by Robin Caroll
Mom was so utterly cool!
“Hey, Sam,” Marcus said as soon as Mom had left.
“Hi, Marcus.” She smiled at Billy. “Hi, Billy.”
“You know Sam Sanderson, right?” Marcus asked Billy.
“Yeah.” Billy nodded at her. “Hey.”
“This is Makayla Ansley,” Sam introduced them.
Both guys stood there, awkwardly holding their cones.
“Why don’t y’all sit with us?” Sam asked.
“Sure.” Marcus looked at Billy. “Okay?”
They all sat and an uneasy silence settled over them. Sam took another bite of her ice cream then looked at Marcus. “Hey, I heard you’ll be escorting Frannie to the pep rally. Does that mean you’ll be in a suit?”
“Yeah, I guess.” He turned red. “I’m taking her to the dance, too.”
“That’s really cool,” Makayla said.
Marcus smiled at her over the table. “Thanks. We’re just friends.”
Uh-oh. Sam could see the sparks here. Frannie would not be happy. Better get to the point. “So, Billy . . . are you going to the homecoming dance, too?” Sam asked.
Makayla shot her an ugly look. The one that said, “Could you be any more blunt and obvious?”
Sam ignored her.
“Uh, yeah.”
Marcus looked at his friend. “You are?”
“I asked Kathy Gibbs.” Billy smiled shyly. “She said yes. Finally.”
Sam nearly choked on her ice cream. Kathy Gibbs? She was an eighth grader staff reporter for the newspaper. Kinda kept to herself but nice. She didn’t really talk a lot with the other kids. “I have newspaper with her. She’s nice.”
Billy nodded. “She is. We go to church together, and I’ve wanted to ask her out since last year but got a little sidetracked by another girl.” He glanced out the window and stared absently toward the movie theater. “Things got a little weird, and I wanted to explain and apologize, but that just didn’t happen. Anyway, it’s all over now.”
Marcus gave his friend a mock punch. “That’s cool. Sam and I both have newspaper with Kathy. I can’t believe she hasn’t said anything. There’s been so much talk about homecoming in the paper . . . who’s escorting who, who will be named homecoming queen . . . all that girl stuff.”
“Hey! I’m not talking about it all the time,” Sam said.
“Not you,” Marcus smiled.
“Well, I just asked her Tuesday night.”
If Sam were a dog, her ears would’ve perked up. “Tuesday night?”
Billy nodded. “Yeah. She’s in my youth group at church, and we had a pizza party Tuesday night. I asked her then.” His cheeks turned red again. “I was a little surprised she said yes, but I’m glad she did.”
Sam could see that. “You two make a cute couple.”
He chuckled. “Really? Thanks.”
“What about you two? Are y’all going to the dance?” Marcus asked.
Makayla shook her head. “Not me. My mom won’t let me go to a dance until I’m in high school.”
“Even a school one?” Marcus asked.
“She won’t even let me go to ones at church.” Makayla sighed loudly. “My mom’s a little over-protective these days.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Sam said. “Her mom only lets her go out as much as she does because my dad asks.”
Makayla nodded. “It’s true. Because Sam’s dad is a cop, Mom thinks if he says Sam’s going, then it’s safe.”
“As if I have a team of security guards following me around or something.” Sam chuckled.
“But we haven’t been able to get Mom to relent on dances.”
“That bites,” Marcus said.
“Tell me about it.” Makayla sighed for effect.
“What about you?” Marcus asked Sam. “You going to the dance?”
“I don’t know yet.” Maybe she should feel embarrassed that no one had asked her, but she didn’t. “Maybe.”
At the moment, she cared more about the fact that Billy Costiff had an alibi for the time the email to Nikki was sent. He was no longer a suspect.
That only left Felicia, Melanie, and possibly Aubrey.
Sam wondered if the crime scene unit had better luck with the tire casts, or if the investigating officers got a lead from their questioning of the neighborhood residents, or if they had any luck finding the computers at the pawn shops.
She finished off her ice cream, ready for Mom to come back so they could leave. Sam couldn’t wait to call Dad and find out how the investigation went. She wanted to be a part of it, even if she couldn’t report on it. At least she could share the information with Nikki to put in her article.
Especially if Aubrey was involved. That would be too sa-weet!
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Were all churches soothing? There was just something so peaceful about walking into the sanctuary of her church, Sam felt. Maybe it was because she’d attended West Little Rock all her life. Maybe it was the rocking worship band. Sam didn’t know, but she always felt better about everything when she was there.
“See you before the service,” Mom said as she and Dad turned to head to the adult Sunday school classrooms.
Sam nodded and made her way to the youth room. It had occurred to Sam late last night that since Billy had an alibi, that meant the bully and thief had to be a girl. She’d done a lot of research on girl bullies into the early hours of the morning. Female bullying was a subtype of bullying. Who knew? It was crazy.
Some studies made it clear that female bullying was just as prominent and severe as bullying from guys. Female bullying could sometimes even be worse. Females were most typically associated with cyber bullying, indirect bullying, and the social alienation type of bullying.
Sounded just like Nikki’s bully. If Sam would’ve done more research sooner, she might not have wasted time and energy thinking Billy Costiff was a suspect.
Either way, she couldn’t wait to tell Makayla. She hurried down the hall, then turned into the youth room. She waved at Lissi as she entered, heading straight to the overstuffed loveseat where she and Makayla always sat. She came to an abrupt halt.
“Hey, Sam. Look who’s going to start coming to our church.” Makayla sat beside none other than Melanie Olson.
“Hi, Melanie.” Sam was quick to smile. Even though Melanie was a suspect, Sam really felt sorry for her. It had to be awful for your dad to lose his job and for your family to suffer through so many changes.
“Hi.” Melanie didn’t look very happy. Matter of fact, she looked downright miserable.
Sam dropped onto the loveseat next to Makayla. It was a snug fit, but she didn’t care, and she knew Mac didn’t mind being squished. “I guess Makayla introduced you around?”
Melanie nodded.
“This is a great group. We’ve gotten pretty close.”
“I loved my group,” Melanie said.
Sam licked her lips. “What happened?”
She shrugged. “It’s in Conway, where my dad used to work. We’re having to cut all costs, even gas money, so Mom said we needed to find a church closer to where we live.”
“You drove to Conway every Sunday?” Sam asked.
Melanie frowned at her. “Yeah. It’s only like thirty or so minutes. My dad used to drive it every day to and from work. It’s not a big deal.”
“Oh.” Sam didn’t know what to say.
Luckily, Ms. Martha called the group to order with a prayer, then greeted everyone. Makayla introduced Melanie. “This is my friend, Melanie Olson. She attends my school and has been going to church in Conway, but her mother would like them to find a church a little closer to home, so they’re visiting us.”
Ms. Martha smiled. “Welcome, Melanie. We’re happy to have you here. I’m sure you’ll fit right in.”
“I fit in at my church just fine,” Melanie mumbled under her breath. Only Makayla and Sam could hear since they were on the loveseat beside her.
Ms. Martha had alr
eady moved her attention to the Scripture for today. “There have been a lot of changes in our community lately. In our church families. In the state.” She smiled. “Our whole nation, really. It can be scary sometimes, and sad, but also exciting. This past week, I had some surprising news that will change mine and my husband’s life. It was a little scary, but very exciting, and it got me to thinking about all the different times in my life.”
Everyone was silent, hanging onto Ms. Martha’s every word.
“I thought about how when I was a child, all I knew was my own little circle. That was my world. My parents, my brother, my home, and my church.” She smiled. “My world was pretty small, and it kinda revolved all around me.”
Everybody laughed. Hard to picture Ms. Martha being self-centered. She was one of the most giving people Sam had ever met.
“Then I started school, and my world grew. I had friends and teachers and youth, but the focus was still really all about me.” Ms. Martha paused. “But as I grew older, my awareness of the world outside of me seeped into my reality. At first it was on a community and state level. Tornado destruction, missing children in the area, heroic firemen . . . stuff like that.” Her smile had subsided. “Then awareness of the world came into my life. World hunger, wars, terrorists, people banding together after tragedies to help one another.”
Silence settled over the youth room as everyone remembered the changes in their lives. Sam couldn’t help but think about the big change she’d be facing in her life if Mom took the National Geographic offer. That would be a big personal change, but nothing like the changes Mom would see of the world.
“The Scripture I selected for today is Ecclesiastes 3:1–8. I think most of you will recognize it. Sandy, would you please read it aloud for us?”
Sandy flipped through her Bible. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”
“The Bible tells us that we will always have changes in our lives. What do y’all think it means to you?” Ms. Martha asked.
“I think it’s God telling us that we’ll go through good times and bad, but it’s okay, because there’s a time for everything,” Daniel said.
“To me, it means that even when I’m going through a really hard time, it won’t last, because a time for something else will come along soon,” Ava Kate offered.
“Good.” Ms. Martha smiled. “Anybody else?”
“It’s almost a push-pull type of thing to me,” Sam said.
“How’s that?” Ms. Martha asked.
Sam stared at the Scripture in the Bible app on her iPad. “Well, look at each verse . . . a mention of almost opposites: be born and die, plant and uproot, kill and heal, tear down and build, cry and laugh, mourn and dance, love and hate . . . every verse.”
“It does, so what does that mean to you?” Ms. Martha asked.
Sam shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure, but everything we deal with, we’ll have to go from one extreme to the other to grow. Even when I’m mad and give everyone the silent treatment, it’s okay, because there’s the time for that. But I can’t stay mad and silent forever. That time will end, and I’ll have to reach the opposite end where I’m talking and sharing my feelings.”
“Very good.” Ms. Martha winked at Sam. “Anybody else?”
“It’s reassuring to me,” Sandy said, “in that it feels like this Scripture gives me permission to let myself have the emotions that we, as Christians, sometimes forget it’s okay to feel. Like hatred, giving up, killing.” She shook her head. “Not in the literal sense. Y’all know what I mean.”
“Yeah, stay away from Sandy. She’s deadly,” Jeremy joked.
“I know what you mean, Sandy.” Ms. Martha said. “Christians should strive to emulate Christ, so we should love and forgive, but let’s not forget that Jesus had righteous anger. Remember he flipped the money-changers’ table over.”
Everyone chuckled.
“Anybody else?” Ms. Martha asked.
“Yeah,” Sam said. “Since you brought it up, what change are you and your husband about to face?”
Ms. Martha smiled. “I should have known the reporter in the group wouldn’t let it slide.” Her smile widened and her hands automatically went to her tummy. “About the time y’all get out of school in May, I’ll be ready to have our baby!”
Everyone chimed in with shouts and claps of congratulations. The girls got up to give her hugs, but Sam noticed Melanie still sitting alone on the loveseat, staring at the open Bible in her lap. It occurred to Sam that she’d just assumed the lesson today was God’s sign to her to accept it if Mom took the assignment. Maybe she’d been wrong.
Maybe the lesson today had been for Melanie, to accept the changes she had no control over, like her dad losing his job.
“Let’s close in prayer so we aren’t late to Pastor Patterson’s service,” Ms. Martha said after getting her final hug from Lissi.
After prayer, most everyone headed toward the sanctuary. Sam and Makayla hung back a little to walk with Melanie.
“What did you think about the group?” Makayla asked.
Melanie shrugged. “It was okay. Kinda nice.” She glanced at Makayla. “Did you ask her to talk about change because I was here?”
“Of course not. Ms. Martha picks out lessons she thinks are important. You heard her: she’s gonna have a baby, which is a big change.” Makayla’s defenses showed.
Sam smiled and nudged Melanie. “Yeah, don’t make it all about you.” She kept her voice light and her smile in place to show she was teasing.
Melanie smiled back. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“Hey, Melanie and her family are coming to our house for lunch after church. You wanna come?” Makayla asked.
Sam shook her head. “Can’t. I promised Nikki I’d drop by and help her with the article for the school blog. She has to set it to post early, so she just wanted me to look it over for her.”
“That’s nice,” Mac said.
“You know, you were right about her mom not having a choice in laying off all those people,” Melanie offered. She let out a sigh.
Mac gave Melanie a sideways hug as they stopped outside the church’s main doors. “It’s a hard situation.”
Melanie smiled. “No, a hard situation was every night this past week. We had to sort through all the boxes we’d just put in storage, deciding what we would keep and what we had to get rid of because we needed to move our stuff to a smaller storage unit. I think we got to bed at ten every night this week.”
“Well then, you’ll really enjoy lunch. Mom made her homemade, three-layer chocolate cake. It’s amazing, right, Sam?” Makayla said as she led the way into the sanctuary.
“It’s out of this world,” Sam agreed, but her mind stuttered over Melanie’s words.
She’d just lost another suspect.
“Try writing it something like this,” Sam took over Nikki’s keyboard and typed.
Nikki nodded. “Oh, that’s good.” She grinned. “Thanks.”
Heat whooshed up the back of Sam’s neck. “No problem.”
“No, you’re really, really good at this. You’re going to make a great reporter. I mean, you already are, but you know what I mean.”
“I hope so.” Man, did she ever hope so. “Anyway, I think it’s ready for you to set to post now.”
“I appreciate you coming over and helping me today.” Nikki opened the notebook sitting by her desk. “I can’t remember the passcode to the paper’s blog. I can’t rem
ember anything.” She grinned and waved her spiral notebook. “I have to write down every password and code and login I use in this thing. If I lose it, I’m locked out of my whole life.”
“I’m lucky that I can remember things pretty easy,” Sam replied.
“You’re lucky all right.” Nikki set the article to upload to the school’s newspaper’s blog at five-thirty in the morning. “This is the first big assignment Aubrey gave me. She usually assigns me the fashion articles. Not that I mind that, of course. Fashion’s more my scene anyway.”
“Yeah.” Sam could only think of one reason Aubrey would assign this to Nikki — to make her uncomfortable and upset her.
That said a lot about Aubrey’s personality right there.
“Anyway,” Nikki sighed.
“I don’t want to bring up a sore subject, but have you gotten any more letters or texts or packages?”
Nikki shook her head. “No, thank goodness. I’m thinking maybe the person’s done, like Dad said from the beginning — gave up or moved on.”
“I don’t think that’s it. I think they’ve just got other things occupying them at the moment. Like breaking into the school to steal the computer they sent the email from to cover her tracks, and — ”
“Her tracks?”
Sam shrugged. “Most of my suspects are females. Did you know that female bullying is actually a recognized form of bullying? Isn’t that crazy?” Maybe Nikki wouldn’t push it. Maybe she wouldn’t ask. It would be really bad to have to tell Nikki that Sam suspected Aubrey, her best friend, of being involved in such a hurtful campaign against Nikki.
Nikki shook her head. “I’m tired of hearing about all the bullying, to be honest, Sam.”
Because she wanted to pretend like she wasn’t a victim. “I understand, Nikki, I do, but you do realize the bully started with you for a reason. Something we haven’t figured out is why you were picked to be the victim. I doubt it’ll all just go away without having figured that out.”
Nikki stood and shut her laptop. “Well, thanks again for coming by. I’ve got to start getting ready for dinner. Dad’s coming by and taking us all out to eat.”
