by Lori Saltis
Penny sighs. “I guess I’m being nosy. I know how it is on the Crossroads.” Her frown becomes pensive. “You don’t have a problem with me being a Strowler, do you?”
“What? No.” I hesitate. It can’t hurt to tell her and might earn me some points. “I’m kind of a Gypsy, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m Hakka. That’s Chinese for…”
Her mouth gapes open before she interrupts. “You’re Hakka?”
“You know what that is?”
“Of course. Kai’s father was Hakka.” She squints. “You’re not a member of the Two Dragon Clan, are you?”
How did she guess that? Because you have to be Hakka to be a member of the Two Dragon Clan, dumb ass. I want to smack myself. I take a shallow breath and try sounding cocky. “Hell, no. I got nothing to do with those losers. Why?”
She stares at me for a moment, as if trying to figure out my reaction. Then she shrugs. “Kai’s father was, until he decided to walk the Wayward Way.”
Talk about a loaded sentence. I take a sip of tea to cover my surprise. She gnaws her lip as if wondering if she’d said too much. I rest my head against the rail attached to the banister and try looking casual. “Why did he do that?”
Penny leans against the wall, shifting so her skirt covers her thighs. “He was a musician. I guess that’s not acceptable to the Two Dragon Clan. I mean, not as a profession. They’re not real supporters of the arts, so to speak.”
Tell me about it.
“Anyway, he dropped out and busked around London until he met my parents.”
“Busked?
“Played music on the street.”
“Um, what about your dad? I mean, um… I guess I shouldn’t ask that.”
Penny cocks her head. “You mean since you won’t tell me anything?”
I shrug.
So does she. After a sip of tea, she sets down her cup and looks me in the eye. “My father was gay. Does that bother you?”
“Why should it? I don’t care if someone’s gay or not.”
The hunch slips off her shoulders. “I knew I liked you for a reason.” She pops the last bit of cupcake into her mouth.
She likes me. My head spins. How can she like me when I’m so gloomy and silent? But she does. She just said so. I want to say I like her, too, but my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. I slurp up some tea and a drop dribbles down my chin. Smooth move.
Penny doesn’t seem to notice. She keeps on talking in that brilliant accent. “I wish more people on the Crossroads felt the same way. Bloody macho culture. It’s probably more acceptable here in San Francisco. As for London, well, nobody really cared. It was a great place to walk the Wayward Way.”
Can she be more perfect? “So, you’re on the Wayward Way, too?”
She spears her fork into the lemon bar on her plate. “I was born on it.”
“I’m supposed to be on the Glory Road, but it’s bullshit. I’m on the Wayward Way now.”
“Did you run away?”
I give the slightest of nods.
“From far away?”
I rest my chin on my knee. I want so much to tell someone, to trust someone. “I’m from here.”
“San Francisco?”
I nod.
“You can’t go home?”
I shake my head.
She sighs. “I know how that feels. I want to go home, but I can’t.”
“Home? You mean back to Ireland?”
“Not really. I’m Irish, but Strowlers don’t really have nationalities. We move around a lot. But if there was a place I’d call home, it would be London.”
“How come your dad – dads? – aren’t with you tonight?”
I said the wrong thing. The sparkle in her eyes fades and she stares at the plate resting on her knee. I’m about to say never mind when she speaks in a soft voice. “They’re gone. My mother married a Bleater. That’s why we’re here instead of London.”
Gone as in dead? I don’t want to ask because I don’t want to talk about it, because if I do, I might spill my guts. Instead, I ask, “What’s a Bleater?”
“It’s what we call outsiders, people not on the Crossroads.”
“Oh, yeah. The Beggar Clan calls them Mundanes.”
“I know.”
I wait for her to continue, but she takes a glum bite of lemon bar. Then she sets down her plate and leans her cheek on her knee so we’re face to face. “I like talking to you. It’s easy.”
“I like talking to you, too.”
She smiles and my heart dances. “You haven’t said much.”
“I feel like I have.”
“Quiet boy. How old are you?”
“Fifteen.”
“Oh. I’m sixteen.”
“I’ll be sixteen in October.”
“Really?” Her smile widens. “That makes us both monkeys.”
For a moment, I’m impressed she knows she was born in the Year of the Monkey. Then I remember her Chinese stepfather. “Yeah, it does.”
“I like monkeys.”
“Me, too.”
Her green eyes sparkle before me. Her mouth looks like a rose bud. I want to kiss her. Want it so bad, I can’t stop myself. I arch my neck, leaning into her. She looks startled. Then she gives a little gasp and closes her eyes. I close my eyes, too. Somehow, our mouths meet. The soft press of her lips and the faint taste of lemon and chocolate make my mind spin.
She ducks her head. “I’ve never kiss a boy before.”
“Me, neither.”
Penny grins. It takes me a moment to realize what I’d said. Oh, man. My cheeks burn.
She gives me a little nudge with her shoulder. “It was nice.”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I like you.”
“I like you,” she whispers back.
We share a smile. I want another kiss, but don’t want her to think I’m a pushy creep. Maybe if I wait, she might… I take a breath as she leans a little closer, shy mischief on her face. My eyes close and I hold my breath. Our lips touch and then part. I taste the tip of her tongue and my body sets on fire.
Bridie’s voice echoes through the warehouse. “Penny. Penny. Oh, bother, where is the girl?”
Penny draws back and sighs. She peers out between the iron railings. I follow her gaze. Her mother and brother are standing outside the dressing room, their instruments in their hands. “Looks like we’re leaving.”
My head drops. I stare at my knees to hide my disappointment. If only we could have had a few more minutes.
“I’d…” Penny pauses and takes a hesitant breath. “I’d like to see you again. I mean, if you feel like it.”
I look up, eyes wide. “Yeah, I do.”
She gnaws her lip and casts a guilty glance toward her mother. “Do you know where Parkside Academy is?”
I do, but I shake my head.
“It’s in the Sunset, on Fifth Avenue, close to Golden Gate Park.”
Close to Auntie Cat’s place, in walking distance, but not too close.
She speaks quickly. “When you cross Lincoln, there’s this walkway that leads into the park. About halfway down, to the right, there’s a dirt path. You want to meet me there? My lunch is at eleven-thirty. I’ll cut out and meet you at the top of the hill. Do you think you can find it?”
“Yeah.” I know exactly where she means. “I’ll be there.”
“See you tomorrow.” Penny glances over at her mother. Then she plants a quick kiss on my cheek. I barely feel it before she’s on her feet and flitting down the stairs. Then she turns, skirt swirling with her movement, and waves.
I wave back. Then I blink and she’s gone. Through the railing I see her join her mother and brother. John Walks Long gives a gallant bow over Bridie’s hand. Then Jeremiah escorts the Sparrows toward the back of the warehouse.
She kissed me. And she likes me. I run my fingertips over where she’d sat. The cement is still warm. I let out a shaky sigh. Bad timing – the worst. Why did I have to me
et her now?
I amble down the stairs, carrying our dishes like I’m helping with clean up. After dumping them onto a cart, I start clearing one of the tables. No one gives me a second look until Jeremiah comes striding over. He gestures me closer and speaks in a low voice. “You better get upstairs. There’s been a breach in our security.”
Oh, shit. “What do you mean?”
“One of my men caught a caterer sneaking in to take pictures with his phone. Claims he’d been paid by a reporter who wants a scoop on the Crossroads. Don’t worry. There weren’t any photos of you, but to be safe, you better get up to your room.”
As long as it isn’t about me, it should be okay. As I head upstairs, I stop at the step where I’d sat with Penny. The Beggar Chief won’t want me to go meet with her. He’d forbid me if he knew. And if my family finds out…
I give a dry laugh. My family. After all they’d done, their opinion of who I kiss doesn’t matter. And neither does John Walks Long’s. One way or another, I’m going to make it to the park tomorrow and nothing can stop me.
Chapter 20
Penny
I stare out the window at the headlights on the freeway. My first kiss. It had made me feel so… I don’t know what. Funny? No, not that. Warm? Happy? Both and more. I blow hot breath on the window and draw a pair of round glasses. Maybe next time he kisses me, he’ll take them off.
“Penny’s got a boyfriend,” Kai sings out.
“Shut up.” I smear the glasses with my sleeve. He kicks my seat. I turn around and try smacking him, but he ducks away too fast and I only manage to swat his knee.
“Ow. Mum,” he whines.
“That’s enough you two.” Bridie steers onto the off ramp before giving me a quick sideways glance. “A boyfriend?”
“Kai’s making fun because I was talking to that boy, Lennon.”
“What did you two talk about?”
“Yeah, what?” asks the little pest in the back seat.
Like I’m going to talk about my first kiss with him sitting there. I shrug. “I don’t know. Stuff. He liked our show.”
“How sweet,” Bridie says absently. The mention of a boyfriend should have her jumping down my throat with questions, but she’s barely spoken since we got in the car.
“You have a good time tonight, Mum?”
A little sigh escapes her lips. “Best I’ve had since…” She pauses. Her voice becomes faint. “Well, since your fathers died.”
I glance back at Kai. He’s stopped gloating and stares at our mother with a solemn face.
“John Walks Long is such a gentleman,” she continues, “and it felt good not having to sham anyone.”
It’s about time Bridie figured that out. How can she, how can any of us, have real friends or a real life as long as we’re being fake? I touch the smeared glasses. Maybe that’s why being with Lennon felt so special.
We drive the rest of the way in silence. Kai stretches out on the backseat and plays a game on his phone. I yawn and glance at the clock. It’s past eleven, but for once, I’m looking forward to getting up for school. I still have to figure out what I’m going to wear. Maybe that pinafore I’d made in Ms. G.’s class. It looks really cute with my gray leggings and ankle boots.
As the car approaches the house, Bridie sighs again. “Back to being who we aren’t.” She presses the garage door opener, heading up the driveway as the door rolls open. Then she hits the brakes.
Piles of clothes cover the garage floor, some of them draping Bill’s car, as if there had been an explosion that only affected our wardrobes. Kai and I jump out of the car. Blank-faced, Bridie climbs out more slowly. Then she leans against the bonnet as she’s about to fall over.
My brother and I exchange uneasy glances before entering the garage. I reach down and pick up a dress I’d made for Bridie. It’s still on the hanger. About half the clothes are on hangers. Some look as if they’d been dumped out of drawers. I recognize a heap of clothes that had been in the laundry basket. Shoes lay haphazardly as if thrown.
What happened? Had someone broken in while we were gone? But if that happened, then where’s Bill? I look back at Bridie, still frozen in place. “Mum?”
The back door swings open, hitting the wall with a bang. Kai and I jump. Bill stomps down the stairs, his face cold despite his angry movements. He knows. I can tell from that no-bullshit look in his eyes. He knew even before we’d left the house. Why hadn’t he said anything then? Dinner. Must be. He wanted a final meal from his domestic servant before he showed her the door.
Bill stops at the foot of the stairs and glares at Bridie. “I want you and your brats out of here. Now.”
Bridie’s breath shakes as she inhales. She stammers as she walks into the garage. “Darling, what… what’s wrong? Why…”
“Don’t you ‘darling’ me. I’m onto you.”
“Onto me? What do you mean?”
“I know, Bridie. You’re scamming me.”
This is it. Finally. The truth.
Bridie takes another tentative step forward. “Please, Bill. I don’t know who told you what, but…”
“Where were you tonight?”
Bridie opens her mouth and closes it. Her gaze drops. “I’m sorry. We weren’t at a PTA show. We performed at another place, a private party. I didn’t think you would approve, so I…”
“Is this who you were with?” Bill yanks his phone from his pocket and thrusts it out at her.
I squint. It looks like a picture of Bridie dancing with John Walks Long.
Bridie cautiously approaches Bill, staring at the screen. “Yes, that’s the host of the party.”
“Host? That’s what you call the man you’re sleeping with?”
My mouth drops open. He thinks Bridie is cheating on him with John Walks Long? Maybe the cat isn’t out of the bag. Bridie can wiggle out of an accusation of adultery. The picture isn’t even incriminating… except where did Bill get that photo?
Anger flashes across Bridie’s face and gives her voice more power. “I didn’t sleep with him. What are you talking about? I would never cheat on you.”
Bill swipes the screen, showing more photos of Bridie with the Beggar Chief. “Yeah, you wouldn’t cheat. You’d lie to your husband and expect him to foot all the bills for you and your brats while you sneak off to party with some lowlifes, but you wouldn’t cheat.”
“No, you don’t understand.”
“Game’s over, Bridie. I know who you are. I know what you are.” His contempt deepens when he says the word, ‘what.’ “You’re some kind of Gypsies. Strowlers. You scam people, collect what you can, and move on.”
The game is over. We’ve been snapped. This is what I wanted, right? So why can’t I breathe?
Bridie closes her eyes for a moment. An odd sort of calm seems to settle on her. She speaks in a quiet voice without emotion. “Yes, we’re Strowlers. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. That was wrong of me.”
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg. What about living with two men at the same time? And being married to both?”
My breath comes back in a gasp. How does he know about that?
Bridie looks stunned. It takes a moment for her to stammer out a reply. “I… I was afraid you wouldn’t understand.”
“Understand?” Bill scoffs. “Understand that you didn’t live on an Irish farm, that you lived in London? That you and those con artists traveled around, scamming people, while pretending to be a rock band? Understand that you scammed me, too?” He seems to relish spitting information at us.
“I’m not scamming you, Bill. I didn’t cheat on you.”
“You expect me to believe that? Sleeping with two men is like second nature to you.”
Rage burns my skin. How dare he scumber my mother? “Shut your filthy gob, you chub.”
Bill snorts like a bull. I’m sure he has some choice things to say to me.
Bring it. I’m so ready.
“Penny,” Bridie grips my arm with a frantic strength an
d yanks me behind her. “Sorry, sorry. She’s upset. She… Kai, it’s my fault, not theirs. Let’s not involve them.”
“You brought your kids into this. Raising them to be little con artists. Making me pay for their food and clothing, and schools. Well, I’m not your patsy anymore. I want you out of here. Now.” Bill jabs her in the chest.
Oh no he didn’t.
I storm forward with my brother to defend our mother. She spins around and catches hold of us, drawing us into a desperate embrace. “No. Stop it,” she whispers as we strain against her. “He’ll call the gardaí.”
No Strowler wants the police called for any reason. Much as I want to thrash him, I stand my ground and pant out my anger. Kai kicks the ground as he turns away.
Bridie wrings her tense white hands. “Bill, please. I’m sorry I lied to you. I don’t know what you were told, but we’re not conning you. Can we talk about this in private?”
His face doesn’t change. “Out. Now.”
She blinks. Tears spill down her cheeks. She stares at Bill a moment longer before giving a little nod. “All right, then.” She takes a deep breath and manages to sound calm, though her fingers tremble as she wipes her eyes. “Children, fetch our suitcases out of that corner.”
We do as Bridie asks, hauling over the baggage we’d brought with us from Ireland. We don’t try sorting through the piles, shoving our things into the suitcases as quickly as possible under Bill’s watchful glower. What doesn’t fit, we dump into plastic garbage bags.
After zipping up the last bag, I stride up to the chub. “My sewing machine came with me. You didn’t buy it. I want it back.”
He gives a tight shrug. “I’m going with you. Make sure you don’t steal anything.”
Angry words flood my mouth. I swallow them, afraid he’ll change his mind about letting me in. They burn going back down.
Bill marches me upstairs and looms in the doorway as I pack my sewing machine and fabric. I take a turn around the room. Have I missed anything? I get this feeling I should look in the bin. Gerry’s smile catches my eye. The photo! My breath catches in my throat as I snatch it out. Bent, but not torn. Relief makes me dizzy. With ginger fingers, I slide it into the sewing machine’s storage case.