Throw Away Teen (30 page)

“I unfastened my seat belt and reached for the door handle. Just to be nasty, I opted for the game that any foster kid knew how to play—
Everybody hates you so why don’t you eat worms
?’ I met Laurie’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “You really are a piece of work. A real evil bitch. No wonder nobody at the high school likes you. Everybody warned me you were the worst mom ever.”

Grabbing my backpack, I slid out and stood on the sidewalk. I held the door for a minute longer when I saw the bright red embarrassment on Sarah’s face. She looked like she was about to start bawling. I liked her and none of this was her fault, so I said, “I’m sorry, Sarah.”

“Nothing to be sorry for,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” I nodded and gave the door a shove and it slammed shut.

Laurie peeled out and left me standing there in the middle of Podunk, U.S.A. This was just great. I had no idea what part of Stewart Falls I was in, much less how to get home. I looked around and saw a couple businesses down the hill, so I started walking. Maybe, I’d find a pay-phone. Then, I could call Liz.

When I got to the bottom of the hill, I saw a strip mall with a grocery, a sandwich shop, a bank and a pizza place. Parthenon Pizza. Cool. That was the restaurant Ted called last Saturday. I headed across the parking lot.

Inside, the tables had red-checked cloths and candles in wine bottles. It was like an old time Italian deli. The aroma of pizza sauce and spaghetti filled the air. I went over to the counter and a fifty-something woman with dyed blonde hair came up, all smiles. She actually wore a big white apron over her clothes. The name printed in giant red letters across her huge boobs read “Zelda.”

“Hi, honey. What can I get you?”

“Do you know Liz Driscoll?” I asked.

“Yes. Why?” Concern slid into Zelda’s brown eyes. “Is she all right?”

“Well, she was when I left for school. She’s my foster mom and I need a ride home. Could you call her for me?”

“You bet.”

While she phoned, I looked at the menu. Cheer practice had left me starving. And the prices here were reasonable. As soon as she got off the phone, I ordered a small pepperoni pizza and a soda.

“Liz says she’ll be here in twenty minutes. Do you want your pizza here or to go?” Zelda plunked the order form on a wheel and somebody in the kitchen spun the thing around.

“I better have it outside. Somebody foisted off two kittens on me and you don’t want them loose in your restaurant.”

“Kittens? I love them. Let’s see them.”

I hesitated. Was she for real? I unzipped my backpack a little bit and the gray fluff-ball stuck his head up.

Zelda peeked inside. “They’re so cute,” she gushed. “I wish I could have cats, but my husband’s allergic. Let’s take them into the office. We’ll give them a little space to roam.”

“They might make a mess,” I said. “I’ll clean it up if they do.”

“Aren’t you the sweetest thing?”

“Not really,” I said. “I’m B.J. Larson, by the way. And everybody thinks I’m a pain in the butt.”

She actually giggled. What was up with that? Wasn’t she supposed to be an adult? “Come on, girl.”

The kittens ate some pasta, drank milk and romped around the office. I ate my pizza with them. Zelda brought me a box lined with newspaper and we tucked the kittens inside. She’d poked air-holes in the cardboard and the bigger kitten stuck out a white paw, but at least his head didn’t fit through.

When Liz arrived, Zelda walked me out to the main part of the restaurant where she waited by the cash register. “When will you be sixteen, B.J.?”

I eyed her suspiciously. “In July. Why?”

“I always need summer help.” She tore off a form, folded it and tucked it in the corner in the box. “Bring this by when you fill it out. Anybody who takes the time to rescue kittens is my kind of girl.”

“Hey, thanks.”

Liz caught my shoulders and eyed me. “Are you okay? I was worried sick when you didn’t come home on the activity bus. What happened?”

“I forgot to get a note from you,” I said. “The bus left without me and the day went downhill from there.”

“Okay, we’ll talk about it in the car.” She looked at the box I held. “And what do you have there?”

“Kittens,” I said. “I figured if you’d take me, you’d take them.”

“Got that right.” Liz put an arm around my shoulders as we headed for the door. “If you bring home anything or anyone who needs a home, they’re welcome.”

“So, I can keep them?”

“Yes, you may, but if they make a mess—”

“
I know. I know. I have to clean it up.”

On the way home, we stopped for cat litter and kitten chow. Liz told me I’d find a litter tray up in the attic so we didn’t have to buy one. I wasn’t surprised. She had everything up there. When we pulled in the drive, we saw Jocelyn and Chance sitting in the B.M.W.

“Oh, come on,” I said. “Don’t they have a home?”

Liz gave me a stern look. “Manners, B.J. When you have a guest, you make them welcome.”

“The kid’s okay, but her mother—”

“Is probably here to whine about Ted discussing the issue with your old backpack and what she did with the phone in the guestroom a few days ago with her husband. Be nice, B.J. If you snipe at her, I can’t jump on her case for doing the same to you.”

“Good point,” I said. “I’m sorry, Liz. I shouldn’t have been rude about your
real
kid.”

“And you’re my
real
kid too, so don’t be too much of an angel. I won’t be able to handle it.”

I laughed and got out of the car. I hoisted my backpack on my shoulder and picked up my box with the kittens. Liz grabbed the sacks from the grocery store and we headed toward Jocelyn’s fancy car.

She got out as we drew closer. “What do you have there?”

“Kittens.” I smiled at Chance. “Want to play with them?”

“Oh yes. I love kitties.”

“You can’t keep them,” Jocelyn informed me. “I’m allergic.”

“Then, don’t hold them.” Liz slid her arm around my shoulders. “They’re here and they’re staying.”

I’d been a little concerned about what I’d said when I first saw Jocelyn’s car, but now I relaxed. Liz never said anything she didn’t mean, so the kittens were safe. She was a good person. Gabe had told me once that he’d brought home a stray kitten. His foster father drowned it and made Gabe watch. No wonder, he had so many problems.

“Mother, you can’t take in every creature in the world.”

“That’s the difference between us, Jocelyn. I don’t believe in throwing away kids or animals. Whatever B.J. brings home is good with me. The same rules applied when you were her age.”

“What if I bring Irene?” I asked.

“What if we wait till you’re totally settled in and then we’ll gang up and convince Carol that it’s a good idea?” Liz fished in her purse and dragged out a set of keys. “Does that work?”

“Yeah,” I said, though I wasn’t quite sure I believed her.

“You’re actually thinking of taking in another one? Mother, what is the matter with you?”

“Well, I’m not dead yet,” Liz said, unlocking the back door. “And I tried to teach you to give back to the universe, Jocelyn. I may have failed with you, but I have high hopes for B.J.”

Wow, she’d nailed her daughter. I scooted inside the kitchen and toted my backpack and the kitten box upstairs to my studio. Guard and Chance followed me. Once we turned the kittens loose, we went back down to take Guard outside. After he’d gone to the bathroom, we headed back upstairs.

With the dogs for company, Chance and I explored the attic and found all the supplies that two growing cats would need. We’d barely finished when Jocelyn called for Chance to come along. They were leaving.

I took the kid downstairs. She about strangled me with a hug which totally annoyed her mother. I knew she’d think I was only doing it to be just as mean to her as she was to me, but I didn’t care. I liked the kid so I hugged Chance back.

“Next time, can I play with the kitties?” Chance asked.

“Sure,” I said. “We have all their stuff now and I’ll set up the litter box for them. Just remember to wash your hands afterwards because your mom’s allergic.”

“She can’t hold them,” Jocelyn informed me. “The hair is what makes me sick.”

“Okay, I’ll find her an old shirt to wear or something. Like an artist’s smock.” I paused. “Is Laurie allergic, too?”

Jocelyn gaped at me. “Laurie who?”

“Your cousin,” I said, trying to keep the ‘are you completely stupid’ tone from my voice. “After cheer practice, Sarah asked her to give me a ride home. Laurie freaked out about the cats. Is she allergic? Is that why she dumped me out of her car in the middle of nowhere?”

“I bet you were scared.” Chance tucked her hand into mine. “If somebody threw me out of their car and left me all alone, I’d cry. Did you cry, B.J.?”

“No, sweetie. I’m a foster kid.” I smiled sweetly at Jocelyn. “And we’re not allowed to cry. It’s the first lesson they teach us.”

Chance clung even more tightly to my hand. “But I bet you wanted to.”

A lump rose in my throat. Damn, the kid was smart. I’d never told anyone that, so how did a little kid know? I couldn’t look at Chance. Instead, I met Jocelyn’s gaze evenly.

She went pale under her makeup and then when she saw Liz in the kitchen doorway, a bit scared. “I didn’t tell Laurie to do that.”

“I’m disappointed in her.” Liz folded her arms, but she didn’t raise her voice. “’I hope you’d never embarrass or shame me like that, Jocelyn. I thought Evelyn raised her daughters to be decent people. I’ll have to have a visit with her.”

The notion of Liz and Evelyn getting together made Jocelyn grow even paler. She picked up Chance and scuttled to the door.

Liz pointed behind her to the kitchen phone. “Sarah called. She wanted to know if you got home okay. And she apologized for Priscilla forcing the kittens on you. Let Sarah know I’m keeping all of you, B.J. She was frightened I’d throw the three of you out.”

“Four,” I said. “If you did throw us out, Guard’s going with us. We’re a family.”

Liz nodded. “Okay. I can hardly wait until you decide that Ted and I are part of your new family, too. Go call Sarah, honey.”

I scooped up Guard and headed for the phone. Sarah was almost in tears when she answered. “I’m so sorry about what happened today, B.J. I had to wait until Warren got home so I could use his cell, and he’s promised to get me one of my own.”

“Why didn’t you just use the land-line?” I asked.

“My mom was still in a snit so I didn’t dare,” Sarah said, between sniffles. “I’m downstairs in Warren’s room. Even when Priscilla admitted that one of her classmates gave her the kittens, she didn’t get in trouble.”

“Well, you did say she was a princess,” I pointed out, cuddling Guard on my lap while we talked. “I don’t think most of them have to take responsibility for what they do.”

“Yeah, well I’m never depending on my mom again. I’m so sorry that she was such a bitch and Priscilla was so bratty to you.”

“It’s not your fault,” I said. “And we’re cool as long as you’re not mad at me for being so nasty to them.”

She really started crying then and I felt sooooo sorry for her. I’d invite her over to stay with me a lot more often. Laurie and Priscilla reminded me of some of my foster families. Nobody should be stuck with people like that.

I gave her a couple minutes to stop crying, then I said, ““Hey, you have to live with them, Sarah. I don’t. I have Liz. She came and got me.”

“How did you manage that?” Sarah demanded. “You just moved here and Stewart Falls is confusing enough for natives.”

“I found Parthenon Pizza,” I said. “Zelda was great. She called Liz for me. And Zelda offered me a summer job. Will you help me fill out the application?”

“Sure. But what about the kittens?”

“They’re with me,” I said. “And we’re all staying here. Liz laid down the law.”

Sarah’s voice filled with tears and she started to sob again. “I can’t believe my own mother would’ve killed them.”

“No, she just tried to make me leave them to die, Sarah. It wasn’t happening. I didn’t mean to get you in trouble.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. And I’ve been in trouble since the day I was born. My mom blames me for my biological father being a jerk.”

“Well, stop blaming yourself,” I said. “You’ve got enough people on your case. Don’t be your own worst enemy. I’ll see you tomorrow at school.”

When I got off the phone, I saw Liz collecting her purse and keys. “What’s up?”

“I’m going to see Evelyn. Please put some potatoes on to bake and make a salad. Tell Ted where I am if he gets home before I do.”

“Are you ratting them out?” I asked, cuddling Guard. He swiped my chin with his tongue. Ick. Some of his puppy kisses were gross even when they were cute. “That’s not a good idea, Liz. Evelyn has to protect her kid and Laurie will always be her daughter.”

“And I have to protect you,” Liz told me. “Nobody drops a kid of mine in the middle of a strange place and gets away with it. Laurie is almost forty. She needs to grow up and take responsibility for her actions.”

“Yeah, but I want Sarah to stay over and Laurie won’t let her if you jump on her case.”

“Sarah will be here tomorrow night or her grandmother will answer to me.” And Liz was gone.

CHAPTER 20

I snuggled Guard close and he got my nose this time. “I sure hope they don’t hurt her feelings or we’ll all be out of here. Come on, puppy. You need to meet the kittens and not eat them. No chasing them either.”

He woofed and I headed outside. I’d walk him first. Then, I’d put the potatoes in the oven. Liz and Ted liked them baked the old-fashioned way. After that, I could introduce my puppy to my new kittens. It’d be at least an hour before I needed to make the salad.

***

It was naptime for Guard and the kittens. They’d collapsed in a furry heap and I was in the middle of sketching them when Ted got home. I hadn’t heard his truck pull into the drive, so when I heard him knock on my studio door, I felt fear rise in my throat. What if he didn’t like the kittens? What if he tried to hurt them? More important, what if he tried to hurt me?