Her Journey Begins (9 page)

  
“
Why though?
”

  
“
Because
…
I don
’
t like to create problems for anyone else. You know it doesn
’
t matter what kind of car you drive, or if you wear designer clothes, get your hair and nails done. None of those things make you a good person. Just because someone has more money, doesn
’
t make them better than anyone else. I think I never said anything because it
’
s made me a better person on the inside. When you started tugging on my hair every day, it made me feel good and yet at the same time, I was afraid that you were like everyone else. That maybe you paid attention to me just for the laughs you got. Even on that day when I stayed after school the first time to watch your game. You had told me to wait until you came out of the locker room and as I was sitting on the bleachers looking around and seeing that I was like the only one left sitting there, I started panicking that you were playing a practical joke on me and I would be the laughing stock of the school on Monday.
”

  
“
Chris where
’
s your real mom at?
”

Chris shrugs her shoulders.

  
“
I have no idea.
”

  
“
Have you ever thought about trying to find her?
”

  
“
Don
’
t want to.
”

  
“
Why?
”

  
“
Because Barb and Brad are my parents, maybe not biological or legally, but in my heart they are and if I found my biological parents, things would be different and I
’
m happy right where I
’
m at.
”

  
“
Don
’
t you think that
’
s being just a little bit selfish on your part?
”

  
“
Nooo, because everything happens for a reason and some things are just meant to be. Besides I wouldn
’
t have met you if things didn
’
t happen the way they have. Brandon what are your parents like? I don
’
t think I
’
ve seen them at your games, well I don
’
t know what they look like, so I wouldn
’
t know who they were, even if I did see them.
”

He smiles a sad smile.

  
“
They are high society snobs like most of the students at our school. Well my mom is. Dad
’
s away on business a lot so he doesn
’
t come to my games and mom, well you would never catch her sitting on a cold hard bleacher. In fact dad had to go to NY on business yesterday and mom decided to go with him to do some shopping. They won
’
t be back until the day before Christmas, so I have the house to myself. Wanna come over and keep me company?
”

Brad pokes his head out the door.

  
“
Brandon, Barb wants to know if you want to stay and have dinner with us.
”

  
“
No I should go, I think I
’
ve imposed enough.
”

  
“
You haven
’
t imposed. Besides it
’
s spaghetti night and we have a lot of fun on spaghetti night, don
’
t we Chris?  Chris keeps us entertained throughout our entire dinner, right down to the last noodle slurped.
”

  
“
Dad!
”
 

Brandon smiles at her.

  
“
You slurp noodles?
”
He grins at Brad,
“
Yeah I
’
ll stay.
”

  
“
Great! Barb says to come in and wash up.
”

Brad closes the door and Brandon grabs Chris
’
hand as she goes to get up. Chris sits back down and whispers.

  
“
What?
”

  
“
You really slurp your noodles?
”

Chris punches him in the arm.

  
“
Shut up. Come on let
’
s go eat.
”



  While Chris and Barb put away the leftovers and clean up the kitchen, Brandon and Brad go in to watch the game on TV.

  
“
Mr. Clancy.
”

“
Mr. Clancy?
”
Brad raises one eyebrow at Brandon.
“
What
’
s up with that?
”

Brandon smiles,
“
I want to take Chris out. You know maybe for pizza and a movie. I mean, we are out of school for a couple of weeks and even though you don
’
t know me very well and you won
’
t let her ride in my car
…
.
”

Brad chuckles.
“
I can
’
t see any harm in that. She should be going out on dates. Ask her.
”

Brandon grins,
“
Thanks
”

Chris and Barb come out of the kitchen and Brandon looks at Chris.

  
“
I
’
ve got to go. Will you walk me out?
”

   Out on the front porch Brandon takes Chris
’
hand in his.

   
“
Will you go out with me tomorrow? We could go get a pizza and see a movie.
”

  
“
I
’
ll have to ask my mom.
”

  
“
I already asked your dad and he said it was okay.
”
 

  
“
You asked my dad if I could go out with you? And he said yes? Boy is he going to be in trouble with mom. Then yes, I
’
d like that.
”

  
“
You like the fact that your mom will be mad at your dad?
”

  
“
No
…
I like the fact that you asked my dad and he said yes, and
…
Yes, I
’
d like to go out with you on a date. This is a real date, right?
”

Brandon grins at her.
“
You are so funny. Yes, it
’
s a real date. Look in the paper and see what movie you want to go see and I
’
ll pick you up tomorrow at 5:30. That should give us enough time to eat and get to the drive in before the movie starts at 6:45.
”
Brandon lets go of her hand.
“
I
’
ve got to go. I
’
ll see you tomorrow.
”

Chris watches him walk out to the car and drive away before going inside.



   In her room for over an hour getting ready, Chris hears a soft tap on her door.

  
“
Come in
”

The door opens and Barb pokes her head in.

  
“
Need help?
”

Turning this way and that, Chris looks at her reflection in the mirror.

  
“
Do I look okay?
”
Barb opens the door wider and walks in.

  
“
This coming from the girl whom Brandon has been tugging on her hair and telling her,
Good morning Beautiful
, for the past four months, even when she wears her baggiest t-shirts? First date jitters, huh?
”

  
“
I guess.
”

  
“
You look great. Now how about we make that little braid in your hair that Brandon likes? Sit down, relax, and quit fidgeting.
”

Barb is finishing Chris
’
braid when they hear the doorbell ring. Chris jumps up.

  
“
Oh shoot there he is.
”
Listening Chris hears Brad open the front door.

  
“
Don
’
t you dare say,
“
Hi Mr. Clancy.
”

Brandon lets out a nervous laugh.

  
“
Okay, I won
’
t. Hi Dad, is she ready to go?
”
Brad laughs and Chris comes bounding down the stairs with Barb right behind her.

  
“
Bye mom, Bye dad, I know, come home right after the movie.
”
She grabs Brandon
‘
s hand.
“
Come on, let
’
s go.
”

They get out to the car and Brandon opens the door for her.

  
“
What was all that for? Are you in a hurry?
”
He asks as he gets in on the other side.

  
“
Yes, I
’
m starving.
”
Chris grins as her stomach starts to growl.



     Lying in bed that night, Chris replays the whole evening back in her head.
She hopes he enjoyed himself as much as she did. The movie was great, they shared popcorn, he held her hand the whole time, never once did he try to take advantage of her and when he walked her to the door he pulled her into his arms and kissed her goodnight.
Chris sighs while thinking how soft and warm his kiss was and how it made her tingle everywhere
. 



    After that night Chris and Brandon are pretty much inseparable. She still rides the bus home, but other than that
…
Brandon doesn
’
t care who knows that they are a couple. He holds her hand whenever they are together and  kisses her every time they part ways. She
’
s found that in some ways, it
’
s a good thing, because some of the other kids at school are finally starting to warm up to her. Yeah, there are still the die hard snobs like Amber, but Chris doesn
’
t worry about what they think of her. Even Brent has started dating one of Chris
’
friends and the four of them double date. Sometimes Brad and Barb even go to bed early on Fridays and let Brandon and her have the living room to themselves until 11 p.m. Last night Brandon didn
’
t leave until 11:30 and now this morning while Chris is making breakfast Barb starts asking random questions.

  
“
Chris, do you want some help?
”
Chris stops what she
‘
s doing..
Okay what
’
s up with that? Mom
’
s never offered to help me make breakfast on a Saturday before.

  
“
No, I
’
ve got it all under control mom.
”

  
“
Chris?
”

Chris grins.
“
Mom?
”

Without even putting her paper down, Barb asks.

  
“
Chris, have you and Brandon been having sex?
”

  
“
Mom!
”

Barb folds her paper in half, lays it down on the table and turns around in her chair to face Chris.

  
“
Chris if I don
’
t ask, I wouldn
’
t be taking care of my parental responsibilities, now would I?
”