The First Ladies Club Box Set

by J B Hawker

  When he explained the reason for his call, Marjorie suggested that he should come to her office, so they could discuss it in person. He made an appointment for that afternoon and rang off, frowning.

  Why did she want to speak in person? Were there going to be complications?

  Gideon could imagine how disappointed Hope would be if Dawn couldn’t stay with them.

  He sent his wife a text, letting her know about the appointment, and returned to his sermon notes.

  …

  In the car on the way to a shopping mall north of Tillamook, Hope heard her phone ding with the incoming text.

  “Dawn, can you see what that is?” she asked, nodding at the phone in her purse on the floor by her passenger’s feet.

  Dawn picked it up and read Gideon’s message.

  “Pastor says he’s got an appointment with Merry at CPS this afternoon,” she said, looking at Hope with a question in her eyes.

  “Good,” Hope said. “Thanks.”

  “Is it about me?” Dawn asked.

  “There are a few things to work out. Nothing to worry you. Have you finished that list of what clothes you need?” Hope asked, changing the subject.

  “Are you sure you guys can afford to get me all this? I don’t really need to change clothes every day,” Dawn said, looking over her list.

  “Don’t be silly. We aren’t going to go broke buying you a few of life’s necessities. Besides, it’s going to be fun!”

  Hanging back a few cars behind, unnoticed by Hope, Dwayne and Beto were following them.

  “It’s too bad this heap doesn’t have more guts,” Dwayne complained. “If we had the van, we could run them off the road and get this over with.”

  “Nah, there’s too much traffic today, it being a school holiday and all. We gotta do it where no one’s gonna see. Just keep ‘em in sight. I’ll let you know when it looks good to grab her.”

  …

  At the mall, Hope and Dawn abandoned themselves to the search for Dawn’s new wardrobe, trying on various outfits, mixing and matching to their hearts’ content.

  “This really is fun,” Hope said. “I’ve never bothered much with fashion. I usually stick to a few things I feel comfortable in. You know, things I know look okay on me. Of course, in the military, there’s not much need to accessorize.”

  Dawn pulled a ruffled, asymmetrical top over her head, smoothed it out over colorful leggings, and twirled around.

  “How’s this?” she asked.

  “Cute!” Hope replied. “And very trendy... at least I think so...”

  “I’ve seen the popular girls dress like this, but I never thought I could.”

  “You look great. Say, as long as we’re here, why don’t we get our hair done, too?” Hope suggested.

  “Really?”

  “Sure. It’s been months since I had a trim. How about you?”

  “I’ve, uh, I’ve never had a professional haircut,” Dawn said.

  “That settles it. We’ll pay for these clothes and head over to that Sassy Scissors salon we passed on the way in. Their sign said they welcome walk-ins. We’ve got plenty of time before I need to be back for my next class.

  “If we get done soon enough, we can have lunch in the food court before going home,” Hope said, gathering up the clothes in the dressing room and walking out.

  “Home. That’d be a fine thing,” Dawn muttered under her breath as she buttoned her shirt.

  …

  “How long are we gonna hang around in this stupid parking lot?” Dwayne whined. “My butt hurts from this sagging car seat... and I’m hungry.”

  “Shut up about your stupid butt. We are staying until our target comes out. It’s your fault everything got botched up, so quit complaining. The boss wants that stuff back, one way or another,” Beto said. “I’m trying to save your scrawny butt, so just shut up.”

  Dwayne bit back a retort and slumped down in the seat, trying to find a more comfortable position. As he wriggled around, he spied the sun glint off Hope’s shiny auburn curls in the side mirror. He turned around to see her coming toward them with her arms full of shopping bags. Dawn trotted happily at her side, doing her best to match Hope’s long stride.

  “Psst! Here she comes!” he spat.

  “Get down,” Beto warned, pulling Dwayne down out of sight.

  Hope and Dawn walked past, never giving the two men in the old car a thought as they talked and giggled together on the way back to Hope’s Jeep.

  “Your hair looks super!” Dawn said as she slid onto the passenger seat. “I wish I had curly red hair, instead of my straggly dirty blond mop.”

  “Straggly? Dirty? Didn’t you look at yourself in the mirror when your hair was done?” Hope asked. “You look so cute with that sleek, shiny bob. I’ve always wished I could have straight hair like yours.”

  “Really?” Dawn said, looking at herself in the rearview mirror and smiling. “We must look pretty spectacular. There’s two old guys parked a few cars back who keep staring at us.”

  “They probably haven’t seen a couple of stunners like us, before,” Hope laughed, pulling out of the parking space and heading for the exit. “Which car were they in?”

  “I can’t see it from here. It was pretty beat up. Maybe they live in it,” Dawn said.

  “I hope not. Whether they are homeless because of drugs, mental illness, poor choices, or even plain old bad luck, I can’t help but feel sorry for people living on the streets, like that.”

  “If they can’t find me another foster home, I’ll probably be one of them,” Dawn said, all the joy leaving her face.

  “We won’t let that happen, so just don’t even think about it. Which outfit are you going to wear to school tomorrow?”

  Chapter EIGHTEEN

  “As I explained to you and your wife the other night, these foster parent applications take time. There are background checks, of course, and site visits, etc. It is so important to place these fragile children into a good environment,” Marjorie Merriweather said, her hands clasped on the stack of forms on her desk.

  Sitting across from her, Gideon leaned forward, saying, “I thought when you had dinner with us that some of this had been taken care of, under the circumstances.”

  “Well, yes. Just as I told you, there is a serious shortage of well-qualified foster parents in this area. Even the not-so-well-qualified are in short supply. We need many more couples like you and your charming wife, but there are regulations we must follow. Your application to provide emergency, short-term housing has been provisionally approved, letting you keep Dawn for the moment, but requesting long-term approval requires a whole new application process.”

  “Fine. I understand. So, can we begin the process today?” Gideon asked. “My wife is especially eager to let Dawn know she won’t have to leave.”

  “You haven’t made the girl any promises, I hope,” Marjorie said, frowning. “She’s had more than her share of disappointments in her young life.”

  “Of course not,” Gideon replied.

  “That’s good. Unfortunately, Dawn’s previous placements have not worked out, and not because all of her foster parents were as disappointing as Mrs. Jones,” Marjorie said, adding, “How that woman was ever approved, I can’t imagine.”

  “Have the authorities found her, yet?” Gideon asked.

  “Not that I’ve heard. Why?”

  “I would like to be able to reassure Dawn that woman won’t be showing up, trying to get her back,” Gideon replied.

  “There’s no possibility of that happening, Mr. Hopkins. If Mrs. Jones is located, she will be arrested.”

  “I’m happy to hear that,” Gideon said. “So, can we begin the application process today?”

  “It might be better to wait a little while. After you’ve had Dawn in your home for a few weeks, you may decide this is an undertaking you’d rather not attempt,” Marjorie suggested.

  “What do you mean?”

  “As I mentioned, not all the
girl’s placements failed because of the foster parents. Dawn frequently acts out. She’s a very angry child... not without reason, I grant you,” she said, holding up a hand when Gideon began to protest. “However, you and your wife have never raised a child. The fantasy seldom matches the reality, even when raising one’s own children. Foster kids bring a lot of baggage into your home, much of it completely unexpected.”

  “I think Hope and I have a pretty good idea of what to expect. My sister and I were raised by our grandmother on a reservation. Foster parents there were the norm. Also, my wife was a foster child herself. She has seen the system from the inside,” Gideon explained.

  “I see. Well, that will certainly be taken into consideration when the time comes. Nevertheless, I’d like to delay the application until you have a settling-in period. Let’s make an appointment for next month and see how it goes, shall we?” she said, standing up and holding out her hand.

  Disappointed, Gideon stood and shook the woman’s hand.

  “You can make the appointment with my secretary on the way out. And please, don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any problems or questions during Dawn’s stay,” Marjorie said, smiling.

  Gideon nodded and went out to arrange the appointment, determined to prove to the social worker just how wrong she was.

  …

  Gideon’s sister waved from a booth in the Boatworks coffee shop when she saw him enter.

  He kissed her on the cheek and then slid onto the opposite bench.

  “Why the scowl, bro?” Shebana asked, seeing his thunderous expression. “Did you get up on the wrong side of the pulpit today?”

  “Very funny,” Gideon said, rolling his eyes at his sister’s attempted humor.

  “Seriously, then, what’s got your skivvies in a bunch?” she asked.

  “I just came from a meeting with Children’s Protective Services.”

  “It didn’t go well? Is there a problem finding your wayward girl a home?”

  “You could say so... and her name’s Dawn,” Gideon replied.

  The waitress came for their orders before he could elaborate.

  When she walked away, Shebana leaned in, saying, “Well?”

  “The social worker was so helpful about Dawn’s emergency placement, but when I requested a more permanent arrangement, she had one objection after another.”

  “What do you mean, a more permanent arrangement? You and Hope aren’t planning to keep that delinquent, are you?” Shebana asked.

  “Why do you keep doing that, Sheba?” Gideon challenged.

  “Doing what?”

  “Dawn has had a really rough time of it, and she’s gotten into some trouble in the past... not unlike a certain sister who’s not a million miles away. So, why do you keep calling her wayward and delinquent? I’d expect a little more compassion from you,” he said.

  Shebana looked chastened.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. I suppose her situation just hits a little bit too close for comfort. If I begin to empathize, it’ll be a painful reminder of the bad old days. I’m sure she deserves every opportunity to make something of herself and I wish her well.”

  “Just not with Hope and me?” Gideon probed.

  “Well, yeah. I don’t know why you’d want a live-in reminder of that life, either,” she said. “Are you sure Hope is up to taking this on? Does she have any idea how hard it will be? The girl’s got a ton of baggage, you know.”

  “Of course, I know and so does Hope. I guess she never told you, but Hope was raised in foster care. She’s got a pretty clear picture of what is involved,” Gideon replied.

  Shebana sat back, looking startled.

  “Hope was a foster kid? I suppose that’s one of the things that drew you together. I wonder why she never mentioned it to me.”

  “She didn’t tell me, either, until just recently. I don’t think she likes to dwell on it. She lifted herself out of it all and wants to stay focused on today’s blessings, maybe,” Gideon said.

  Their burgers arrived and they concentrated on the food for several moments.

  “You really don’t think becoming foster parents is a good idea?” he asked after taking a drink of cola. “Who could make better foster parents than two people like us?”

  Shebana chewed a French fry slowly before replying.

  “I’m sure you guys would be terrific foster parents. Dawn, or any kid, would be lucky to have you. I’m just wondering if it would be good for you and your marriage.”

  Gideon frowned. This was an aspect he hadn’t considered. How would having Dawn long-term, and other foster placements in the future, change the dynamics of his family life? He and Hope would lose a lot of privacy, as he’d already learned in the short time Dawn had been in their home. Would the spontaneity of their relationship be lost?

  “Well, I don’t have any worries about painful memories, as you do,” he said. “We’ll just have to wait and see if our application is approved, I guess.”

  “I’ll pray for God’s will to be done in this, Gid,” Shebana said, wiping her hands on a napkin and pushing her empty plate aside.

  “I guess you and Hope will make it work if it’s meant to be. Let me know what the CPS decides,” she said, getting up.

  “I’ve got to get back to my desk. I’ve got a magazine article due tomorrow and I’m still trying to find a focus,” she added.

  Gideon stood and kissed her on the cheek, then picked up the lunch check and followed his sister as far as the cash register where she gave him a quick hug before going out, saying, “Thanks for lunch.”

  Gideon handed over his credit card to pay for the meal, thinking that while he’d treated his sister to lunch, she had given him food for thought.

  …

  “Oh, my goodness! Look at the time,” Hope said as they drove into Bannoch. “I should have been setting up for class by now.”

  “I made you late. I’m sorry,” Dawn said.

  “Not your fault, dear. I was just having fun and forgot to look at the time, but do you mind coming to class with me? If I drop you at home first, I’ll be really late.”

  “Sure. It will be fun watching you teach martial arts. Maybe I’ll pick up a few tricks,” Dawn said, as though joking, but she was thinking some self-defense training could have come in handy in the past and it might be helpful in her uncertain future, as well.

  Hope pulled into the church parking lot and hurried into the building with Dawn right behind her.

  Dawn helped Hope to spread out the mats and set up the room.

  They finished just as the first student entered the basement social hall. Dawn was surprised to see one of the older women from Mount Zion come down the steps.

  Sister Evans was dressed just as she was for church, floral shirtwaist, patent leather shoes, silly hat, and all. How was she supposed to learn martial arts in that getup?

  “Sister Evans!” Hope cried. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

  As the rest of the class gathered, Dawn realized they were all old people, dressed more for a tea party than a self-defense class. When Hope took her place at the front of the room to welcome her students, it became clear that this class was not what Dawn had supposed.

  “Now, our major purpose in this class, as you know, is to make you less attractive as potential victims to purse snatchers and other predators out looking for vulnerable targets. You will learn a few techniques for defending yourself in the unlikely event you are attacked, but what we are aiming for is to avoid ever needing to use those skills, right?”

  Dawn sat on the steps and watched Hope put the class through their paces. She admired Hope’s skill and the way she held everyone’s attention, treating her elderly students with respect, humor, and affection.

  Dawn wished she could be more like Hope. She felt her stomach tighten as she thought about the day when another foster home would be found, uprooting her, again.

  Looking down at her feet, Dawn tried to harden herself against the inevitable s
eparation. She told herself Hope was just like all the do-gooders who turned her out at the first sign of trouble. Dawn briefly considered putting Hope to the test by doing something shocking, but the idea of disappointing her was too painful.

  Since the camping trip when she’d begun to forgive her birth mother, Dawn was less consumed with her own grievances and rage, making room in her heart for compassion toward others.

  …

  Stationed on the edge of the church parking lot, Dwayne and Beto resumed their surveillance while waiting for Hope to emerge and become more vulnerable.

  “Why don’t we just go in and grab her?” Dwayne asked, getting impatient. “You saw, it’s all just feeble old folks going in there. They couldn’t put up much of a fight, even all together. They’d probably keel over with heart attacks as soon as we walked in.”

  “You are such an idiot,” Beto said, staring out the window. “No wonder the boss had me ride herd on you.”

  “Ride herd on me? This is my territory, isn’t it? You’re just the hired muscle!”

  Beto turned his head and glared at his companion until Dwayne slunk down behind the steering wheel and made a show of concentrating on the front of the church, mumbling obscenities under his breath.

  Dwayne was once again squirming around on the uncomfortable seat when Beto smacked him on the shoulder.

  “Look! They’re coming out. Get down,” he hissed.

  The two miscreants watched as the senior citizens exited the building

  Seeing the elderly people stop in clumps to chat rather than walking immediately to their cars, Beto grumbled impatiently.

  “What are they hanging around for?” he complained. “Don’t they have homes?”

  A city bus pulled into the parking lot and many of the class members climbed inside, leaving only a few people on the sidewalk after the bus pulled away.

  “Would you like a ride?” Sister Evans asked the older gentleman standing beside her. “I’ve got my car.”

  “I already called a cab, but thanks,” he replied.

  “Well, then, if you don’t want to call back and cancel it, I’ll keep you company while you wait,” she said, leading the man over to a retaining wall and sitting down.