That caught my mom off-guard. She hesitated for a second, then related all the wonderful things his own mother would be baking for him at their new house. She made it sound absolutely nauseating, going on and in that perky voice, I wanted to gag. If it didn’t fool me, I’m pretty sure it didn’t fool Rose. Jimmy-John was just a kid, but kids are not as clueless as adults think. Anyway, she kept at it.
“Just you wait, honey. Everything is going to be so nice for you and Rose and your mom. And, you can visit us and go with us to the farm sometimes—won’t that be great?”
That last bit got Jimmy-John’s attention. He took his thumb out of his mouth and squinted up at Mom. “Can we go to the farm right now?”
“Oh, no, honey, not now, but soon. Maybe in a few weeks we’ll go again and you can come, too. Okay?”
Jimmy-John nodded but his shoulders slumped. I didn’t think he was buying any of it. I wouldn’t have. He looked up at his sister to gauge her response, but Rose just sat there with hands folded in her lap. She was trying hard to maintain a neutral expression. I guess she wasn’t buying any of it either.
Jimmy-John scuttled off the couch. “Can I ride my bike now?”
Mom smiled. “You sure can if you promise to stay right by the house. Okay?”
“Okay.” He strode to the closet, put on his jacket, then let himself out. Usually when he was going out to ride his beloved bicycle, he tore around like a deranged monkey, but not this time. This time he was subdued and almost lethargic. I felt so sad for the little kid. He was probably scared to death about yet another change in his life.
Mom sat for a moment in silence. Her overly bright smile faded, and her thumbs played a wrestling game that I’m sure she wasn’t even aware of. Rose and I sat still, too, neither one of us wanting to break the pregnant silence. Finally Mom spoke.
“Rose. Mr. Merrick and I want you to know that we have truly loved having you and Jimmy-John here with us these past months. I think John has had more fun with Jimmy-John than vice versa. It’s made him ten years younger. And you know how Kate feels about it. You girls have been like sisters.” She paused then leaned closer as if to emphasize what she was saying. “I want you to remember this, Rose. Any time—any time—you feel you need to talk with one of us, you just pick up the phone and call—day or night. Okay?”
“Yes, Mrs. Merrick,” Rose said in her quiet voice.
“I mean it, Rose, any time. But I know you’ll be so busy getting settled into your new house and signing up for school and…and everything…” Her voice petered out.
Rose left the sofa, walked over to Mom, and put her arms around her. They hugged, Mom stroking the back of Rose’s head. After a few minutes, I couldn’t stand it any longer and jumped up to join them. At that moment, Dad walked in. Took him only a second to figure out what was going on.
“Uh-oh. Group hug. Make room for me.” he said with a chuckle that sounded forced. Dad wasn’t that great an actor. I saw right through him.
* * * *
Four days later, on Tuesday, at 6:00 p.m. on the dot, while Rose and I were emptying the dishwasher, a rattle-trap-of-a-car drove into our driveway and stopped. Two people—a man and a woman—got out. I just happened to be near the window so I had a fairly clear view of the couple. I almost dropped the bowl I held.
The woman’s red dress hung a good two inches below her coat. Her shoes had spike heels that wobbled as she made her way up the sidewalk. Bertie Coughlin. The man looked like an extra from a low budget movie on Chicago gangsters or, maybe, Planet of the Apes. He was short, barrel-chested, and had fists like hams. He had Bertie by the elbow and was practically shoving her forward. A wave of apprehension washed over me. “Mom. Dad,” I yelled. “Mrs. Coughlin’s here.”
The doorbell rang and I heard my parents heading for the front door. With exaggerated care I set the bowl on the counter and faced Rose. “Well, this is it.”
She nodded and I thought her cheeks paled but that could’ve just been my imagination. Anyway, Rose didn’t look too thrilled.
Mom and Dad were ushering Bertie and the man into the house when Rose and I walked into the living room. Jimmy-John literally threw himself at his sister and clawed her jeans. Rose led him to the couch and pulled him onto her lap. Jimmy-John stuck his thumb in his mouth and clutched Rose’s shirt. They waited without uttering a sound.
Bertie went into overdrive. “Rose, precious Rose. And my sweet baby boy. I’ve missed you so much.” She looked at the man who’d been standing there with hands stuffed into his pockets and a scowl on his face. “Calvin, see? I told you they were adorable.” She smiled at Rose and Jimmy-John. “Rose, this, here, is Calvin…Calvin Dobey. He’s your new daddy, honey. Isn’t that nice? See, Jimmy-John, baby? You have a new daddy.”
Rose looked so startled that for a second I thought she might faint. Jimmy-John shrank into her chest.
My mom emitted a stifled squeal that she barely kept in check, and Dad looked positively green. He took a giant step forward and stuck out his hand. “Calvin, hello. Nice to meet you. I’m John Merrick.”
Calvin Dobey gave a curt nod but didn’t offer his hand. That didn’t faze my father, however. He just continued to smile. “How about we guys step into the kitchen for a minute to run over a few things, while Bertie and the kids catch up on the past few months.”
At first I didn’t think Calvin would comply, but then he shrugged and followed Dad into the kitchen. Mom remained where she was, her face doing a series of expressive contortions. I’d never seen her so perplexed. It would’ve been funny if I wasn’t about to burst into tears.
Bertie glanced nervously at Mom. “I guess I should’ve told you ahead of time that I’d gotten married, huh?”
My poor mother only managed a series of jerky nods.
I sidled over to the couch and sat beside Rose. She looked at me for a second then lowered her eyes. My heart sank. I wanted to say something to cheer her up but no words came out. I couldn’t even think straight. I felt as sick inside as she did.
Five minutes later Dad and Calvin came back into the living room. I could tell Dad was holding back a lot of emotion. Calvin Dobey didn’t look any better. In fact, he looked about ready to knock my dad’s block off. Two spots of color stained his grizzled cheeks, and he was clenching and unclenching his fists. Clearly, he was not in the mood for any more idle chatter.
“Bertie! C’mon. Let’s get the hell out of here. It’s getting late.” He grabbed Bertie’s elbow and she looked up, startled.
“Okay, okay. Don’t tug at me, Cal. We’re coming.” She pasted a smile on her too-red lips and motioned for Rose and Jimmy-John to hurry. “Come on, kids. Go pack your stuff. We got to get a move on. Your daddy’s getting hungry.”
Calvin scowled. “Y’mean they haven’t even packed yet? Dammit, Bertie, I told you t’get ’em ready.”
Rose left the couch and dashed upstairs. I was close on her heels. In less time than I would’ve liked, we packed their clothes and toiletries in the suitcases Mom and Dad had bought each of them a few days ago. Rose couldn’t have been more grateful at the time. Now I wondered whether she’d even get to keep the new luggage, or whether Cal-the-gorilla would take them away and sell them or something. I wouldn’t put it past him.
Nine minutes later we were back downstairs. I thought Jimmy-John would burst into tears when he saw us carrying the suitcases, but to the little guy’s credit, he slipped off the couch and into the coat Mom held out for him. Before any of us could say anything coherent, Rose and Jimmy-John were hurried out to a battered old Buick station wagon with a dented right fender, a cracked windshield, and a bumper sticker that told you to honk if you wanted a nosebleed. I had to keep swallowing because a giant lump was making it difficult to breathe. Mom didn’t look any better, and Dad had the sternest expression I’ve ever seen him wear. Bertie, on the other hand, was chattering to beat the band.
Rose helped her brother into the back seat. Calvin got in behind the steering wheel, leaving
Bertie to gush one last thank you to my parents before settling into the front passenger side, all the while dabbing at her eyes with a wadded-up tissue.
We waved good-bye. Mom and Dad smiled and I tried to but couldn’t get my mouth to cooperate. I also couldn’t stop the flow of tears streaming down my cheeks. Through the rear window, I saw Rose sitting close to Jimmy-John. He was crying, but her face was composed. Our eyes met. A slow smile spread across her face, and I could swear she nodded.
I mentally said good-bye to Rose Coughlin. I knew this was the end…the end of everything. We’d never room together at college, or go on double dates, or go back to the farm. I’d never see her ever again. I knew it. I could only offer a prayer that she take care of Jimmy-John…and herself.
As soon as their car turned the corner, we returned to the warmth and awful silence of the living room. No one spoke for an eternity, then Dad cleared his throat and barked, “Well! How about a movie?”
“John. We have to eat dinner.” Mom’s voice was breathy.
“Oh, sure, sure. What was I thinking?”
I faced them and clenched my hands to keep them from shaking. “How can you guys be so calm about this?”
“Oh, Kate, hon—”
“No. Don’t ‘honey’ me, Mom. What just happened is a…is a travesty. I hate Bertie. And I mean it. Did you see the ape she married? Married. Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Did you see him? He was disgusting. He was nothing more than a…than a thug.”
Dad put an arm around me. “We don’t know that, Katie. He may have just been horribly uncomfortable.”
I pulled away. “I don’t buy that, Dad. He was an ape. And no different than Sam Coughlin. He’ll probably abuse Rose, too. Why didn’t you stop them from taking them? You could’ve stopped them and—” I couldn’t finish. I burst into angry tears. This time I let my dad fold me in his arms. I cried on his shoulder for an eternity before Mom gently untangled me from his embrace.
Nothing more was said.
TWENTY-SEVEN
It rained hard as I walked to the bus stop. I carried an umbrella even though it was a dorky thing to do. You didn’t take an umbrella to our high school without getting a hundred snickers and chuckles along the way. But I just plain didn’t care. It was raining, and I didn’t want to get wet. I had on a new suede jacket, and I didn’t want to ruin it the first time out.
Nancy sat in our usual seat; her eyes lit up when she saw me. I smiled, waved, and made my way down the aisle to the third row. This time she didn’t let me crawl over her to the window seat but scooted over.
“Hi,” she said brightly. “Have a good weekend?”
“Yeah, sure. As you can see, I went shopping. Bought two outfits and this jacket.”
“Mmm, nice. I love leather. Looks smart. Makes you look taller.”
I made a face. “Yeah, right.”
“No, it does. Honest. You look good.”
“Thanks.”
For the next five minutes, Nancy waxed eloquent about her favorite subject—boys. I listened with half an ear, but my mind was elsewhere. Actually, I was more than relieved when the bus lumbered into the high school parking lot. I had a drama club meeting before school and wanted to go to my locker first. Saying a hurried good-bye-I’ll-see-ya, I pushed my way off the bus before Nancy had even collected her stuff.
I’d slammed my locker door and was adjusting the strap of my tote when a girl appeared from around the corner. For a split second my heart stopped. The girl looked so much like Rose Coughlin I had to blink twice before registering that it wasn’t. She had on a god-awful dress that hung below her knees, and a shabby coat that only reached her mid-thigh. Tight around the shoulders, one she’d outgrown but hadn’t replaced.
Her hair was straight and greasy and the bangs hung over her eyes. She squinted like she needed glasses, and the acne was a thriving colony on her face. As I stood there dumbly, I witnessed several kids’ reactions as they walked past her. The remarks ranged from “Move, Zit-head.” to “Oh, god, who’s that?”
She had to be a new student—God-knew-from-where.
Without even thinking it through, I walked over and grinned. “Hi. I’m Kate Merrick. I’m a lowly freshman. You new here?”
The girl looked up shyly. “Yeah.”
“Where’re you from?”
“Chicago.”
“Freshman?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you have your class assignments? Can I see? Maybe we’re in a few together, and I can walk with you.”
Her eyes widened and I guessed few others had made the same offer. She held out a wrinkled slip. “Oh, good. We do share some classes. I’m in the same homeroom and Ms. Wayne’s English class. Oh, and sixth period world history. Great. I can show you around, if you’d like or, maybe, you’ve already had the grand tour.”
She shook her head. “No. I haven’t been shown much of anything. Thanks. I-I’d really appreciate it—your helping me, I mean.”
“Think nothing of it. Glad to help. I’m on my way to a drama club meeting. Why don’t I meet you in front of the library at eight-forty. Okay? Then we can walk to homeroom together.”
A slow smile spread across her face. “Yeah, okay.”
“Great. See you then.” I took a few lopes down the hall then skidded to a stop. Whirling around, I wasn’t too surprised to see her still standing there with a dopey, lopsided smile on a clearly bewildered face. I sprinted back.
“Hey. I just realized I didn’t get your name.” I grinned.
She looked at me and her smile widened. “Oh. I’m sorry. I’m just so nervous. My name is Rebecca. Rebecca Stollins.”
“Well, glad to meet you, Rebecca Stollins. As I said, I’m Kate Merrick. I’ve got to race to my drama club meeting, but I’ll be at the library around eight-thirty-ish. You know where the library is? Way over in the west wing of this old building. Can you find it?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I can find it. Thanks, Kate.”
“No problem. I’ll see you then. You’ll like it here. It’s a great school with loads of things to do. See you.” I did another about-face and trotted down the hall. A quick glance over my shoulder told me that Rebecca was going to do just fine. She had a genuine smile and was studying the notices on a bulletin board.
I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Life was full of surprises. I guess I’d take it one day at a time and see where it took me.
ABOUT AUTHOR THERESA JENNER GARRIDO
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest instilled in Theresa Jenner Garrido a love of the outdoors. She is an avid reader and enjoys traveling throughout the U.S.A. and Canada with her retired engineer husband. Before retiring early to devote time and energy to family and writing, Theresa taught middle school language arts.
Other Fabulous Young Adult Novels
by Theresa Jenner Garrido
Shade and Shadow
ISBN: 978-1-60318-076-4
Visiting her deceased mother’s ancestral home in the Low Country of South Carolina, Randy Smith delves into the family secrets. The only trouble? Someone in the old house doesn’t want these secrets uncovered. He or she will even kill to keep them hidden.
Centauri Serenade
ISBN: 978-1-60318-090-0
In order to rediscover herself, Annie Wren must journey beyond the stars to an unbelievable world of indescribable color, where beings communicate with music.
Wind Whisperer
ISBN: 978-1-60318-106-8
The strange and hauntingly beautiful Hoh rain forest of Western Washington State hides a mystery that Hannah Green must solve…or be lost forever in a time long forgotten
Mirror Image
ISBN: 978-1-60318-168-6
Something dark and menacing is disturbing the tranquil community of Reflection Bay. Can best friends Aggie and Babs solve the mystery?
The Chinest Chest
ISBN: 978-1-60318-270-6
What could be worse than babysitting a strange
child in a creepy old house? Lisa is about to find out…
* * * *
Reviews for Theresa’s Previous Novels
“Shade and Shadow draws the reader into the story. I think this is a nice choice for children who enjoy mysteries and ghost lore.”
ROUNDTABLE REVIEWS FOR KIDS
“Was hard to put Shade and Shadow down. The story gets better and better each chapter. Looking forward to the next book!”
PETER L. CUMMING, GA
“Terrific!”
PHYLLIS S. PLACERVILLE, CA
“I love books that make me want to keep turning the pages. I was sad when I finished Shade and Shadow. It was cool.”
WILL H. ST. LOUIS, MO
“Randy has just the right combination of spunk and good sense to be totally realistic and engaging. The action carried me along and into the atmosphere of the Low Country.”
JANELLE R. ANDERSON, SC
“I really liked Shade and Shadow. Nancy Drew has more fun, has an upgraded vocabulary and…makes everyone happy again. What more can you ask? I’ll definitely put Shade and Shadow on my list for my nieces and friend’s daughter to read.”
KATHRYN B. BOISE, ID
“I didn’t want Centauri Serenade to end. I loved it!”
BARBARA F. LAKE TAPPS, WA
By Any Other Name Page 15