by Debbie Civil
Chapter 7
“Chelsea,” a soft voice calls. My eyes open and I’m staring up into Carmen’s gentle face. The room smells like French fries and I know that she has brought food with her. I sit up and yawn.
“What time is it?” She sighs. This has been our routine for the last couple of days. I sleep, she wakes me up to force me to eat, we go for a walk, and I sleep again.
“It’s time for you to get ready,” she announces. I frown.
“For what?”
“The charity event that you promised Peter you would go to,“ she replies. It’s Saturday. How fun? Peter is probably going to ignore me and hang with all of his church friends. No one is going to talk to me and I’m going to be alone. I should probably be used to that.
“Stop looking so miserable. Peter told me about this event. It should be fun.”
“Are you coming with me?” she smiles.
“Our cousin Eliza and I are going. I also invited my best friend, Daniela. You’re going to love her,” Carmen says as she drags me out of bed. I shower and she picks out my clothes, a blue sun dress and black flip-flops. It’s apparent that it is going to be a comfortable atmosphere since Carmen is wearing shorts and a pink short sleeved shirt. Carmen picks at French fries as I blow dry my hair. Apparently, she’s really hungry and couldn’t wait to eat at the church. As I put my hair up in a pony-tail, there is a soft knock on the door.
“Come in,” I call and two girls rush in. One of them looks a lot like Carmen except for the fact that she is curvier and has bigger lips. The other resembles me, except her skin is olive. The curvy girl smiles.
“Hi, I’m Danny,” she says. Eliza smirks and introduces herself by giving me an aggressive hug. She is definitely full of energy.
“There are no boys in this family besides my brother tiller?” I ask. Carmen sucks in a breath.
“I have a cousin named Tiller? What is he like?”
“Smart. He got into Princeton with a full scholarship. Tiller is studying to be a Doctor,” I informed them. Eliza whistles.
“Geez. And I thought that Matt was an over achiever.”
“Who’s Matt?” I ask.
“Her really hot brother who goes to Brown. He’s studying business,” Daniela explains, her face filling with fondness.
“They dated for one summer,” Eliza explains. I nod in understanding and blink with surprise as a French fry hits Eliza in the nose. She catches it and pops it in her mouth. Daniela and I exchange looks as Carmen and Eliza play catch with the fries.
“They have been doing this since they were children,” the other girl tells me. Moments later, Daniela shrieks as a catch up packet smacks her in the nose. Then, I’m knocked to the bed and am howling in laughter because Eliza is tickling me. We are all laughing when the door opens.
“Ladies, Otis is waiting,” Grandmother announces. The girls immediately run out into the hallway. I move to follow, but Grandmother grabs my arm. I stiffen. What else have I done wrong? Her grip is loose but firm. And it takes her a few moments to release me. I look at her with a question in my eyes.
“Don’t see Adam. He’ll only hurt you again.” Before I can respond, Grandmother hands me a black handbag. I frowned.
“Your things are in the purse. You have and a credit card. Stay safe,” The woman says before leaving. I follow her out, speechless by the generosity.
“Party!” Eliza shrieks as she slides into the stretch limo beside me. Carmen and Danny are sitting in opposite seats. When Otis closes the door, Eliza opens the mini fridge and pulls out a coke. She proceeds to take drink orders and I settle on a can of coke zero. We munch on bags of Fritos as we talk.
“Chelsea, are you being home schooled this year?” Carmen asks.
“Yes.”
“So am I. I think that we have the same tutor,” Carmen says. Eliza doesn’t look so thrilled.
“Seeing the world, now I’m down with that. But, who wants to be stuck without eye candy?” Eliza asks. She smirks at Carmen who glares.
“Eye candy?” I ask, even though I want to be asking what Eliza means by seeing the world.
“I’m not sure what we will do. But I’ve done some snooping. My guess is that we will spend a month in Massachusetts then go down to Florida. After Florida, we will go to Canada, then Paris,” Carmen figures.
“Why?” I ask.
“Who knows? It seems like Grandma wants to spend some time with her grandchildren. I’m going off to college so I can’t come with you guys. That’s why I’m here now,” Danny says.
“Our families are really close,” Carmen fills in.
“Hey, ladies, aren’t you guys mourning our lack of men?” Eliza asks.
“Not really. I have your brother,” Danny reminds the girl. Eliza makes a gagging sound. This topic really sucks, especially since I would be mourning the lack of one guy, Adam Smith. Since my episode, he hasn’t called. Not one text or a single “I’m sorry.” This kills me just as much as losing him. How dare he choose Ivy over me? When Adam and I got together, we were both outcasts. We had a common enemy, everyone else. Now, he went all Benedict Arnold on me.
“As long as I’m not dragged to the country club, I’m okay with this arrangement,” Carmen chimes in. That comment earns a chuckle from Eliza.
“I practically got kicked out of the place. Would you imagine? It’s apparently taboo to start a food fight,” Eliza gasps. Then, she pauses and stares at her can of soda, as if looking for an answer to a mystery. “No, I think punching Kim Ray in the face is the reason why I can’t go back.” Everyone laughs. I’ve known the girl for two seconds. But it’s clear that Eliza is the free spirited one. I wish I can be like her. An unexpected ball of jealousy fills my belly. Adam would love a girl like her. She would be worshiped.
“I for one can’t stand that I’m not starting college right away. Can you just imagine the dreadful traveling I will have to do?” Eliza asks with feigned horror.
“What about you, Carmen?” I ask.
“Carmen goes to an all-girl school. She won’t miss it, especially since her acceptance to Cornell University is guaranteed,” Eliza smirks.
“Is not,” Carmen protests.
“Don’t mind her. Carmen is under the impression that she is actually earning her way into college. Her uncle is the dean,” Eliza stage whispers. For a moment, Carmen’s dark eyes are filled with pain. She looks away and doesn’t say a word for the rest of the ride.
The church is brick with steps in the front. Music fills the air when a woman in front of us pulls a door open. She smiles at us and holds the door until Carmen reaches her. Apprehension fills me. We don’t know anyone here. We walk into the lobby and there is someone sitting at a table by the doors. The admission fee is ten bucks. We pay our money and follow the sound of the music. The sanctuary is nearly packed with enthusiastic people clapping and dancing to the music. A band is playing while a boy who is the spitting image of Peter sings. He is accompanied by three male background singers. They are all great. We are all having a grand old time. It’s amazing how the sanctuary and over all good spirit is enough to relax me. I haven’t been to my home church in five years. Mom stopped going and there was no way that I was attending alone. Looking at the packed room makes me glad that Carmen, Eliza, and Danny are with me. Well, Eliza was with us. She joined the people, enthusiastically clapping and dancing in the aisles. I stood between Carmen and Danny, who both stare at Eliza with resignation in their eyes.
“That is the most upbeat version of Blessed Assurance I’ve ever heard,” I yell into Danny’s ear when the song finishes. She laughs.
“Hi everyone. I’m Malcolm, and thanks for coming to this event!” Everyone automatically claps. “This means a lot to all of us at Elmview Baptist church. Hope is very special to us. She is fighting cancer with courage. And I would just like to say that I admire her strength. Before I continue with the next song, remember, after the short play, go downstairs for food and the auction,” he says. I’m glad
that grandmother had given me money. All of it is going to this cause. I’m not sure what moves me to donate all of my pocket cash. Maybe Peter had a lot to do with it. Maybe this is a way that I can pay him back for saving me. Or maybe the reason is purely selfish. I want to save a life. Then, I can say that I made a difference.
After a fifteen minute play involving children reenacting the Jonah and the whale story, we all file downstairs for the remainder of the evening. Long rectangular tables are set up in the wide open space. All of the dividers are down. We sit at the table that is fairly close to the stage. My theory is that Danny is hoping to get another look at Malcolm.
“Where’s the grub? I’m starving!” Eliza groans as she plops beside me. Danny and Carmen sit across from us. A few people were already sitting at the table. They smile and greet us before returning to their own conversations. Someone taps on my shoulder. I crane my neck and see Peter. He is hot! He wears a buttoned down shirt, blue jeans, and black dress shoes.
“The band was amazing! Are you related to Malcolm?”
“My older brother,” Peter says with a smile. He is proud of Malcolm.
“Is he single?” Eliza asks. Peter study’s her curiously. “Danny over here would like to know.” Danny looks like she is going to kill Eliza. She blushes and averts her eyes. Peter smiles.
“Yes. Wait a minute.” He disappears for a second and returns with Malcolm.
“Malcolm, this is Chelsea.” Honestly, Malcolm doesn’t look impressed. He stares at me with weariness. I want to shrink back. He probably thinks that he is better than me.
“Hi Malcolm,” I say, forcing a smile.
“That boy you nearly screwed in the driveway is here.” Peter looks embarrassed and Eliza is full on laughing. I can’t breathe. Malcolm continues. “He’s coming down the stairs now,” Malcolm says. I can’t breathe for a moment. But then I ask, “Is he alone?” Malcolm nods.
“Oh. Well, that’s nice. I guess.” Peter looks as if he wants to escape this situation when Adam strides over. He looks worn and tired and is clearly not dressed to impress. Adam wears a black t-shirt that has holes, ripped jeans, and a battered pear of white sneakers. He sits beside Carmen and glares at Peter. When Adam smiles at me and I feel an overwhelming urge to puke. Eliza gives him the stink eye. Carmen and Danny just gape.
“Chelsea, I was hoping you would come outside with me so that we could talk,” he says.
“Fine,” I agree. Peter looks disappointed. But, I don’t feel bad. Adam needs to get everything out of his system. And maybe I do too. Adam doesn’t wait for me to follow. He takes off and starts weaving his way through the tables. I stare at his back for a moment. Then, my eyes focus on Peter. He looks conflicted and his good mood has long vanished. I stare into his dark eyes and will him to understand. He shrugs and walks away.
“How are you?” Adam asks as we walk down the church steps. It’s dark without a hint of moon in the sky.
“I’m ok.” He begins to walk down the sidewalk and my feet follow him.
“I’m sorry about Ivy. Chelsea, I thought we were over. So I tried to move on. You can’t hold me accountable for her,” he begins. Something about Adam’s words causes anger to bubble up in me.
“Don’t act like we haven’t talked in years. Adam, we made plans to meet up.” My words stops our movements. Adam lets out a string of vulgar curses. He is actually cursing near a church. What class he has.
“Chelsea, I thought we were just hooking up. I didn’t know we had a commitment,” Adam argues.
“Well, you thought wrong.” Something about Ivy kissing him just put a bad taste in my mouth. He kissed that nasty slut. And now, Adam wants to kiss me. It isn’t losing if I break it off with him. Then, it would be like Ivy is having my sloppy seconds. Suddenly, everything makes sense. He is probably never going to give me a commitment. Adam wants us both.
“Would you break up with her?”
“No,” Adam says, confirming what I had suspected. What a pig.
“Do you want to have a relationship with me?” My question causes Adam to put his hands in his pockets.
“Ivy is cool. She really is. But she isn’t you. And you aren’t her.” He pauses, waiting for my reaction to his confession. His words both gratify and hurt me all at once. Ivy isn’t what he needs. At least she didn’t steal this one thing from me. But I’m not what Adam needs either.
“I’m sorry you feel that way Adam. If you can’t break it off with her, then, you and I can’t be together.” Suddenly, Adam grabs me by the shoulders, his fingers digging painfully into my shoulder blades. His eyes are wild as he bends down as if to kiss me. I do the one thing that would stop my lips from touching his. I knee him in the groin. He doubles over in pain. I rush back to the church. I’m desperate and am not watching where I’m going and I slam into Carmen. We nearly fall to the ground.
“So it’s over between the two of you?” she casually asks.
“It looks like it,” I say, trying to act like it doesn’t affect me. Knowing Carmen, she probably eavesdropped on the whole conversation.
“Let’s go inside,” she suggests, and so we do.
I’m a firm believer and faking it until you make it. So we sit at the table, which has gone silent. Malcolm is sitting by Danny and Peter is beside him. Eliza sighs and gets up. She waltzes over to Peter and whispers something in his ear. He nods and suddenly, they switch seats. That doesn’t make Malcolm happy at all.
“What happened to Adam?” he asks.
“We broke up,” I announce, and Eliza begins clapping. Everyone else at the table joins in the applause. The applause is apparently infectious. Peter starts chuckling as table after table begins applauding. When the applause dies down, someone shouts, “Why are we clapping?”
“Because the auction is about to start!” Malcolm exclaims. And then, people start cheering all over again.
“Are you all right?” Peter asks me.
“I kneed Adam where the sun doesn't shine.” Those words just came out. Peter howls with laughter before quieting down. The chatter has gone down in volume and people are starting to stare at us.
“Do you want a hot dog?” Peter asks me.
“Yes,” I say. He leaves the table and my eyes follow him. He goes to the back of the room to a buffet window. Apparently, food is being sold. It’s like the entire crowd notices that Peter is in line. Everyone rushes up to buy food.
“Have any cash?” Eliza asks me. I pull twenty dollars out of my purse and hand it to her. She smirks and sprints toward the line. I’m feeling incredibly stupid. Peter didn’t collect any money from me when he went to get my hotdog. I sense that Malcolm knows that. His disapproving eyes follow Peter as he comes back with hotdogs, chips, two bottles of water, and two ice cream sandwiches. He sits down and gestures for me to take a hot dog. I pick one of them up and shake my head when he tries to offer me a mustard packet.
“No ketchup or mustard?”
“Nope. I eat my hotdogs plain.” He refuses my money and we chow down on our food happily.
“Ladies and gentlemen, time for the auction,” Malcolm announces. The room is quiet as Lilly walks onto the stage and hands Malcolm a basket stuffed with goodies. I want those.
“This is Peter Jacobs’ famous sweet basket consisting of brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and peanut brittle. The bidding starts at a dollar.”
“Fifty dollars,” I shout.
“We have fifty dollars from the pretty lady in blue.” Peter stares at me.
“A hundred dollars,” Eliza shouts as she sits down. I kick her under the table.
“One fifty,” I shout.
“Two hundred,” she shouts. I open my wallet and count seven hundred dollars.
“Four hundred,” I bid. The crowd is going crazy and Malcolm looks absolutely shocked.
“Five hundred,” Danny offers.
“Six hundred,” I shout. Malcolm looks positively flustered. He hadn’t expected to make six hundred dollars for a basket
of treats. But Peter made them. And this is all for a good cause.
“Six hundred going once, going twice, sold to the pretty lady in blue.” Lilly walks over to me holding out an envelope. I count six hundred dollars and slip the money inside and hand it to her. Her eyes are wide as she hands me the basket of goodies.
“Thank you,” Lilly whispers to me.
“You’re welcome.” And it’s in that moment, seeing the relief on her face, that I realize that she knows and loves Hope.
To my surprise, Otis rushes in and hurries over to me. I’m thinking that I’m in trouble, until I see the stacks of envelopes that he starts giving us. When Peter gets an envelope, he frowns. But Otis disappears before we could say anything. Peter casually opens the envelope and gasps. He pulls out a wad of hundred dollar bills, a check, and a letter.
“Your grandmother wants me to bid on something for her,” Peter announces. I open up my envelope and find that she has given me two thousand dollars and a note to spend it all at this event. I’m shocked and aggravated. Grandmother is loaded. She could just donate a million to this family and… I can’t think that way. She’s being nice.
The second item, a bible goes for four dollars. Lilly brings out a third item, a pound cake that she has apparently baked. Peter grins at Eliza and tosses her his share.
“I want that cake,” I hiss at Peter. He laughs.
“I know. But you can’t have all of the sweets.”
“A thousand dollars,” Eliza shouts. Malcolm is positively floored. Most of the people in the audience seemed relieved that they don’t have to participate in the bidding.
“One thousand one hundred,” I shout.”
“Two thousand,” Eliza challenges. Peter grins.
“Malcolm made twenty-four doughnuts with his new doughnut maker. If I were you, I would hold back for that.” And I do. He laughs at my concession and contentment warms my belly. Peter has a beautiful laugh.
By the end of the night, I have spent all of my money. I bought three bundles of goodies that I can’t wait to eat. Carmen dropped a grand on a sea shell necklace. Danny didn’t bid at all. She just placed the contents of the envelope in the basket. Eliza walked away with the pound cake and a homemade organic bath set. We laugh as Peter and Malcolm escort us to the stretch limo. As soon as we are herded into the limo, Otis takes off and I realize something. For the first time since prom, I’m absolutely content.
