Her Journey Begins (33 page)

Smiling Steve tells her,
“
That
’
s okay, neither am I.
”
Chris dances two dances with him before Sue whisks her off to meet some more people. Evidently this is a popular hang out for the single school district employees wanting to have a good time. The band finally comes on and Chris finds they are quite good, but after 4 songs, she is beat and ready to go home. Steve walks up next to her.
“
I
’
m going to leave. You look wiped out so I thought I
’
d see if you want a ride home.
”

  
“
Yes, thank you, I am definitely ready to go. Just let me find Sue and tell her. Chris makes her way through the crowded dance floor and has to yell so Sue can hear her over the music.
“
Hey, Steve
’
s going to give me a ride home.
”

  Sue yells back.
“
Okay, you have your key, right?
”

  
“
Yep
”

  
“
Okay I
’
ll be home later.
”



   Pulling up in front of the apartment Steve lays his arm across the back of her seat. Chris starts twiddling her fingers afraid Steve might try and kiss her goodnight. He
’
s really a sweet guy, but
…
She
’
ll have to keep an eye on herself when she
’
s around him, so  he doesn
’
t get the impression that her friendliness is an attraction to him
.
“
Charlie says you have a photo shoot tomorrow.
”

Chris smiles,
“
Yes I do. He
’
s going to pick me up on his way to work and then let me use his car. Well I better get inside. Early day tomorrow.
”

  
“
Okay, then I will see you at the studio in the morning. Night Chris
”

  
“
Night Steve drive careful.
”



   Chris puts on a pot of coffee and then goes in to change into her sweats. Sitting down on the couch she opens her portfolio and talks to Brandon.

   She
’
s still awake when Sue comes in a little after midnight.
“
I see Steve got you home okay, did you have fun?
”

Chris thinks about her question for a moment before answering.
“
Are you asking if I had fun with Steve, or at the club?
”

Sue smiles,
“
Both, I guess.
”

  
“
Sue, how well do you know Steve, I mean, are you close to him?
”

  
“
No, not really. I see him every once in a while when he comes by the school to take his mom out to lunch and then at the club, now and then, why?
”

  
“
I was just wondering.
”

  
“
Are you trying to tell me you like him?
”

Chris opens her mouth and then closes it, trying to think what she wants to say.
“
No, he
’
s not my type. I kind of see him as a
take what you can get
, kind of guy. No, maybe that
’
s not quite right. To me he
’
s the type of person that has no ambition. He feels he
’
s fine right where he
’
s at, just kind of sliding through. No initiative to move forward or find
…
I don
’
t know.
”

Sue laughs,
“
You describe him perfectly and just to let you know, he
’
s a momma
’
s boy too. Now, I am off to bed. Night Chris, sleep well.
”

  
“
Night Sue, thanks for helping me celebrate.
”

  
“
No problem. Anytime.
”



   Waking up early Saturday morning, Chris wonders if she will ever sleep in past 6:30 a.m. It doesn
’
t seem to matter how late she goes to bed, she is always up bright and early. She puts on a fresh pot of coffee while thinking,
“
Just what I need, more caffeine, when I
’
m already nervous, edgy, and jumpy.
”
She sneaks through Sue
’
s room, trying not to wake her, and goes into the bathroom to get ready. Coming back out, Chris hears Sue snoring and whispers.
“
Must be nice.
”
as she heads back through to the living room.

   Chris writes a short note, letting Sue know that she will be back later and quietly slips out the door to wait for Charlie. Only waiting a few minutes, Charlie pulls up and reaching over, he opens the door for her.
“
You ready?
”

Chris smiles.
“
I hope so and good morning to you.
”

Charlie smiles and replies back,
“
Good morning.
”
Once they get to the studio, Charlie pulls out the film.
“
I think four rolls will be plenty. In fact you might only need two rolls, but just in case
…
I wouldn
’
t use less than two though. I see you brought your camera.
“

  
“
Never leave home without it.
“
Chris smiles and pats the camera bag.

  
“
It
’
s a good camera, top of the line.
“

  
“
Really? I didn
’
t know that. It was a gift.
“

  
“
A very expensive one, I
’
d say. Well here
’
s the directions and the address. Do you know your way around very well?
”

Chris looks at the paper.
“
Yeah, I should have no problems finding it.
“

  
“
Well then you
’
re all set.
”

Steve walks in as Chris is walking out. Smiling he tells her,
“
Hello and goodbye again.
”

Chris smiles back.
“
Same to you
”
and continues on her way.



   Chris finds the address and parks on the street in front of the house. She glances around the neighborhood as she walks up to the door and comments to her self.
“
Hmm
…
Nice place.
”

  The mom leads Chris out to the back yard.
“
Lynn, this is Chris. Chris this is my daughter Lynn.
”
Chris shakes Lynn
’
s hand.
“
Okay you two, I have some things to take care of in the kitchen, so I
’
ll leave you alone. Have fun.
“

  
“
Your mom seems like a nice down to earth person. She didn
’
t have to leave. She
’
s welcome to stay.
”

Lynn is a pretty petite girl with short blond hair and green eyes. She smiles shyly at Chris.
“
No, she knows that if she stayed, I
’
d get all nervous and self conscience. This is all her idea. For some reason she thinks we should have professional photos done honoring my major milestone of turning 18.
”

Here Chris was worried she would be an uppity snob, but finds that Lynn is really sweet and bashful, much like herself. Chris smiles and pulls her camera out of her bag.
“
Okay. So are you ready to get to work?
”
  

After taking different shots in different poses, Chris sends Lynn off to change outfits. Waiting for her to come back, Chris notices out of the corner of her eye, that someone is watching her. She glances over in that direction and sees a teenage boy standing there, then  quickly looks away while thinking,
He looks familiar, maybe he
’
s come into the store when I was working there.
Chris looks back over at him again and he
’
s got a big grin on his face. Chris furrows her brow.

  
“
Jason?
”

He walks over and gives her a hug,
“
Hi Chris
”

  
“
Oh my God
…
Jason is it really you?
”
Chris wipes a tear from her cheek. It
’
s been ten years since she last saw him, standing by the window, watching her leave. Holding him at arm
’
s length she looks him over.
“
You have grown. I almost didn
’
t recognize you. What are you doing here?
”

  
“
This is the family that adopted me.
”

His adopted mom walks out,
“
You two know each other?
”

Jason has tears in his eyes now as he tells her,
“
This is Chris.
”

She gives him a quizzical look.
“
Your
”
Chris?
”

Jason smiles as he looks at her,
“
Yep,
“
my
”
Chris.
”

Chris looks at one and then the other and Jason
’
s adopted mom explains.
“
That first day he came to us, he was inconsolable. All he wanted was
“
his
”
Chris. In fact the first few days, everything we
’
d do, he
’
d tell us Chris already taught me how to do that, or Chris lets
me
spread the peanut butter.
”

Lynn has come back out and is standing there listening to them talk. Lynn reaches over to ruffle Jason
’
s hair.
“
He was a brat.
”

Laughing Jason
’
s pulls back.
“
Hey, I wasn
’
t either.
”

Lynn laughs,
“
And he still is.
”

“
Lynn, quit picking on your brother. He wasn
’
t a brat. He loved you Chris and didn
’
t trust anyone else, that
’
s all. The social worker told us about you when she first brought him. She told us to give him a few days to adjust and he did, after she came back on that Tuesday and gave him a hug from you, that is.
”
Jason grins. They talk for a while and Chris tells them about Barb and Brad and the birthday cake and her wish.

   Finishing up the photo shoot, Chris now knows why Lynn is a lot like her. It
’
s because Lynn was a foster child also. Chris picks up her equipment.
“
I
’
ll have the proofs ready on Tuesday. I won
’
t be there until 3 p.m. but you can come and go through them anytime Tuesday with Charlie or Steve.
”

His adopted mom smiles at her,
“
I think I
’
ll come by after I pick these two up from school, that way Jason can visit with you some more.
”
Chris thanks her and she gives Chris a hug.
“
No thank you for taking care of him and teaching him how to spread peanut butter.
”

Chris has tears in her eyes as she gives Jason another hug and then she turns to his adopted mom.
“
No thank you for giving him such a loving home.
”