*****
On her way out the door, Angel shook Katelyn awake. “Hey, Kate. Katelyn.”
Katelyn woke slowly and pushed herself up. After a look around, she recalled coming to Angel’s place, the sharp point of Mona’s blade in her face, and Tim’s rejection.
“Hey, I’ve gotta be at the Academy by 1:00 today, but I can take you home first if we leave now. You can just crash here all day, too. My cousin won’t be around till after 5. I don’t have to work tonight and you can go over to Dave house with me. Hands off, though, he just might be my Romeo,” Angel laughed, but then saw the poor timing of her joke. “Sorry.”
On the ride back to Northrup, Katelyn read her messages and listened to her calls. Angel stayed silent as Katelyn reread each aloud. When Katelyn finished and sat in her own silence, Angel said, “Time, give it time, girl. None of this matters tomorrow anyway. Not really.”
They pulled up to her house. Angel stifled a laugh. “What the hell’s all over your yard? Did your basement flood or something?”
Katelyn shook her head in embarrassment. Tools and construction supplies littered the yard, leftovers from her dad’s yard sale attempt. “Don’t ask.” Angel gave her a sympathetic look as Katelyn pulled herself from the car. She waved at Angel as she backed out of the drive.
Too late, Katelyn realized she failed to do a car check to see who was home. A construction truck was parked in the street. That meant her dad was home, riding with someone on a crew.
Angel’s car was already pulling away. Katelyn considered walking away, but didn’t have time.
“Get your ass in here!” Her mom had one foot out on the step and the other still in the house. Her red face reached out past the open screen door. Her blonde hair, the same as Katelyn’s original color, scrambled together in a restless mess.
Katelyn didn’t dare run. Early on in her childhood, the primal urge to escape lost out to the fear of what would happen if she did run. Out of obedient fear, she followed her mom back into the house. Defeat weighed down each of her footsteps.
Inside, Katelyn quickly figured out where everyone was in the house. Kayla and Jacob were in the living room watching the TV. She couldn’t tell if her dad was in the bedroom or downstairs. Most likely he was downstairs.
Her mom didn’t censor herself anymore or try to control her yelling. There were no deep inhales or silent counting measures to keep calm. Katelyn wondered if her mom would ever go back to the “no yelling” agreement someday.
The lecture went from one of Katelyn’s wrongs to another. Sometimes her mom backtracked to hit the last one again, several times. “Irresponsible . . .” and “selfish . . .” and “failing . . .” and “count on you . . .” and “your future . . .” and “trouble behavior” made appearances amid a slew of her mom’s favorite curses.
Even though the yelling hadn’t been aimed at her for a few years, Katelyn automatically slipped into a silent slouch against the counter. She kept her eyes on the floor in front of her except for a brief glance up in response to “You look at me when I’m talking to you.” Katelyn knew not to interrupt. Her mom had a long fuse when lit, but eventually she would burn out.
The next stage began. “I try . . .” and “only want . . .” and “expect from you . . .” and “Is that too much to ask?” came out ladled with guilt. Katelyn knew to look up a few times with humble expressions to make her mom know she was listening.
And then, it was silent. Or, at least, her mom had stopped. A cartoon blared from the TV. Kayla must have turned it up to try cover up the yelling.
“What are you going to do about school?” Her mom’s voice was still serious and heavy, but back to normal volume.
Katelyn shrugged. “I dunno.” She didn’t know.
“Gorman called. You missed two days of midterm exams. He says you won’t have enough credits to be a junior.”
Katelyn shrugged, but her heart beat faster inside.
“Unexcused means the teachers don’t have to let you make them up.” Again, Katelyn stayed silent. She saw her mom look at the clock. There was no way Katelyn would make her last test today. “You better get your ass in there on Monday and talk to them.”
“It’s spring break,” Katelyn muttered. “There’s no school.”
“You still better get over there and clear it with the office. You are grounded until you take those tests.”
“Mom,” Katelyn lightly protested, “they’re all gone. School’ll be closed.”
A strong knocking came at the door and startled them both. Katelyn took the interruption as a chance to get out of her mom’s lecture, at least momentarily. She went out into the living room and pulled back the sheer curtain to see a police cruiser in her driveway. She jumped back and faced her mom who had followed her from the kitchen. “Cops,” she said.
“Damn it.” Her mom said as she headed for the side door. “I called them this morning when you didn’t show up.” She threw Katelyn a loaded look of guilt and opened the door.
Two officers stood outside the door, one slightly back and on a lower step than the other. Both had one hand free and close to their unsnapped weapon holsters. Their black uniforms stood out sharply against the fresh layer of snow melting behind them.
“I’m sorry. I forgot to call.” Her mom began as she opened the screen door. “She’s home.”
The first officer looked momentarily confused but quickly recovered. “Mam, we have a warrant for the arrest of Brian Wells and a warrant to search the premises.”
Pick-me-up Page 48