire to be. Look at the problems it's creating.”

“I know,” Adam told me. “I think it's time to sit down with Clarissa and talk about it. Bring it out in the open and let her voice her opinion.”

 

I was scooping bread pudding into dessert bowls following dinner and heard Adam say to Clarissa, “So what's up? You were very quiet while we were eating.”

“Nothing.”

I realized that recently she'd reverted back to her one-word answers.

“Well, Miss Carlson had a talk with me after school today.”

Clarissa's head shot up. “About what?”

“About you falling behind in your grades. We know you can do much better. What's going on?”

“I don't know.”

I placed the dessert on the table and sat back down.

Clarissa picked up her spoon and began moving the pudding from side to side.

“Something's wrong,” Adam told her. “Let's talk about it.”

“Nothing's wrong.”

“Clarissa, if you're not going to talk to me, I can't help you. Does any of this have to do with visiting your mother?”

She kept her eyes focused on the pudding in front of her and shook her head. “No.”

“Then you don't have a problem going to stay with her every other weekend?”

“Nope.”

“Well, then I suggest you get your act together. Snap out of it, Clarissa. Keep your room clean and I'd better see an improvement in those marks—and mighty fast.”

No comment from Clarissa.

“Understand?” Adam said.

Clarissa nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay, finish your dessert.”

“I don't want it,” she mumbled.

“Then leave the table and go back to your room. Monica told me you're being punished.”

Without a word, Clarissa got up, pushed back her chair, and walked out of the kitchen.

Yeah, okay, I know I did the right thing, but gosh, I hated to see Clarissa so miserable. I didn't care what she told Adam, I was certain all of this had to do with Carrie Sue.

After Adam and I got the kitchen cleaned up, we went into the great room to relax. I picked up my knitting and curled up on the sofa. I had just started a lavender-colored sweater for Clarissa. She was probably so mad at me now she'd never wear it.

Adam sat down beside me. “Pretty,” he said. “So anything else happen today besides Clarissa's bad behavior?”

“Yeah, your mother dropped by—for my advice.”

“Really? What was that about?”

“Sex.”

Adam turned to face me directly. “What?”

I laughed. “Well, not sex per se. However, she did want my advice and opinions on a few things. Seems she might have a gentleman friend in her life.”

I went on to explain everything Opal had told me.

Now Adam was laughing and shaking his head. “Leave it to my mother. Well, she should have a male companion, if that's what she wants. And this guy, Charlie—where'd you say he's from?”

I was really chuckling now. “No, no. Her friend's name is
Hank
. Charlie's his dog. Now pay attention and get all of it straight.”

“Okay, I'll take notes,” he said, grinning.

“He's from Charleston and he'll be here for a few months. Booked a cottage at the Far Away. Sounds like a nice enough man and he'll arrive next week, so of course we'll get to meet him.”

“That's great. We can always depend on my mother to brighten up an otherwise gloomy day. We'll have to have them over for dinner.”

“Yup, I already told Opal we'd do that.” I knitted for a few minutes in silence. “What are we going to do about Clarissa? She's due to go to Carrie Sue's this coming weekend.”

“I know that. I'm going to have her go, but I'm also going to get in touch with Trent—tell him the situation and see if possibly anything can be done. I feel the same way you do. It's just not right to force a child to go if she doesn't want to.”

Unfortunately, I was beginning to see how the court system could work when it came to children, and I felt disheartened as to what the outcome might be.

F
riday afternoon I was at Spinning Forward working on the mail orders. Dora was knitting away on another Ewedora Stocking.

“Do you need to pick Clarissa up after school today?” she asked.

“No, Adam will get her. She has to go to Carrie Sue's for the weekend.”

“Hmm, how's that going?”

“Not that well,” I told her and filled Dora in on the current incidents.

“Such a shame,” she said, attaching another ball of yarn. “Doesn't seem right, and it's always the child that suffers. You wouldn't mind if Carrie Sue was a loving and devoted mother, but we all know that she's not. And the worst part is so does Clarissa. Makes no sense why that woman would come here and demand that her daughter visit her when she clearly has no interest.”

“I know. Adam's going to speak to Trent and see if anything can be done.”

I turned toward the door as the wind chimes tinkled and saw Grace walk in.

“Hey,” she said. “Twila Fay's covering my shop, so I thought I'd come over and bother you.”

She passed me a cup of coffee. “And you came bearing gifts, so you're always welcome.”

“I'm sorry,” Grace said to Dora. “I wasn't sure you'd still be here and didn't bring an extra cup.”

Dora put her hand up. “No, no. I'm just going to finish this row and then it's time for me to leave. You're closing up at four, right, Monica?”

I nodded. “Yup, and I'll be here ten till two tomorrow. I should be able to get these mail orders finished by then. I've done enough for today.”

Walking over to the sofa, I patted the spot next to me. “Come join me, Gracie. I'll fill you in on the latest Clarissa /Carrie Sue news.”

“That's always worth hearing. Somebody really needs to write a book about this island. The tales that could be told.”

I laughed and proceeded to bring Grace up to date.

“I'm off,” Dora called, walking toward the door. “And I'll be here two till four tomorrow. Y'all have a good evening.”

Grace took a sip of coffee and leaned her head back against the sofa. “Well, I think I can top your news,” she said, a hint of mystery in her voice.

“Really? What's it about?”

“Tony.”

“Oh, God, Gracie, please don't tell me you're seeing him again.”

“
Why
do you always say that whenever I mention his name? Will you please give me more credit than that?”

She was right. “I'm sorry,” I said, reaching over to pat her hand. “I guess I just worry about you, and I only want you to have what's best.”

“But…I do happen to know
who
is seeing him now.”

“What? He's managed to hook another unsuspecting female on the island? She'd better watch out or he'll be after her property next.”

“She doesn't have any property here on Cedar Key.”

“Who is it?”

Gracie took another sip of coffee, making me squirm by taking her time with the answer. “Ready for this?”

“Stop it, Gracie, just tell me!”

“Carrie Sue.”

Surely, I'd misunderstood her. “Carrie Sue?” I repeated. “Not Carrie Sue
Brooks?
”

Grace smiled. “One and the same.”

I sat up straighter and leaned closer to see if Grace was kidding with me. Her face was dead serious. “Get outta here!”

“Nope. It's true. I saw them together last night. Twila Faye and I were going to go to the Seabreeze for dinner. So there we are, standing and waiting to be seated and straight ahead, there were Tony and Carrie Sue having dinner together. All lovey-dovey. Holding hands across the table, their eyes never left each other and then she leaned forward and he gave her quite a kiss. I wanted to holler ‘get a room' and couldn't believe what I was seeing. But it was them. Twila Faye confirmed it and we hightailed it out of there.”

“I can't believe it!
Her
and
him
together? Oh, my God!”

“Hmm, there
is
a God, isn't there? I'd say they damn well deserve each other.”

I shook my head. “I have to agree with you on that one. Oh, wow, those two together is like…well, like a catastrophe waiting to happen. They're both so greedy and self-centered.”

Grace smiled. “Like I said, they deserve each other.”

“I wonder how long this has been going on.”

“Haven't a clue, but just from what I saw, I'd say it's pretty intense.”

“Geez, this could be a blessing in disguise. Intense enough for Carrie Sue to give up her visitation rights, I wonder?”

“Hey, if she feels Clarissa's cramping her style, I sure wouldn't doubt it. She's made it clear her daughter was never her top priority.”

I nodded, digesting all of what Grace had just told me. “Maybe,” I said, “just maybe Carrie Sue will get so wrapped up in Tony that she won't want to give up those two weekends a month.”

Grace shrugged. “You could be right, and I'd bet anything she's spending half her time in Tony's apartment or he's over at her condo.”

“Well, he sure as hell better not be there tonight when she has Clarissa.”

The wind chimes tinkled again, and both Grace and I looked up to see Saren walk in.

“Hey, Saren,” I said. “How've you been?”

“Good, real good, and yourself?”

Based on the news I just heard, I was feeling mighty fine. “I'm good too.” I saw he was holding a gift-wrapped box in his hand.

Coming to place a kiss on my cheek, he handed me the box. “This here's for Valentine's Day tomorrow. Sweets for my sweet granddaughter.”

I got up to give him a hug. “Oh, Saren, that's so nice of you. Thank you.”

“It's them there French chocolates that you like so much.”

“And I will truly enjoy them. Would you like some coffee? Gracie and I are just sitting around gabbing.”

“Thanks but nah, think I had my coffee quota for today. Got an e-mail from your mom this morning. She's all excited about spending Valentine's Day in Paris.”

I nodded. “Yeah, romantic that she is, she'll really enjoy that. She told me that she and Noah are booked for dinner at La Rotonde, where F. Scott and Zelda used to dine.” I shook my head and laughed. “She's really in her element over there.”

“And what's that nice husband of yours doing for Valentine's Day?”

“Adam made a reservation at the Island Room. Dinner at seven.”

Saren nodded. “Very good. I like to see my girls being pampered. If Sybile were here, why, I'd cook her a great meal and give her a bouquet of those gardenias she always loved.”

Even though four years had passed since Sybile had left us, it hadn't diminished Saren's love for her one ounce.

“Well,” he said, heading toward the door. “Guess I'll mosey on home.”

“Thank you again, Saren.”

He turned around quickly to face us and touched the side of his head with his palm. “Now see, I almost plumb forgot to tell you what I just saw.”

“What was that?” I questioned.

“That fancy-dancy coffee place down the street—he's got a huge For Sale sign out front.”

Grace and I both exchanged a look.

“What?” she said. “He's selling the coffee shop?”

Saren nodded. “Sure 'nuff seems that way. I reckon he's given up on making major changes to our island. Good riddance is what I say. Well, girls, y'all take care and I'll see you later.”

“I'll be damned,” Grace said. “So my business is safe after all, and if he has his place up for sale, he must be leaving town.”

“That's what it sounds like. Hmm, I wonder if it also means Carrie Sue is going with him.”

“Wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake? Getting rid of both of them at once. They sure as hell won't be missed—neither one of them.”

“Well, it's obvious he's given up on his idea of a French restaurant. Probably came to finally realize he didn't have a chance up against the people of this island.”

Grace laughed. “Yeah, I'd say we all did a pretty good job of running him out of town on a rail. Except for Carrie Sue, I don't think one person has been friendly toward him.”

“That's one of the things my mother always loved about this island—how the people accepted her and made her feel so welcome.”

“Yeah, well,” Grace said, “your mother didn't come here trying to change things. She accepted Cedar Key for what it is and involved herself in the community.”

I nodded and smiled. Raising my hand to tap Grace's in a high five, I said, “Here's to you, girlfriend. You may have lost the battle, but you won the war.”