My dad was crying at our dinner table. I’d never seen my dad cry, never! Our pieces of pizza sat untouched. I swore you could have heard a mouse squeak if one had been in the room. Was my mom mad? Dad had tried to kiss someone else, well on one occasion nevertheless.
“I want us to try and be a family again,” Mom announced.
“Are you moving back in dad? When?” insisted Megan.
“That’s up to your mom. We’ve in the process of getting on the same page, to try and see each other’s views. It’s going to take time,” proclaimed our father.
“One day at a time that is what we promised ourselves, that we wouldn’t rush, but that we would accept each other as our relationship comes back together,” Mom explained.
“So,” pushed my sister.
“So, give them time,” I said.
Mom and dad both chuckled at that.
Things appeared to settle down after a short while. I’d wanted to ask my dad about the case all evening.
“Dad, a lot has been going on with the Du-Vance case. You said you’d keep in contact with Jenson, Molly, and me. Where have you been?” I pushed.
“Your mom and I have been catching up, so I’ve stepped back a bit. You haven’t seen Ranger Mike, since you met the clan. I stopped by the other day, and he told me you’d met Owl at a book club. He took you, Jenson, and Molly to meet Rascal and question him. It didn’t sound like anything new had surfaced, hence I wasn’t too anxious. I did hear you revealed Eva had a sister, Nuria. I already knew this, of course, being Eva is Cal’s mom. I wasn’t aware that Rascal didn’t know about her.”
“Dad, we believe Du-Vance might have gone searching for Nuria, and that was why he was killed. Eva said she’s a part of the fox clan. It wasn’t as Rascal had suspected. He assumed she was part wolf. I’m surprised you didn’t know this since it pertains to our clan.”
My dad stared at my mom with his eyes. I could read them in an instant. It was as if he was saying, should we tell her? What? If he knew so much about the case, why did he hide it from the people who required the truth the most? It was blatant; the massacre in River Rouge, Nuria, Du-Vance, and an enemy all fit together.
“Part fox, part wolf,” spoke up my mother.
“How can that be, and human? That seems impossible,” I argued.
“We assumed so too. Honestly, I don’t know why Starla. The only thing we know is she is physically a merge of a fox and wolf. The mental abilities, she has are united. It’s kept her separated from us if someone sought to mark one of us...”
“Can I go eat in the living room?” interrupted Megan.
“You should stay. It’s vital you recognize this. If something should occur, you ought to be well-informed. It may not seem significant, however you’re a part of this family. Therefore, you’re still part of the clan,” pointed out our mom.
“I’m meeting my friends on Monday before class to discuss the investigation, is there anything else I should be aware of?” I pondered.
My mom smoothed out her long strawberry blonde hair and then pushed it off to one side of her shoulders. She appeared to be observing my father’s features as I often did when admiring Jenson.
“The only people who truly understood Nuria are the natives she let in. Rascal, was probably the best person to go to for details. Owl led you in the right direction. I didn’t know her; I saw her a few times in passing before we left, but never to chat. She attended a few clan meetings, but it was a rarity to see her unless it was an urgent matter,” mom disclosed.
“Owl found a picture from a pow-wow of Nuria. He’s supposed to share it with us when we meet. I’m confident though that we’ll find clues in the cabin that may help us find out what is going on. I pray she’s still alive, that they didn’t get to her like they did Du-Vance. It makes me speculate if Rascal’s son didn’t have secrets too,” I said.
Chapter 19
Sundays were crazy at Denny’s. I’d already waited on several tables with crying children, one had spilled milk all over the table, and another screamed because we had no cherry topping left for pancakes. I was ready for the day to be over. Entering the wash area I put the dirty dishes in the sink and started the water for suds’.
“Hey, can you wash those? The dishwasher called in,” hollered Don.
“Yeah, sure, I need a break from waiting tables anyway. Do we have enough staff to cover?” I asked.
“Just enough,” he answered.
Marla swayed to the music behind me, as she snatched up the next breakfast order.
“Hey chica, I have to get this out, but we should talk,” she said.
“About what?” I asked.
“Life, friends, and college. You could use some breakfast. Did you even eat before you came in this morning? You always have so much running around in that brain of yours,” she added. Marla waved and continued swaying her way out of the kitchen into the dining area.
I hadn’t eaten. I’d been a bit antsy. Jenson had not called me all weekend, and neither had Molly. It seemed as if things were at a standstill. I hated playing the waiting game. I’d also been working up the nerve to ask him to the dance. Had he even asked me yet? I didn’t think so.
“Starla, there’s a girl out here, looking for you. Says her name is Molly. She seems extremely upset,” Don said, strolling up to me. “I told her she could wait til your shifts over. It’s after one o’clock you leave at 2 p.m. right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Well, your friend has perfect timing. I’ll let Marla know you have to leave now. She’s always, so chatty. I’m sure you two can hang out another time.”
“Sure, thanks,” I replied.
I finished up the dishes and placed them in our large drying unit. I’d stock up the food bar quick before I left. Ambling out to the dining area I glanced up, Molly sat in the booth near the entrance door. She looked miserable. I’d have to get her out of here. I didn’t think it would be a good idea to stick around. Possibly we could go get a bite to eat at the Sunshine Cafe. I didn’t want Marla to interrupt us. Molly hadn’t looked this frantic about anything since her grandmother died. Marla approached me and tapped me on the back. I turned around.
“I’ve got this, just put away the dry dishes in the back. We’ll chit chat another time. I can’t imagine what’s going on with that friend of yours, but she needs you,” said Marla.
“Thanks,” I replied.
I was putting the last dish away in the stack when I heard a loud crash. Peeking out, I saw a toddler had knocked over a pitcher of Coke, and it was all over the floor. The entire family stood up from the table as Marla raced out to the floor to try to calm the child and clean up the mess. This was why we told customers, we preferred them to let wait staff bring them more drinks. I needed to get out of here!
“Don, I’m punching out. I’ll see you later,” I yelled.
“Sure thing, I hope everything is OK with your friend,” he said, waving goodbye.
Zig-zagging through customers, I stumbled to the booth trying not to trip over my own feet. Molly snatched my hand, giving it a squeeze, then let it go. She started wiping her eyes with a napkin.
“Sorry, I didn’t know where else to go,” she wept.
“Did they throw you out?” I asked.
“No,” Molly said through her tears. She stood up collecting her purse and coat.
“Can we get out of here? It’s kind of, crazy,” she sniffed.
“I wanted to leave this place all day. It’s been a madhouse from kids spilling drinks to them crying because we are out of cherry filling,” I said. I tossed my hair tie into my bag, letting my curls fall loosely around my face.
Molly managed a smile.
“I was supposed to go out for lunch with my family, but left in the middle of church. I couldn’t stay. I... I’d have gone postal on our minister. Done something regrettable,” she stammered.
“What’s that?” I asked. We left the building nipping near the main route towards the seven
eleven.
“I almost got up in the middle of Pastor Joe’s sermon to tell him off. I... You know how quiet I usually am about stuff like this. In the past, I’ve just let it go,” she said, gesturing almost knocking me in the face. “Oh, sorry,” she said, bringing her arm back, holding her purse near.
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
“I was sitting in the pew next to mom when he announced we’d be talking about the sins of the flesh. I just sat there thinking not this again! It’s something they’ve been pressing in our parish recently. I should have known he’d bring the subject up, especially in the midst of the college dance. The whole time I felt this chicken bone forming in the back of my throat. I couldn’t breathe. I kept contemplating what about unconditional love? Free will, judge not lest ye be judged and love, thy neighbor. They feed that stuff to us, and now this. I can’t, take this anymore, no more!” Molly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and stomped her feet on the ground. Abruptly losing control of her body gravity took over. She lost her balance and almost fell onto the cement, but caught herself.
“You almost fell, I’d tell you not to get worked up, but I’m right there with you. I’m proud of you.”
“You should have seen, mom and dad’s faces when I got up and zapped out of there! I should have stood up for myself, but then what? What would have happened?”
“It depends on them. Most likely they would have asked you to ask for forgiveness for your sins. Do you plan on going home tonight? Your mom and dad are going to know something is up.” We linked arms and continued to hike on. “If you need to camp out at my house again, you can, but they do know where I live.”
Molly laughed,”I’m not a little kid. I should have done this a long time ago just cut the ties,” she replied, making a slicing motion at her neck by means of her hand.
Molly had barely noticed where we’d been strolling to. We stood outside the convenience store.
“Food,” I said, pointing to the well-located store we’d just wandered up to.
“A slushie would be good with a giant chocolate chip cookie,” said Molly.
“Great lunch choice,” I replied, pushing open the doors. We moseyed on in.
“I don’t want to be here very long, so I’ll get the drinks if you find the cookies,” said Molly.
“OK, but make sure you make mine a frozen half-cherry, half cola.”
A few blocks down we sat on the swings at Springville Elementary sipping our drinks whilst nibbling on cookies.
“Can we not discuss this right now,” she sighed swinging slowly back and forth.
“You’re going to have to eventually. Are you going home tonight?”
“I don’t want to. I don’t ever want to go back,” she muttered.
“Consider how many times you’ve run from this. You can’t escape by ignoring it any more than I did by avoiding my feelings for Jenson. If you don’t do something you’ll burst! Think about your new friend, Maine, you, your happiness, not all churches are like the one you attend. I’m not saying they don’t have a right to their opinion, but you too have a right to be happy, to your free will,” I insisted.
“I’m used to being told what to do. Listen to others, in addition, follow the church,” she mimicked. “I just want to be myself,” she declared as she swung her legs back and forth sitting on the swing beside me.
“OK, I’m going to lay it out, give you my opinion. You don’t have to agree or be fond of it. Believe me, loads of the social order won’t,” I said.
Molly got up from the swing, and we headed back towards the road.
“OK, advise me,” she said.
“This is between you and God. It’s not anyone else’s life. You’re my best friend. You deserve to be loved and happy. Although with my upbringing, your folks would call me a hooligan.”
Molly chuckled through her tears.
“I’ll be here no matter what. You can’t get rid of me.”
“And if the church gets rid of me?” she asked.
“Mom and I will help you find a new one,” I answered.
I opened the door to our apartment.
“Starla, Molly’s parents called, is that you?” she asked, peeking around the corner before she disappeared back into the living area.
“Yeah, mom,” I said, closing the door behind us. I turned and hung up our coats. We’d just made it back from the playground. Molly had finally managed to stop crying for a third time. Now, I was afraid that there would be new tears. Traipsing into the living room, I saw my mother. She’d just sat back down, with the evening paper in her lap.
“Hey girls, Molly’s folks want her to call them.”
“I don’t want to talk to them, Tri. I can’t have a discussion with them right now,” argued Molly firmly holding onto the arm of the couch as she stood.
“OK, you’re old enough to make that decision yourself. So, do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Molly sat down next to my mom on the sofa.
“My mom will understand,” I assured her.
“I want to go to the dance, but I want to go with a girl. My parents, they won’t understand. I...”
“Is that why you have been struggling err, not wanting to go to church?” asked my mom.
“Yes, I can’t do it anymore. I can’t pretend. I should have left by now, moved out, but I love my family.” Molly cast her eyes down towards the floor.
My mom moved closer to her, wrapping her arm around her shoulders.
“It’s going to be OK. Here in our home there is no judgment. You haven’t told your parents then yet,” she asked gently letting go of Molly.
“No, Church today was dreadful, so I left. I didn’t want to cause a scene or be, disgraced in front of the entire congregation who’ve known me for years. They won’t see me the same way once I’m out,” Molly proclaimed.
“You can’t hide forever, but for now you can stay here.”
“I’m going to start looking for a place of my own,” replied Molly.
“I understand. You should at least give your parents a chance. Let them know what’s going on even if you decide not to stay with them,” my mother replied.
Molly nodded.
“College, will your parents stop paying your tuition?” I gasped.
“It might happen, but there are loans, and I’ll have to get a job if I move out. I have a small amount saved in my accounts. I probably should take their names off of them before I tell them.”
“Do you think they would do that? Not only stop paying for college, but empty your accounts?” inquired my mom.
“My parents have at all times followed the church. You’ve always let Starla make her own, choices about religion, given her options. I’ve envied that ever since we’ve been friends, even when I only knew her online. Not many moms would just let their daughter be friends with a girl she’d never met.”
“I’m just starting to let go. It isn’t easy. You girls, are growing up. It’s hard for me not to see my daughters, as my little girls.”
My mom smiled at me.
Chapter 20
(Monday)
When I had woken up, Molly had already left. Brushing off my worry, I got ready for the day. It was time we’d made some headway in this case, unearth some more clues and even maybe locate Nuria.
I examined my work schedule for the week. I hadn’t gotten many hours. Oh well, extra time for detective work and friends. I lifted my jacket off the back of my bedroom door and took my backpack off the floor. I’d be hoofing it today. When would dad take me to get my moped license? It wasn’t doing me any good in that shed.
A cold chill crept up my spine. Briskly, I strolled towards the college entrance. My knapsack felt like it had rocks in it, but they were only my books and supplies for the day. Earlier it had been dark and gloomy. The snow wasn’t so bad if the sun was shining. I pushed the doors open into the large hallway continuing straight to Mr. Jones’s classroom. Molly would probably be there already. I pee
red in through the glass window. She sat at our table writing in her notebook. Lifting my hand, I knocked on the plate glass to get her attention. She looked up and smiled. I waited while she gathered her things.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hey, let’s go get some coffee. Owl and Jenson will probably already be there. It’s nasty cold outside. I cannot wait til spring!” I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself attempting to warm up.
“Good luck with that,” she chuckled. We walked towards the cafe.
“Yeah, I’ve heard winter lasts roughly right into May. It’s astonishing.” I shook my head.
“You’ll get over it,” said Molly gently bumping my hip with hers as she smiled.
“You OK, after yesterday?”
“Yeah, I’ll be alright. I just keep contemplating how to approach them,” replied Molly.
“I get that. When do I, get to meet this friend of yours? The one you spoke of the other night?” I asked as we passed another classroom.
“Soon, I might suck it up, be gutsy and ask her to the dance. It’s still nix-on telling the parents for now.”
I frowned but kept silent.
“If I do go, is it OK to tell them it’s as a group?”
“I don’t see why not, but you know they’re going to ask you why you left church yesterday,” I replied.
“I know.”
“Are you going to go back home?”
“I’m weighing my options,” she answered.
Stepping, into the cafe, the atmosphere shifted. A maze of organized chaos, students chatted, mingled and caffeinated drinks were being purchased. I noticed Owl and Jenson, sitting at a round table in the corner.
“I’ll go get us drinks. What do you want? My treat,” I said, taking my wallet out of my backpack.
“A hot coffee with hot cocoa mix,” she said.
“Coming right up,” I replied, turning to the wonderful smells of freshly brewed Joe. Yum! I moved into the line. We had an hour before class started. I’d understood we were meeting Owl so he could show us the picture. Had he talked to Rascal about getting the address for the cabin? What would we do if it was locked, or maybe Nuria was still living there? I watched as the line moved closer to the student making coffee.
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