Fabricating Jada

  Narrowing my eyes at her, I had to ask, "What makes you think this is a second chance? I'm going to age out of the system soon. It's too late for me to start over."

  "That's where you're wrong," Holly chimed in from the front door.

  I clutched my chest over my racing heart. I hadn't even heard her come out. These people were hell-bent on scaring me to death. She stepped in our direction and leaned against the side of the house.

  My words were frozen. My mind suddenly went blank.

  "Marsha has told me about you for years. I've always wanted to help, but I've never fostered before. It took me this long to get through the process and get approved so I would be able to. Let me help. If anything, you have a safe place to sleep and you'll never go hungry." She smacked the sides of her round hips. "Believe me, I love to eat."

  I laughed. I couldn't help it. She'd made fun of her big ass but not in a self-deprecating way I'd seen a million times before.

  Maybe she was different.

  "Seriously, though, it's your choice."

  My choice? I'd never been given the chance to choose what I wanted. I eyed her with suspicion. What else did I have to lose? Could I make it here long enough to age out? Or was that really reaching for too much? The battle within myself waged for only a few seconds before I gave in.

  "I'll give it a shot."

  "Great. I'll get your bag." Marsha practically jumped off the swing and ran to her car.

  * * *

  After her famous death glare and the threat that I'd better behave, we said our goodbyes and Marsha left. Holly invited me into the kitchen for a snack. I would have declined, but the rumble in my stomach wouldn't allow me. I couldn't really remember the last time I'd had a full meal. Sad, wasn't it?

  "Do you like mayo?" Holly stacked a monster of a sandwich together.

  "No."

  "Hah. Finally someone else to join the anti-mayo brigade."

  My brows furrowed together as I tried to figure out what planet this chick came from.

  She finished the double stack from heaven and pushed it to me. "Dig in. While you eat, I guess I'll go over the way things work around here."

  I had to squeeze the sandwich together to try to fit my mouth around it. My non-reply must have been an okay for her to continue. Oh.My.God, it was heaven. With each crunch of bacon and lettuce, my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

  "First off, I'm not the maid. If that was the case, Kyle would have kicked me out a long time ago." She shot me a sheepish grin. "Everyone is expected to clean up after themselves. Dinnertime, we eat together every night at the table. If it's softball season and we're running to practices, dinner is usually later so there are plenty of snacks for after school to hold you over."

  Snack? Dinners are eaten together? It's like Brady bunch bullshit.

  It was information overload and I wasn't sure how to feel about it all.

  "I know you've had to scrape for food before...That's not the case here. If it's in the pantry or fridge and you want it, eat it. Unless someone's name is on it, everything's fair game. If there's something specific you like to eat, we will get it. Let me know your favorite meal and I'll make it."

  No locked pantry? She couldn't be serious. My stomach growled at the thought of never having to go hungry again.

  "Um, what else? Oh, school. You will go to school every day unless you're sick. We expect good passing grades. Ds and Fs won't cut it."

  Good thing I could get As, then. She probably thinks I'm illiterate.

  I nodded and took another huge bite.

  "Chores—"

  And this was where she'd drop the bomb. You are now my bitch, boy.

  "Everyone has their own chores. Do your stuff on your list every week and you'll get an allowance. Don't do it, you don't get paid."

  Allowance? Seriously? I cocked my head to the side and watched her, waiting for the punch line that never came.

  "You'll share a room with Nash, but it'll basically be your room because he's not here much."

  I wondered if they were the shitty metal bunk beds with the cot mattresses I didn't fit on.

  "We weren't sure what you liked so we took the liberty of picking you out a comforter and sheet set. I hope they'll be okay."

  Did she go out of her way to buy me my own stuff? My mind was muddled as I tried to process the depth of this woman's kindness.

  Shove it down. Change the subject. "How old is Norm?"

  "Nash is also seventeen. He and Kate are only a couple months apart in age."

  That's strange.

  Holly leveled her eyes with mine. "I'm not accusing you of anything, but I'm going to put this out there. It goes for the same for everyone in this house. Do not steal from me and do not lie to me. If you want something, ask me and I'll do my best to provide it, within reason. You'll get a lot further with me by telling the truth instead of lying. You'll come to find I'm pretty laid back if you do what I ask. Kate calls me a hippie," she said with a laugh.

  She couldn't be for real. I swallowed the rest of my bite and asked the question I'd been dying to have answered: "If you've never fostered before, and you already have three kids, why would you want a juvenile delinquent to move in? Seems like you have the perfect life, so why mess it up?" I braced myself for the harsh words that usually followed this line of questioning.

  She paused a beat, like she was really thinking about my question. "Our life is far from perfect, but we work together, as a family. And I took you in because you needed someone genuine to give you a hand, yes?"

  "I guess. I just don't understand your angle." Why did I just say that aloud? Prepare for backlash, jackass.

  The look in her chocolate eyes softened. I didn't think I'd ever met a redhead with brown eyes before. Focus, D.

  "There is no angle." She shrugged. "Every child deserves to know what unconditional love is. No one should ever have to go through the things you've been through." She paused and forced a smile. "I guess the real reason for this is because I want you to know there's still good in the world."

  "I'm almost eighteen. I'm not a child anymore." I rolled my eyes at the obvious.

  "You were never given the chance to be." She acted as if this hurt her personally. It didn't make any sense.

  I slapped my chest and narrowed my eyes into slits. "But why me?"

  "Why not you?"

  I hated when people answered questions with questions. I didn't have an answer for her—not a real one, anyway. Insecurity crept its way in with her line of questioning. Sure, I could have come up with a bunch of bullshit that I fed the rest of the world, but something about the look in her eyes told me she wouldn't fall for it easily.

  "So what does your husband think about all this?"

  A slow grin spread across her face at the mention of him. "He's on board with it. Kyle is very straightlaced, but he's all about being respectful. That's all we really ask. Just respect us and the kids and we won't hover. We can build a mutual trust."

  Trust. I didn't trust anyone.

  It only took a few more bites to polish of my sandwich before I sat back and rubbed my overstuffed stomach. "That was really good. Thank you."

  She looked surprised by the fact I'd said "thank you." Actually I was kind of shocked I'd said it. There was something about Red that brought out a side of me I'd long since hidden.

  "When's the last time you went shopping for clothes?"

  "You're kidding me, right?" I glanced down to the worn, dirty jeans I had on and the ripped pocket on my hoodie.

  Holly held her hands up in defense. "Hey, the ripped-up, homeless look could totally be a fad."

  We both laughed. The tension in the room lifted and I felt a little lighter. I could tell she wasn't trying to offend me. There was a light, playful tone to her voice I wasn't used to, and she was easy to be around.

  "How about you get settled for now and we can go shopping to get you some new stuff in the morning after breakfast?"

  "You don't have to buy me any
thing." That same muddled feeling swarmed over me like a dozen moths to a porch light on a warm summer night.

  "Well you can either go with me and pick what you like, or I'll pick shit out for you and then you're stuck with what I get. The choice is yours."

  "Swear jar. And what is it with you and choices?"

  She laughed and smacked the counter. "Dammit, not you too."

  I held up two fingers. "That's two."

  Holly shook her head as if she couldn't believe I'd jumped on her anti-curse bandwagon. "Life is all about choices. Every choice you make can shape your future. I'm a firm believer in no one being able to make your life choices for you."

  She was good at speeches, I'd give her that.

  "Would you like to see your room?"

  I gave her a quick nod and stood from the table.

  * * *

  After a quick tour of the house, I couldn't believe this was where I was going to live for a while. It was more like a small castle and I bet it cost close to half a million dollars. These people were flush with cash. Part of me was flush with envy, knowing I wouldn't be there long. We stopped at the only door we hadn't been inside yet. Holly stood back and gestured for me to go first. Stopping dead in my tracks as soon as I had a foot in the room, I was forced to catch my breath. The room was huge, to say the least. There were two queen beds on opposite ends of the room, each with its own nightstand and a shared desk in between. On the opposite wall was a chest of drawers that had to be at least twelve feet long. A 44-inch plasma screen TV sat on top of it, next to an Xbox and a stack of games.

  I was pretty sure I'd walked into a dream.

  "All of the drawers on the left side of the TV are yours. The empty rack in the closet is also yours. We'll worry about filling it up tomorrow."

  I turned to face her with my brows raised in shock. "This is really my room?"

  "And Nash's, but yes." She pointed to the bed closest to me with the navy comforter that was pulled back on one corner, revealing gray-and-white pinstriped sheets. There were more pillows on that bed than I knew what to do with.

  "Is the bed okay? Like I said before, we guessed on color and pattern for the bedding."

  Is it okay? I might actually get some sleep for once in my life. A sense of calm fell over me. Not having to worry about bed bugs or all the other things that go bump in the night?

  "It's perfect." I took a deep breath and held it.

  "You'll share a bathroom with the girls. There's a door on either side that connects both rooms. So I suggest knocking if the door is closed. They can probably bust an eardrum with their screams."

  "So it's happened before?"

  "Someone walking in on them? Oh yeah. Nash only made the mistake once. My husband has yet to learn the concept of knocking. I'm positive he will think of Kate as a five-year-old forever."

  Dad has zero boundaries. Hmm. Wouldn't be the first time I’d seen that. Either she zeroed in on my facial expression or she could read minds. "Hey. He's not a creep, if that's what you're thinking. The idea of puberty and his daughters is still a concept he's in denial about."

  We'll see.

  She flipped on the light in the bathroom and I followed her inside. "The towels and washcloths are in that cabinet there. Your dirty laundry basket is in the bottom of your closet. I bought you a new toothbrush and your own toothpaste and I just went with a generic men's body wash and shampoo combo. If you don't like it, we can get something else when we go to the grocery store."

  My eyes blinked rapidly at her in disbelief while she moved around the bathroom showing me where different things were. "You didn't have to do all of this. I'm sure it's cost you a ton and you haven't even gotten the first check for me yet."

  "You need stuff, Dante. As far as your check goes, that's your money. I didn't take you in for a paycheck. I have a job. That money will go toward whatever you need. If you want to play a sport, need anything, whatever. That money goes toward your expenses, okay?" She reached out and patted my bicep as she walked past me. "If you need anything else, just ask Kate," she hollered back over her shoulder.

  I stood motionless, scrambling to understand why someone would go out of their way for someone they'd never met. She'd bought me things I'd never even think to buy for myself.

  A loud thud came from the hall, followed by Holly's scream. "Goddammit, Violet Ann! I swear you are trying to kill Mommy! Clean up your booby-trap toys on the stairs."

  The moment was enough to break the spell I was under.

  "Swear jar!" Kate and I yelled in unison.

  Kate pushed her side of the bathroom door open and leaned against the frame with her arms crossed over her chest. "Catching on already, huh?"

  I eyed her up and down. "Something like that."

  She was beautiful but could definitely eat some more. Her hazel eyes returned my stare, but her expression was harder than mine.

  "So what made you decide to stay in our screwed-up circus of a family?" Her words were laced with venom.

  I guess I deserved that. "Couldn't be worse than where I've been."

  "Don't hurt my mom, and if you do anything to my brother or sister I'll cut you. Got it?"

  I had to laugh. She couldn't be serious.

  "What about your dad?"

  "He can take care of himself."

  There was no way she weighed more than a buck twenty and was maybe five-foot eight? My six-foot two, one-hundred-and-eighty-pound stature could hold my own against the likes of her.

  "What's your deal with you and your mom anyway? You guys are freakishly close." My nose scrunched up like something just didn't smell right.

  Blondie propped her hands on her hips and dropped her chin with a raised brow. "We've been through a lot together. She's always been there for me and put my needs first no matter what it cost her, and she doesn't try to make me into something I'm not."

  The hard stare made me uncomfortable, but I wasn't about to show her that. I leaned back against the bathroom counter and mirrored her stance. "So she's for real? None of this is for free child slave labor?"

  She laughed in my face. Freaking laughed. "She'll tell you that it's child slave labor when she asks you to do something, but she really doesn't ask for much."

  "Yeah, we'll see."

  Kate stepped forward until she stood directly in front of me. I couldn't read the stoic expression on her face. She wasn't giving me anything to work with, so I did what I do best: Push buttons.

  "See something you like?"

  "Yes," she whispered.

  "Yeah?" This could get interesting.

  "I'd like you to get the hell out so I can go pee."

  And denied.

  I backed out of the bathroom with my hands up into my room as she slammed the door in my smirking face and locked it.

  * * *

  My duffle bag was sitting on my bed when I turned around, along with Little Red. Her presence left an uneasy feeling low in my gut. Violet swung her feet back and forth like she didn't have a care in the world. "I brought your bag up."

  "Thanks."

  "Do you want to play Minecraft with me?"

  Cocking a brow up at her, I had no idea what the hell she was talking about. "Play what?"

  "It's a game where we can build towns and houses and stuff. It's really fun."

  I looked at the bed beyond her with longing and wanted nothing more than to sink into it. "Maybe later."

  She hopped off the bed and skipped out of the room. "Okay."

  It only took me a few minutes to unpack my bag and stash it under my bed. My bed. A real freaking bed for the first time in my life. The pillows looked so soft. I crawled into bed and buried my nose in the pillows. They smelled so fresh I had to force myself to get up. The last thing I wanted to do was taint that smell with my stench. Maybe I'd take the shower for a test drive before I climbed onto those incredibly soft sheets.

  The door was still closed on my side of the room, but there was no way it took her that long to pee. I knocked tw
ice, but no answer came. Pressing my ear against the door to see if she was still in there, I heard nothing. The door flew open and I stumbled into Kate on the other side of it. My heart rate spiked yet again. I was going to die of sudden cardiac arrest before the end of my first day.

  Grasping her shoulders, I was able to steady us both. "Sorry, I knocked. I wasn't sure if you were still in here."

  "You can let go now." She looked down at my hands still on her shoulders.

  I pulled away quickly, not meeting her gaze. "Sorry."

  "I heard you knock. I forgot to open the door when I was finished."

  I knew I shouldn't poke bears, but who was I kidding? "Are you always this much of a bitch or is this just an added pleasantry for my arrival?"

  Kate clasped her hands together and pointed her index fingers at me. "Wow, your vocabulary has a couple of big words in it. Good for you."

  I leaned against the doorframe to study her. "Can you say anything without sarcasm?"

  She folded her arms over her chest. "I can, but what fun would that be?"

  Stroking my chin for a second, I pursed my lips. "Oh, I don't know, how about it could mean having a real conversation?"

  "Riddle me this, Einstein: you come in here hostile and rude...you insult my family, and then you expect me to want to have a conversation with you and not be sarcastic? Why would I?"

  Burn.

  "That's fair. I get it. I was an asshole, but coming from where I stand...I don't trust anyone. All these houses pretend to be nice while Marsha is around and the second she leaves, the shit gets real. What are you all anyway? Irish Catholic?"

  "Yeah, so? We don't go to church like my dad wants, though."

  "Explain to me why a bunch of redhead Irish Catholic folks want a black kid that's nothing but trouble, like me? It makes no sense. Unless it's some kind of look at us, we saved one of them."

  Kate pushed off the bathroom counter and shoved my chest. "Don't even go there. First off, not all of us are redheads. Second, don't try to turn this into some kind of race-baiting crap. My family is dysfunctional and they're crazy as hell, but when Marsha told my mom about you, the color of your skin never came up. She didn't care. She just wanted to help you. After meeting you, I have no idea why. You're a dick. If you need help finding something, find it yourself." With that, she turned on her heel and slammed her bedroom door on the other side of the bathroom.