She smiled down at me. “Pumpkin, you’re at the lake house.”
I tried to push myself up, but my hands slipped through the netting. Something tugged at my neck. Strange. Where did the amulet come from? “Is it really you? Thank God you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. You will be too.”
“What are you talking about? Something happened after Mister Palmer touched me.”
“You look fine. Just exhausted.”
She might be right. My time in Junior Heaven had been action packed. What about the man in the headset? Was he real or a dream?
Gram patted my forehead with a cool washcloth. “Your guardian angel dropped you off. She told me you had an accident. Wanted me to take good care of you.”
My arms prickled. The amulet grew hot as the scum multiplied. I hoped nothing happened to Celery. She witnessed Palmer’s dirty trick. We could both be kicked out of the contest—or worse. There went my chance of ever going back to my old life on Earth.
I stroked Gram’s sweet face. Her skin had more wrinkles than before. “What about you? What happened after I was taken away?”
“A barrage of questions means you’re feeling better.”
My head ached so I couldn’t quite muster a laugh. “I’m working on it.” With Gram’s help, I sat up and planted my feet firmly in the grass. “And you know what that means.”
Gram ruffled my hair. “You want answers.”
“Yep.”
She handed me a chocolate chip cookie—the perfect prescription.
There was a twinkle in her eye. “They sent me to do hard labor at the celestial mines.”
The cookie fell to the ground as I bolted from the hammock. I threw my arms around her. “Gram, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”
“Ouch.” She let go of my waist. “Something burned me.”
I was so used to the heat of the amulet, I didn’t notice it any more. “Sorry.” I held it up for her to see. “It’s my necklace.”
A confused look crossed her face. “It’s turning colors. Is it a mood ring? I didn’t know they could change temperature too.”
I didn't want to give her the whole story. “Schwartz gave it to me. Isn’t it cool?”
Gram smiled. “It is pretty, even if it bites.”
Just like her to cheer me up with bad jokes. “Sorry. I’m also sorry you had to work in the mines. How awful.”
“Pumpkin, I’m kidding. I got rid of that pesky Mustache Man. They just sent me to a seminar on proper communication with minors.”
Gram was one tough lady. “Sounds like something from the handbook.”
She stroked my cheek. “Yes, the Senior Heaven version. They decided I needed a refresher course.” Gram held out her hand with a large gold cocktail ring on her finger. “Just in case, this turns silver if I say something I shouldn’t.”
Guess the bosses of Junior Heaven liked to use jewelry as punishment.
What would happen when it changed color? Did the ring send 20,000 volts through her body? How strange to think such a thing. Junior Heaven had worn me down—left me uneasy and suspicious. “I promise not to ask you anything risky.”
“Guess we can talk about the weather.”
I sat back down in the hammock, doubting even that would be a safe subject. Something deep inside told me now might be my only chance for answers. The ring would let me know if I crossed a line. “When did you first notice the change in the weather?”
Gram glanced at the ring. “I told you about the big storm and the strange-colored sky when I first came. The air became thick with humidity shortly after.”
“Did the storm cause all the damage to the buildings?”
“No. That started a few days later. Slowly things began to deteriorate.”
The ring turned to a pewter color. She’d given me enough answers. “Guess even JH can’t be perfect.”
“Oh, but Senior Heaven is. In every way.”
The tree branches rustled. Had Mustache Man joined my homecoming party? Kind of surprised he’d show his face again. I thought they used the ring as his replacement.
“Strange only JH would be affected.”
Gram nervously played with the ruffle on her apron. “I wish I knew the answer.”
“Can we talk about family?”
“Of course.” She seemed a bit taken aback. “Anything about family is fine.”
“Did Mom regret having me?”
The rustling in the trees grew louder. Why would Mustache Man care about my family drama?
Gram shook her head. “No, Pumpkin, you were such a gift. I’d never seen your mother so happy.”
“So Dad never knew I wasn’t his?”
“I’m sure he knew. You looked so different. Yet he never said anything. He loves your mother very much.”
Somehow that made the sting of my mother’s betrayal worse. “Did the pressure of the secret change her?”
“Yes. She became cold and closed off.”
So that’s when she turned into Cruella de Vil. She had the high cheekbones. Surprised she didn’t sport the black and white hair and the huge fur coat too.
The tree rustled again. This time the little Mustache Man leaned over the edge of the disc—probably straining to hear what we said. I guess the ring wasn’t the only thing they were using to keep Gram in line.
The amulet changed from moss green to a dark khaki. “I guess we all paid the price for her mistake.”
“Honestly, I couldn’t believe your mother would be so careless. Yet, I know your father had a strange pull. She loved him so much. When he went away, she fell apart.”
“How could he just leave her like that? Did he know about me?”
Gram shook her head. “No, he left before she could tell him. Thankfully, your father had been traveling on business for several months so he never knew about the affair.”
She must have become pregnant while he was away. Dad had to figure the same thing out. No wonder he never loved me completely.
Leaves fell off the tree like rain. Mustache Man leaned so far over the edge of the disc he almost slipped off. I had to admit our family drama could make for a great soap opera. Yet, I didn’t want him to upset Gram again. I put my arm around her and led her away from the trees. I’d be damned if I’d let him hear any more of my family secrets.
“Dad isn’t very exciting. I guess I understand how some smooth-talking handsome guy could sweep her off her feet.”
Actually, until the big news about my mother’s affair, I never imagined her doing anything so dramatic. She seemed quite content to live a boring life in a pleasant Spanish style home in the L.A. suburbs. Going to the country club was the most exciting thing my parents ever did together. The amulet grew hotter when I realized how foolish I’d been. How could I think my parents were the perfect vision of domestic bliss? Just another lie. We were a family full of them.
Gram’s expression turned even more serious. “I never told your mother this, but I think she settled for your dad. When she met him, she’d become fed up with the day-to-day struggle of being an artist. She just wanted someone who loved her and could give her a nice life.”
I couldn’t picture my Cruella de Vil of a mother as a sensitive artist. Why didn’t she keep anything from her past? The artwork that hung on our walls were predictable seascapes she bought at the local mall. “So she sold out.”
“Don’t be so hard on your mother.”
The amulet bubbled against the glass as I fought to keep from screaming. “Really? I have no right to be mad at her for turning my life into a lie? For keeping my real dad a secret?” I struggled to get the words out. “She ruined everything.”
Gram reached over to hug me, but I moved just out of her reach. “I’m so sorry, Pumpkin. You’re right. Life hasn’t been fair to you. I wish I could do something to make it better, but I can’t. Remember where you are. You must forgive your mother.”
My anger quickly boiled to the surface, along with the scum. “That sounds
like a standard Heaven line.”
Her eyes welled up.
I wished I could take the words back.
Gram wiped away her tears with the side of her apron. “If I could make all your pain go away, I would.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take it out on you. Facing my death and being in JH has been so hard. Nothing like what I expected. Then to find out my old life wasn’t what I thought either…just a lot to take in.”
“Pumpkin, are you hungry? I hear they’re having a great all-you-can-eat buffet at the China House.”
Leave it to Gram to switch to her favorite subject—food. I gave her a weak smile. “Sounds good.”
We walked hand-in-hand back toward the little cottage. With every step closer, the amulet grew lighter. It changed to a pretty sea-foam green. The silver disc hovered over us for a moment and then sped away. The family soap opera was over.
Gram opened the door to the cottage. “Let’s get dressed up. Make a night of it.”
I riffled through her closet full of housecoats and thankfully found a vintage floral dress. I threw off Mrs. Schwartz’s regulation T-shirt and kicked off my miniskirt. The dress hung on me, so I cinched in the waist with a belt. I twirled in front of the mirror on the antique wardrobe. Not my usual style, but Gram would be pleased. For once I passed for a lady.
I ran a brush through my hair. A constant reminder of my father, who’d forever remain a mystery. If Mom called him the “Cat” like me, then anything could have happened to him. He could have been in a horrible accident and never had a chance to see my mother again. Never had a chance to meet me…He might be in Senior Heaven, but if I won the contest, I’d never find out. If I lost, I’d just be a lump of oozing scum. They didn’t have fathers.
Nothing but loss. That was what death brought me. A tear ran down my cheek. The amulet changed to a pale mint. I turned my back toward my grandmother and wiped it away. I didn’t want her to see me upset. A rainbow of ribbons hung on the side of the wardrobe. I picked out a pink one, Gram’s favorite color. It slipped out of my hand and floated down on top of a basket. I went to pick up the ribbon, but it caught on a pile of photographs. The pictures showed us back when we were a happy family. Maybe a walk down memory lane at dinner would make us both feel better. I picked out a funky old purse and tucked the photos inside. Time for the finishing touch. I tied the ribbon in my hair to complete my lady-like transformation.
Holding out my arms, I twirled around in front of Gram. “Thanks for the beautiful dress. And thanks for being honest with me about Mom and Dad. I’ll probably never meet my real father—at least I have his hair.”
Gram’s eyes lit up. “You look so pretty. You should dress up more often.” Then she pointed to the vial. “Look, your necklace matches the light green in the dress.”
I smiled. The amulet actually did match the color of the leaves. This meant I was learning to let my feelings out. Now if only I could free them enough for the scum to disappear. Gram was smiling ear to ear. I loved seeing her so happy after everything I’d put her through.
I gave her a wink. “Maybe I should dress like a lady once in awhile.”
She jumped out of her chair. “Let’s go to The Velvet Throne Mall and pick you up a whole new wardrobe.”
I cringed. Dressing like a lady to make my grandmother happy was one thing, but walking around Junior Heaven in her version of my Sunday best would surely make me the brunt of a few jokes.
The purse buckled from the weight of all the pictures inside. I couldn’t wait until dinner. I clicked open the clasp. “Look what I found!”
Gram’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, I forgot I brought the pictures here.”
“I thought it would be fun to check them out at dinner. So many great memories.”
We sat down on the shabby chic living room couch. One by one we went through the pictures. Me at the age of four, Mom dressed in her prom dress, Gram and Gramp in their garden. Toward the bottom of the pile was a picture of Mom with someone’s arms around her waist. They were long and athletic. Definitely not my dad’s. I held the photo up to Gram. “Who’s with Mom? An old boyfriend?”
Gram pushed my hair behind my ears. “Pumpkin, there’s something else of your father’s you carry every day.”
“You don’t have to try and make me feel better.”
“It’s true.” She took the pile of photos from my lap. “Look.”
The picture showed my mother beaming next to a tall handsome man with auburn hair—my real dad. He had his arm draped over Mother’s shoulder. A happy couple smiling into the camera.
Could this be as close as I’d ever get to my father? I ran a finger over his face and down his arm. My hand stopped at his wrist.
“No way! He has a birthmark just like mine!”
Chapter One
Here We Go Again!
I ran my fingers through my bed-head hairdo. Sabrina picked me up at dawn and I didn’t even have time to brush my hair. Straightening out the rings on my costume, I let out a sigh of relief. Although I’d rather still be snuggled in bed at the cottage, at least I was standing in front of the familiar humpbacked studio of the Cloud Nine Contest, instead of back in detention—or worse.
Sabrina pulled a strand of hair off my face. “Go out there and kick some butt.”
I waved good-bye to the best guardian angel ever. Somehow she’d managed to get me a reprieve. Or so I thought. Mr. Palmer came toward me with Celery in tow. I tried to read her face, but she hid it behind a curtain of green hair.
Mr. Palmer shoved Celery aside and practically stuck his pompadour up my nose. “If I had my way, you’d both be disqualified, but I’ve been overruled. Someone with a much higher authority wants you to remain in the contest.” His green eyes bored right into me. “Seems you two actually have fans.”
What a smug a-hole. The amulet turned a dark khaki as my anger grew. I’d show him. “Bet it sucks to be you.”
Palmer clenched his fists then released them. Too many eyes were on him. He reached up and grabbed my necklace. “No jewelry, remember?”
I reluctantly handed him the amulet. “Make sure you take good care of my necklace.”
He stuffed it in his pants pocket like a piece of trash. “Better get moving. We air in five minutes.”
All four members of Team Force strode onto the stage in their Darth Vader glory.
Celery flipped Palmer off. “The jerk. Makes me even more determined to kick the Vaders’ butts. They’re his favorites.” She ran her fingers along the rings of her costume. “Can’t wait to put this baby through its paces.”
“What do you mean?”
“Forgot you haven’t had a chance to read the instructions. I’ll fill you in. You’re going to be super stoked.”
I hoped she was right. “So, what do you think we’ll do next?”
“Every session they step it up a notch, so just be ready for anything.”
Team Force stood in position behind their podium. Somehow even though their faces were covered with masks, I knew they were grinning. The team had reason to gloat—they beat us. Because of my “accident” our team had to default.
Skater Boys’ eyes practically bulged out of their heads. Austin pulled me next to him. “We’re stoked you guys are here. There were all these rumors going around that you were kicked out of the contest. Palmer practically told us as much.”
Palmer. No doubt now. He was our enemy. “I wouldn’t pay much attention to what he has to say.”
Celery chimed in. “Yeah, he’s got little dick complex.”
We laughed hard until the back doors flew open and the audience streamed in. Did I just see Schwartz with a jar of pond scum painted on a giant sign? I closed my eyes. I didn’t need the amulet to know the stress of winning the contest must be getting to me. Let alone the cameras watching my every move. My fifteen minutes of fame were lasting way too long. But I’d put up with it a while longer. I wanted to go home so badly.
When I opened my eyes, I stared down at
over fifty girls with Go Celery & Taylor and Girl Power signs packed into the front row.
“Palmer was right about one thing—we do have fans. Maybe one of us will win Fan Favorite.”
“Me.” Celery waved at the girls.
They jumped up and down, screaming her name.
That was all it took for Palmer to react. “Save your energy for when the cameras are on.”
Blaine turned red. “Why don’t we have any signs? We rock too!”
Celery laughed. “I think you mean suck.”
I gave her a high-five. “Yeah, remember, we were the ones that found the fuel rods. Plus, we snagged a clue. We didn’t win, though, ’cause you guys didn’t come through.”
Austin leaned toward me. “We’ll do better this round. Especially if you don’t hog the computer device.”
The announcer strolled onto stage and the audience went crazy. Mr. Palmer stood between the podiums. “And now, our master of ceremonies, John Tribble.”
The crowd roared even louder. Then they chanted his name. “John, John, John.”
He held up a hand. “Thank you. First off, I want to announce that the Fan Favorite so far is Team Force captain, Spencer.” The crowd applauded, except for the girls in the front who booed. Tribble glared at them and then cleared his throat. “Now, let’s begin round two of the Cloud Nine Contest.”
The audience cheered.
“You’re in for a treat. We’re going to try something new this show.”
The audience quieted down.
Celery’s face glistened under the lights. Her nerves were probably getting to her just like mine were to me.
Mr. Tribble paused. “We’re going to take the scavenger hunt to the streets of Angel City.”
The audience took a collective breath before they began to scream.
Celery grabbed my hand. “T, this is huge. No one’s ever been allowed to go anywhere near the city. It’s strictly for adults.”
Skater Boys stood speechless for a moment, then Blaine said, “Dudes, I can’t believe they’re letting us run loose on the streets. Totally awesome.”
Celery nodded. “And scary.”
Nine Lives (The Katran Legacy) Page 10