Just Claire

by Jean Ann Williams

  The rope zipped, but Kaye’s fists threw another punch. ClaireLee laced her fingers together. She made her own fist and walloped the ball back to Kaye. Gotcha, Smarty.

  Panic exploded across Kaye’s face. Her mismatched hops kept her from within reach of her target.

  Shouts, whistles sounded throughout the playground. The ball tagged the pole for a win. ClaireLee raised her arms in the air. “Yea.”

  When Kaye had stumbled on her last skip and hop, she fell hard on her knees.

  Snagging the ball, ClaireLee stopped it before its unwind down. She stood over Kaye. “Are you”—she inhaled—“hurt?”

  Face shriveling like an old mushroom, Kaye grabbed her injured leg. “I’m bleeding.”

  ClaireLee let go of the ball and removed a tissue from her skirt pocket. “Let’s see.”

  As she reached to dab at Kaye’s knee, Kaye pushed ClaireLee’s arm. “Don’t touch.”

  Ignoring her, ClaireLee applied slight pressure. What a big baby. “It’s not too bad.” She offered Kaye her hand. “I’ll help you to the office. We’ll get a bandage.”

  “Go with her, Kaye,” Wendy called, “and I’ll start another game.”

  Valerie stood next to Kaye. “I’ll help, ClaireLee.” The two girls waited, and Kaye locked arms around them for support. She limped on ClaireLee’s side.

  “Good game, little buddy.” Belinda patted ClaireLee’s back.

  She flinched from Kaye’s weight. “Thanks.” She called me little buddy. If Belinda’s a true friend, then she won’t tell what happened with Mama.

  By the time they reached the outside hall, Kaye was bawling like a calf separated from its mother. Though Valerie’s face became sorrowful, a giggle bubbled in ClaireLee’s stomach for how silly Kaye sounded. Tough girl? Not a chance.

  In the nurse’s office, Kaye sat on the couch, while Mrs. Humphrey applied the red medicine. Squeezing her eyes shut, Kaye gasped. “Ow, ow, ow.”

  The nurse applied the gauze and tape. “This should do.” The bell rang and she said, “Go to class, girls.”

  They walked at a turtle’s pace, again, and Kaye swiped at her damp cheeks. “Thanks, ClaireLee. Valerie.”

  Kaye does know how to act nice.

  “Though—you seemed out to get me, Monteiro.”

  Should have known better. “No, I wasn’t.”

  “I heard, Kaye,” Valerie said, “you challenged her.”

  “You play a tough game, ClaireLee.” Kaye’s expression was now sly.

  The girls crossed the classroom doorway, and Mrs. Reed stared at Kaye’s knee. “What happened?”

  “I fell.”

  “Are you all right?”

  Kaye raised her chin. “Of course.”

  At her desk, ClaireLee relaxed. Not only was Kaye somewhat nicer, but no one stared at her, or asked about Mama. I don’t need to talk to Belinda after all.

  Later, when the bell rang for lunch, ClaireLee snatched her lunchbox from the coat closet. Someone tapped her elbow. “You’re eating with us.”

  “Am I?” She followed Wendy like a puppy after a treat.

  The other Lavenders joined them, and all four girls walked out the door. Each of them talked and laughed in the outside hall, right as Belinda passed. She glared at ClaireLee, and her cheeks burned with shame. “Let’s invite Belinda to our table.”

  On her right, Wendy and Kaye snorted like two porkies rooting through a corncrib.

  “You see, Belinda’s done nothing wrong.” ClaireLee swished her arms in frustration.

  “You don’t get it.” Wendy halted her steps.

  “But, you don’t know Belinda like I do.”

  Wrinkling her nose, Wendy said, “I’m not inviting her anywhere near me.”

  Willing to defend Belinda, ClaireLee said, “It just seems—”

  Wendy cocked her hip to one side. “Mean?”

  Squinting, ClaireLee prayed for everyone to get along.

  “What are you doing, ClaireLee?” Kaye was smirking.

  “I, um, am. . .” Since she was tired, she said, “I need to lie down.” As she entered the nurse’s office, the Lavender Girls’ voices grew animated. Then, it became quiet as they left ClaireLee behind.

  On the nurse’s narrow cot, ClaireLee stared at the painted clouds on the blue ceiling. She was exhausted from Mama’s abnormal outburst, and her stomach rumbled like a bear in a steel trap. Why did I follow Wendy to the cafeteria? I’ve hurt Belinda’s feelings. But, I left the Lavender Girls, didn’t I?

  12

  OH HAPPY DAY

  * * *

  Where am I? ClaireLee woke with a fuzzy brain. The nurse’s clock showed five minutes before the bell. She hurried to the bathroom. As she washed her hands, the door opened behind her.

  Mouth first. Belinda. “Me and you,” she said, “need to have a serious discustion.”

  Laughter played on ClaireLee’s mouth.

  Belinda raised her arms and let them fall. “I’m trying to get to the bottom of what stinks, and you act like something’s funny.”

  “It’s just, ClaireLee cranked out a paper towel, “you mispronounced another word. It’s funny, is all. Not in a mean, ha-ha, but a ‘you make me chuckle’ kind of way.’”

  Puckering her bottom lip, she said, “Don’t go and get me off track, ClaireLee Monteiro.”

  “Okay.” ClaireLee stiffened.

  “You ignored me as we were going to lunch today, and after I stayed at your place and whatnot. I held your baby brother, for Pete’s sake, and helped Lolly when she got upset over your ma.”

  She met Belinda’s eyes head-on. “I know you’re a true friend, and I want us to become Lavender Girls.”

  Eyes wide, Belinda slapped her own forehead. “You think I’m dumb, don’t ya, ClaireLee?”

  “Please, don’t take it wrong.” She hugged herself. “It’d be neat to belong to a club, is all. For the time I’m here.”

  “You’re not the only one who’d like to be accepted by them. I’ve been where ya wanna be. They lifted up their high-and-mighty noses.” She pointed. “All because of my scars, and I’m poor.”

  Each girl stared down the other in the mirror’s reflection.

  “I’m sorry, Belinda. I didn’t know.” ClaireLee reached the door. “We’ve got to get back, or Mrs. Reed will—”

  “Have our hide?” Belinda’s face softened.

  ClaireLee bowed her head. “I do like you, Belinda Cruz.”

  “Me too, ClaireLee.” She nodded. “I like you.”

  Heading down the hall, ClaireLee hooked an arm at the elbow with Belinda’s. Being poor worried ClaireLee, also. How could she convince the Lavender Girls to think she wasn’t?

  * * *

  * * *

  The same day after the last bell, ClaireLee shivered outside in front of the double doors of the school and zipped her coat. “Liam, I want you to get a snack for everyone.” She remembered the boys’ new after-school adventure. “No going to the pond. You guys are to watch over Lolly at the cabin.”

  Shoving hands in his pockets, Liam sat at the bottom step with Grayson. “What’re you doing now?”

  Eager to leave, she longed to disappear back inside school. “Mrs. Reed needs a volunteer to clean chalkboard erasers.” And I need a break from Mama and our cramped living quarters.

  “The teacher doesn’t need help.” He pointed to himself. “What about us?”

  “I won’t be long.”

  “I mean it, ClaireLee.” He frowned. “I don’t want to be at the cabin without you.”

  The comment made her heart tender. “You’re scared.”

  “Nah.” Liam’s chin lifted. “I just won’t know what to do if Mama starts her crying.”

  She clenched her fists in a hodgepodge of frustration for herself, sorrow for her siblings. So, I have to give up something else. She glanced longingly at the doors of escape before stepping down to her brothers. “Let’s go to the cabin, then.”

  “I guess it’ll be fine.” He nodd
ed at Pit Street. “I can always grab the kids and come get you.”

  “Yeah, ClaireLee.” Grayson squeezed between his brother and sister. “We’re bigger now.”

  “Make sure you guys give Lolly a snack.” As an afterthought, ClaireLee gave Liam a peck on the cheek.

  Grunting, he screwed his face into the Yucky Look and wiped off the kiss.

  Stepping backward to her after-school job, ClaireLee waved. “Thanks, guys.”

  Grayson called after her, “I won’t wipe off your kiss.”

  She pranced over and planted one on his cheek and pinched his nose. “You little rascal.” Inside the entryway, she leaped as though she could will herself to fly. Freedom.

  Soon enough, out by the playground, she clapped dust from the erasers. Making sure no one lurked about, she sang at the top of her voice, “When Jesus washed. . .washed my sins away . . .” For extra effect, she even spun a few times, the skirt of her plaid jumper twirling. ClaireLee sang and danced three rounds of the song before she finished the dusty chore.

  Afterward, she and Mrs. Reed met at the chalkboard. “Thank you, Claire. It’s messy, isn’t it?”

  Following the teacher’s gaze, she stared at her powdery dress. “Mama’s gonna be upset.” However, she pictured Mama in bed asleep and in no condition to care. She shook off those thoughts and replaced them with happier ones because of the woman standing before her. “You favor my grandmother in Oregon. It’s your hair and eyes.”

  Beaming, Mrs. Reed said, “Are you writing letters back and forth?”

  “I should write and tell Nana about the new baby.” ClaireLee tapped her chin. “I’ll even ask for her syrup and biscuit recipes, since Liam’s hard to please and doesn’t like mine.”

  “I make those every Saturday.” She lifted out a note card from her drawer and wrote with her red pen. “I’ll give you my recipes to try.”

  ClaireLee’s eyes widened. “Liam will be glad for something else besides gravy with my too sour biscuits.”

  “Claire.” Mrs. Reed kept writing. “You may clean erasers every Friday.”

  “Thank you.” She pressed her lips and then said, “I’ll try to always come.”

  Fastening an approving stare at ClaireLee, Mrs. Reed said, “Good enough.”

  Back to listing the ingredients, Mrs. Reed wrote, while ClaireLee peeked over her shoulder. As Mrs. Reed was checking over her words, ClaireLee said, “Mama used to make biscuits and syrup.”

  “Used to?”

  “She sleeps a lot now.”

  Eyes flickering with what seemed to ClaireLee like concern, Mrs. Reed gave ClaireLee the note card, and she clutched it to her chest. Oh, for heaven’s sake, why did I say this? “I better go.” She hurried out the door before her teacher could ask another question.

  * * *

  * * *

  As ClaireLee approached Holcomb’s Market, Wendy and Kaye walked down the market steps with candy bars. ClaireLee waved and Kaye said, “Where’d you come from?”

  “Class.”

  Tearing off her wrapper, Wendy’s bar was covered in nuts. “Whatever for? Did you get into trouble?”

  Spreading her skirt to show off the remains of chalk dust, ClaireLee said, “I cleaned erasers for Mrs. Reed.”

  Kaye chuckled. “Teacher’s pet.”

  Here she goes, again. ClaireLee shrugged. “I’m just helping.”

  Wendy stopped chewing. “Helping is a teacher’s pet.”

  Unsure of what to say, ClaireLee fiddled with her braid. I can never let my guard down with these girls.

  “Better watch it.” Wendy squinted. “Kids will believe you’re getting special treatment from Mrs. Reed.”

  “Are you getting favors?” Kaye bit off a hunk of candy.

  “Because I’m cleaning erasers?” ClaireLee’s skin pricked. “How silly.”

  “Why are you doing it, then?” Wendy nibbled on her candy.

  Her heart walloped against her ribs. She hadn’t figured on the Lavender Girls snooping around for answers. All she wanted was to avoid Mama, the kids, and more work at the cabin. “Mrs. Reed asked me to help.” The lie slid from her mouth as easily as a snake on a tree. Well, I need to protect Mama’s problem, don’t I?

  Passing by them, ClaireLee swung open Holcomb’s creaky door. The screen slammed shut, and her knees wobbled. Macaroni and cheese. Think macaroni and cheese.

  Having to weave in and out of the aisles, she stopped in frustration. Where did he keep the macaroni? ClaireLee reached for the shelf. Aha. Rising on tippy toes, she hooked the edge of the package with a finger. It fell into her cupped hands.

  Nearby, in a darkened corner, a rustling sounded. A head of brown hair ducked behind a line of wooden crates. ClaireLee tiptoed closer to the stack of soda pops. She craned her neck and peered into the narrow space. “Are you hiding?”

  13

  JESUS, HOLD MY HAND

  * * *

  “I, uh. Mean, uh. . .” Valerie tapped her lips. “Shh.”

  Extending a hand to Valerie, ClaireLee waited. But Valerie pushed strands of hair from her face and stayed hunkered down. “When they’re gone, I’ll get up.”

  Glancing around, ClaireLee said, “There’s no one here.”

  Peeking across the top of the crate, Valerie sighed. “Kaye and Wendy.”

  “They’ve left—come on.” ClaireLee wiggled her fingers.

  Valerie hopped over, holding a feather duster. “Swear you won’t breathe a word to anyone you saw me?”

  She did the pledge. “Girl Scouts’ honor.” Then, she lowered her arm to her side. “But why?”

  “Especially not the Lavender Girls,” Valerie said in a hushed tone.

  ClaireLee puckered her lips in thought. “But, you are a Lavender Girl, silly goose.”

  “If they find out, I won’t be.” Valerie tapped her lips, again.

  Curious for sure, ClaireLee said, “About what?”

  “You know.” With a sweep of her hand, she waved over the store and all of its belongings. “I work here, because I’m not of high society.”

  This jarred ClaireLee. “Hi what?”

  “I take it you haven’t heard of high society?” Valerie focused on the cans of food, moving a few, labels facing forward.

  Helping her, ClaireLee turned some of the cans. “No, I haven’t.”

  “Back in Boston the Lavender Girls live in luxury—fancy houses with swimming pools, tennis courts, and the best private schools.” She folded her hands in front of her. “Wendy even has a nanny, who came with her here to Gallagher Springs.” Valerie’s eyes grew round. “Kaye’s and Wendy’s dads own the same company and are the bosses on the tunnel job. Meaning, they have gobs of money.”

  Brightening at the similarity of words, ClaireLee said, “I call my grandmother Nana.”

  “I mean a live-in-babysitter-type nanny, who’s like a mother.”

  ClaireLee stiffened. “Her mother died?”

  “Oh, no.” Valerie waved her palm. “The nanny lives with them and takes care of everybody.”

  Crossing her arms, ClaireLee said, “Never heard of such a thing.”

  “I’m drop-dead serious, ClaireLee.” Valerie raised a brow.

  All she could think to say was, “Okay.”

  “Did you know Kaye brought her housekeeper, and both their mothers stayed in Boston?”

  This brought to mind her mama. “Why didn’t their mothers come along?”

  “They said something about their involvement in committees and clubs back in Boston.” Valerie shrugged. “I even overheard my dad tell my uncle something interesting. The owner of the tunnel project, Mr. Temple, had the interior of the old community building remodeled into two elaborate lodges joined together like duplexes.” She winked. “They’re just for the two bosses and their families.”

  “Uh-huh.” ClaireLee leaned in closer and whispered, “What’s a duplex?”

  “Two houses attached together, and Wendy and Kaye moan about how tiny the living space is. Now do
you get how rich they are?”

  “I think so.” Tapping her shoe, ClaireLee wanted to grasp what amount of money would allow all this. But she couldn’t.

  “These girls expect everyone in their club to be well-to-do.” Valerie shook her head. “This is why there’s only the three of us Lavender Girls. No one else meets their standards.”

  “You know, I’m confused.” Clicking her tongue, ClaireLee scratched an ear. “What’s this got to do with why you were hiding?”

  “They think my dad owns this market, but it’s my uncle Billy’s.” She lowered her lashes. “He asked me to sweep and dust Friday afternoons. It gives me spending money.”

  “Shucks.” ClaireLee paced the floor. “Where did they get the idea your dad owns the store?”

  “Who knows?” Valerie paced with ClaireLee. “I can tell you, when they get something in their heads, it’s the gospel truth.”

  “You’re not one of them.” ClaireLee sat on a crate and narrowed her eyes.

  “No.” Valerie clutched her elbows.

  I knew there was something different about her. ClaireLee nodded. “I noticed you don’t get involved with the mean things they’ve said and done.” She puffed her cheeks with her breath, and let it out. “You’re caught in the middle.”

  Brushing a hand over the feather duster, Valerie said, “I’m living a lie here in Gallagher Springs.”

  Grasping her fingers on her lap, she said, “I feel caught in the middle with Belinda and the Lavender Girls.”

  She gave a knowing nod. “True.”

  “Why do Wendy and Kaye hate Belinda?” ClaireLee said.

  “Because they want to rule, and Belinda doesn’t like anyone bossing her around. She’s always been the boss around the school until now.”

  “I thought so.” She nibbled her lip. “Belinda told me something else, but I just knew there was more to it.”