"Of course," Jessica replied. She knew what was on her mother's mind. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm not going to poison you all again."
Her mother smiled uncomfortably and started to put on an apron. "I'll just give you a hand finishing up in here."
"No, no, no." Jessica took the apron from her mother and turned her toward the door. "I don't need any help. Honest." She pushed her mother all the way through the door and pointed her to the living room. "Just go into the living room and talk to that handsome husband of yours. I'll call you when everything's ready."
"Sure," Mrs. Wakefield said tentatively. "I'll just go in and set the table first."
"It's all done," Jessica replied. "Just go in and sit down."
Alice Wakefield stared at her daughter's back for a second. The theme music from "The Twilight Zone" began to play softly in her head. She toyed with the idea that maybe she'd wandered into another dimension. Then she shook her head, took a sip of the wine, and went in to join her husband.
Ned Wakefield was sitting in the living room, a glass of wine in his hand and a puzzled expression on his face. He looked up at his wife when she walked into the room.
"It's not a car because we just gave them the car," he said, "but it has to be something big."
Alice Wakefield laughed as she sat next to him. "No, just because Jessica made dinner doesn't mean that she wants something. Maybe we're not really being fair."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You're right. I'm not being fair."
"Jessica always pulls her weight around here," she went on, "and just because she's doing a little more than her share tonight it doesn't necessarily mean she wants something."
Ned Wakefield nodded thoughtfully. "That's true."
Alice Wakefield sipped her wine and stared into the glass. "But whatever it is, I hope we can afford it."
The two were laughing as Jessica called them to dinner.
Elizabeth and Steven were already at the table, and both of them looked just as bewildered as their parents.
Jessica beamed as she entered, carrying the platter with the roast chicken. "OK." She smiled. "We're all set."
Everyone at the table eyed the food tentatively.
"Go on," Jessica urged. "There's plenty."
"There isn't any seafood in anything?" Elizabeth asked warily.
Everyone at the table laughed, and the optimism that Jessica had been building all afternoon began to diminish.
Alice Wakefield stifled her laughter. "Come on, Liz, that isn't fair. Everything looks beautiful, Jess."
"Thank you," Jessica said coldly.
Elizabeth handed her father the chicken. "Here, Dad, you start."
"Perhaps I should check my will first," Ned Wakefield quipped.
It was just a joke, but it cut through Jessica like a knife. She had spent all afternoon in the kitchen, trying to make her family see that she had changed, and now they were making stupid jokes. Couldn't they see how much it hurt her?
Everyone at the table ate hesitantly. Jessica sat silently and watched as each person tried a bit of this and a bit of that as if afraid of being poisoned.
Only Elizabeth noticed the cold look on Jessica's face and tried to get her to relax. She began a conversation. "Steve and I were at the mall today. Did you know Ricky is working at Casey's?"
Jessica looked up. "Ricky Capaldo?"
"Yes."
"Since when?" Jessica asked.
Their father looked up. "I'm not surprised."
Both of the twins turned to him. "Why?" Elizabeth asked.
Ned Wakefield looked thoughtful. "Well, normally, I wouldn't discuss something like this, but I'm at my wits' end, and maybe I can get some suggestions." He paused for a moment as if he wanted to choose his words carefully. "You know that Ricky's mother and father got divorced last year?"
"Sure." Jessica nodded. "It was all over school."
"Yes." Her father cleared his throat. "Well, Ricky's grandparents came to me a few weeks ago. It seems Ricky's mom won't let them visit the kids."
"She won't let them see their own grandchildren?" Elizabeth asked. "Why?"
"When Ricky's dad left, he left them without much money, and he's stopped paying child support, too." Mr. Wakefield looked around the table. "Ricky's mom is hoping that, maybe, if she keeps his parents from seeing their grandchildren, it will force them to go to their son and pressure him to pay up."
"Poor Ricky." Elizabeth put down her fork. "It must be awful to be in a situation like that."
Jessica turned to her father. "Yeah. Well, maybe it'll work. I mean, Ricky's mom has got to do something."
Their father looked pained. "I know. It's very hard for her. The problem is that Ricky's grandparents have already tried talking to Mr. Capaldo, but he won't listen to reason. There's really nothing more they can do."
"Why doesn't Ricky's mom just sue the father?" Steven asked.
"Well, it's very difficult because he's living in New York now." It was obvious to everyone at the table how concerned Mr. Wakefield was. "The grandparents are such nice people. I feel so bad for them."
"Do you think Ricky's mom can do that?" Elizabeth asked. "Will the court let her cut off the kids' grandparents like that?"
"It's pretty complex," her father answered, "but in cases like this, the court usually sides with the mother. If she doesn't want them to see their grandparents, there isn't much anybody can do about it."
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Jessica was the first to speak. "I don't think the court should be able to do something like that," she said firmly. "I mean, no matter how the mother feels, she shouldn't be allowed to keep the grandparents away."
Ned Wakefield looked down at his plate. "Unfortunately, Jess, I can't explain it to a judge like that."
"I think everybody is sort of missing the point here," Elizabeth said.
It irritated Jessica to see how they listened to Elizabeth with all their attention. Not like they listen to me, she thought. Again, the feelings she'd been trying to suppress began to surface.
"The most important thing here isn't the rights of the mother or the rights of the grandparents," Elizabeth went on. "It's the children who are going to suffer. They're the ones who are really losing out."
Ned Wakefield leaned forward. "Go on, Liz."
"Now, not only have the kids lost their father," she continued, "they might lose their grandparents, too—at a time when they probably need all the love they can get."
Her father beamed at her. "That's a wonderful point, Liz. If we can get the judge to see it from that angle, we might have a chance. Look," he went on, "the hearing starts tomorrow. Maybe you'd like to come down and see how it goes."
Elizabeth smiled broadly. "Boy, would I. Maybe I can even get something in The Sweet Valley News about it. I've been looking for something to do a series of articles on. This might be it."
"That's a terrific idea," her father agreed.
Everyone at the table began throwing out ideas for the articles. Everyone, that is, but one person.
They were all so busy with plans for the next day that no one noticed when Jessica stood up and quietly left the room.
Six
It wasn't until Jessica had almost gotten to the front of the line that she realized she'd already seen the movie and she hadn't even liked it the first time.
There was nothing else for her to do. She didn't really feel like going to a movie alone, but she didn't want to see anybody either. Not the way she felt.
It doesn't matter what I do, she thought to herself. I spent all afternoon on that dinner, and they didn't say one word about it. Just those stupid jokes and then all that fuss about that hearing and Elizabeth writing her articles. I'm nothing but a second-class citizen in that family, and that's all I'll ever be.
Jessica had never felt so totally alone. She thought no one in her family loved or understood her. It was a terrible feeling, and one she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried.
A few ki
ds she knew were also in line, but fortunately no one was there who she knew well. She didn't want to have to make excuses about why she was at a movie alone. There were only three people in front of her now, and she made a decision. She would just walk for a while. Seeing a bad movie for the second time could only make her feel worse.
Jessica turned from the brightly lit entrance and was walking toward the street when a voice stopped her.
"Hey, Jessica Wakefield!"
Jessica's heart skipped as she looked across the street and saw Nicky Shepard sitting on the hood of his car. As usual, he looked terrific.
Jessica waved and walked over to his car. "Hey, yourself."
"Seeing a movie?" He hopped down from the car hood and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"I was going to"—Jessica tried to think of an excuse—"but I was supposed to meet Lila Fowler, and she couldn't make it."
"So what are you doing now?"
Jessica smiled at Nicky. "I don't know. Got any ideas?"
Nicky returned the smile. "Oh, I don't know. Want to go for a ride?"
Jessica thought for a moment. She liked the idea of spending more time with Nicky. When he had brought her home after Cara's party, he had kissed her several times. The memory of those kisses, warm and tender, was still vivid in Jessica's mind.
She knew Nicky didn't belong to her group, but she was certain that with a little help from her, he'd be able to fit right in. He wasn't like any of the other boys Jessica had dated, but she liked that. Best of all, he seemed to understand her.
Of course, there were a lot of rumors about him, but so far they were just that. Rumors. Nicky had been a real gentleman. It was true he was quiet at school and he didn't have many friends, but Jessica was sure he wasn't involved in drugs in any way.
It's so unfair that people say such mean things behind a person's back, Jessica thought, conveniently forgetting how many times she had been guilty of spreading rumors.
Jessica smiled at Nicky warmly. "I'd love to," she said.
Nicky opened the door for her. Jessica got in, and a moment later Nicky fired the Mustang up, and they took off.
They drove in silence for a bit. Jessica wasn't watching where they were going. She had her eyes on Nicky.
"How come you're so quiet at school?" she finally asked.
Nicky glanced at her and then back at the road. "Oh, I don't really fit in with that scene."
"What scene?"
"You know. That high school scene. Dances and sports and stuff. I've got more important things to do."
"Like what?"
Nicky laughed. "What is this, an interview? I thought your sister was the reporter."
Jessica let the matter drop. "Are we going someplace, or just driving?" Jessica asked.
"I want to show you something," Nicky replied.
He was driving near a park now. It was a small park, the oldest in Sweet Valley, and was used mainly by the people in that neighborhood. Jessica could make out a large, old gazebo with a fancy gingerbread roof.
Nicky pulled up to the curb and parked. He turned the radio up and got out of the car, leaving the door open. Jessica followed him to the gazebo, which stood in the middle of an open space. As she climbed the steps, Jessica looked around her.
It was a beautiful clear night in Sweet Valley. The sky was speckled with stars, and a full moon lit up the park.
Nicky stood with his hands on the railing, looking straight out into the park. He was smiling. He seemed to be deep in thought, as if he were absorbing the darkness that surrounded him.
They stood like that for a long time. Nicky was the first to break the silence.
"Way back when," he said softly, "I don't know, back before we were born, they used to hold dances here. It was part of the original park. That was before the town got built up."
Jessica looked around. The place seemed enchanted. She almost felt that she could hear the laughter of people dancing and having a good time.
"I come here a lot, but I never bring people with me," Nicky said.
"So, how come you brought me?"
"I don't know. You're different from anyone else I know. I didn't want to share this place with just anyone. I wanted to show it to you because I thought. . . I think you're pretty special."
Jessica laughed. "Is that the line you use on the other girls you bring here?"
Nicky looked at her hard. "I said I've never brought anybody else here, and that's the truth."
Jessica suddenly realized she'd hurt him. She could see it in his eyes. It was hard for her to remember that Nicky was very sensitive. He seemed so tough most of the time, and yet, she could see there was something really tender under the surface.
"I'm sorry," Jessica said. She knew what it felt like to be misunderstood by people—what it felt like when people had such a clear idea of what you should be that they didn't even notice what you really were.
"It doesn't matter." Nicky laughed. "Nobody believes what I say half of the time, and they don't care what I say the other half. That's why I'm getting out."
"Getting out?"
He turned to her. "Yeah. I've got a friend in San Francisco. Denny. He's got a good business, and he wants me to come in on it with him. I'm going to take off for there in a few weeks."
Jessica couldn't quite understand what he was saying. "For a vacation?"
"No," Nicky replied. "For good."
"Well, what about school?" Jessica asked.
Nicky let out a little laugh. "I'm through with that Mickey Mouse stuff. Why should I spend my time in a classroom when I could be out in the real world?"
Jessica was shocked. She'd never met anyone who had wanted to quit school. "But—but, what about your parents?"
"They don't care," Nicky said bitterly. "And even if they did, it wouldn't matter. My mind's made up. It'll be for the best anyway. It'll just be easier for them with me gone, with my brother and all. . . ." His voice trailed off.
Jessica felt bad as she looked at Nicky standing in the moonlight. He was like a little boy who thought nobody wanted him.
She turned his face to hers and kissed him softly. Nicky wrapped his strong arms around Jessica and returned the kiss. They held each other like that for a while with nothing but the sounds of the night and the car radio drifting through the air to them.
Nicky pulled back and looked into Jessica's eyes. The radio began to play a sweet, sad melody.
"Want to dance?" he asked softly. Without waiting for a reply, he took Jessica in his arms and began to move her around the deserted gazebo to the strains of the distant music.
Seven
The shade flew open, flooding Jessica's room with daylight.
Jessica pulled a pillow over her face and moaned into it. "This is not a pleasant way to wake up."
Elizabeth pulled the pillow off her sister's face and sat down beside her. Unlike her twin, Elizabeth had been up and dressed for an hour.
"I'm not surprised you're still asleep," she said, poking her sister playfully. "You didn't get in until after twelve. Where'd you take off to, anyway?"
Jessica turned her face to the wall, and scenes from the evening before came back to her in a rush: the unsuccessful dinner, the chance meeting with Nicky outside the movie theater, the way they danced until midnight, his gentlemanly behavior when he took her home.
Elizabeth interrupted her reverie. "Come on, Jess. The preliminary hearing starts in an hour and a half, so you'd better get ready."
Jessica rolled back over. "I'm not going to any hearing."
"What?" Elizabeth was surprised. "The visitation hearing with Ricky's grandparents? I thought you were interested."
"I'll read about it in the papers," Jessica muttered.
Elizabeth got up and started to leave the room. But as she got to the door she stopped and whirled around. "OK, Jess. I don't know what's eating you lately, but I, for one, have had just about enough of it. And I think it's pretty rotten of you to let Dad down like this."
/> "Let Dad down?" Jessica shrieked, now fully awake.
"Yes," Elizabeth answered. "I think he really wants us at that hearing today."
"Wants you, Liz," Jessica corrected. "He wants you at the hearing, not us. I think he made that pretty clear last night."
"So that's what it was all about."
Jessica sat up in bed. "What?"
"The mysterious disappearing act you pulled after dinner. You think that just because everyone didn't hang on your every word—"
"Hang on my every word?" Jessica's eyes flashed. "Are you kidding? Nobody ever listens to a thing I say, Liz. They're all too afraid they might miss one of your pearls of wisdom."
Jessica threw her pillow down on the floor and turned her back on her twin.
"Come on, Jess," Elizabeth said, softening her tone. "Dad would love to have you there."
"If he wanted me there, all he had to do was ask me to come," Jessica said bitterly.
"Is that what you want?" Elizabeth asked her sister. "Do you want him to come up here and ask you?"
"I don't want anything, Liz. I don't want to come to the stupid hearing. I don't want Dad to ask me. I don't want anything. I just want to be left alone." Jessica paused for a second. "Anyway, I can't come. I've got a date."
"With whom?"
Jessica picked up her pillow from the floor and got back into bed. She looked smug. "Nicky."
Elizabeth felt as if a wall were being built between her and her twin. "Jess," she said, trying to sound as though she weren't concerned, "you've been seeing a lot of Nicky lately."
"What business is that of yours?" Jessica snapped.
Elizabeth pulled herself together. OK, so Jessica was seeing Nicky Shepard. She had heard rumors about him, but having been hurt by rumors more than once herself, she wasn't eager to put too much faith in them. Still, she knew the kind of people Nicky usually hung around with, a crowd much too fast for Jessica.
Jessica rolled over and faced the wall again. Elizabeth shook her head and left the room. As she walked down to breakfast, she reminded herself that Jessica was a big girl and able to sort things out for herself. Most of the time. Anyway, there really wasn't much she could do about it. If Jessica was going to see Nicky, she was going to see Nicky, and that was that. But Elizabeth decided to talk to her father about Jessica's attitude.
Runaway Page 5