“If you’d seen some of these posts, you’d have been appalled,” Paula told her. “Why don’t we sit in the dining room while we talk.” She winked at Liz. “I have that coconut cake I promised you. I’ve no idea how it tastes, but it looks pretty amazing. Erik definitely rose to the challenge.”
Liz clapped her hands like a child anticipating a favorite treat. “Oh, I can’t wait. If it’s even half as good as my mama’s, you’ll have made my day.”
When they were settled at the table and tea and cake had been served, the rest of them waited while Liz took her first bite of the moist yellow cake with its fluffy coconut frosting and tart lemon filling. She closed her eyes, a look of pure pleasure suffusing her face.
“Oh, sweet heaven,” she murmured. “That’s what this is, just heavenly.”
“As wonderful as your mother’s?” Paula asked, watching her closely, anxious on Erik’s behalf.
“Even allowing for nostalgia, which usually has me dismissing all the pretenders I’ve tried, I’m forced to admit, Erik has done himself proud. This might even be just the tiniest bit better than my mama’s, and I would never say such a thing lightly. Is he going to put it on the menu at Sullivan’s?”
“He says he is,” Paula confirmed. “He thought he’d call it by your mother’s name, if you thought that would be all right. What do you think?”
Liz’s eyes lit up. “She’d be very honored, and so would I. Adelaide’s coconut cake. I love it!”
Flo grinned. “That son-in-law of mine sure does have a magic touch when it comes to baking!”
“He does, indeed,” Liz said, closing her eyes as she savored another bite.
“Now that all the cake accolades are out of the way,” Frances said briskly, “Paula, I want you to tell me what you want me to do to help young Misty.”
Paula explained about the rally this coming Saturday, which both Maddie and Laura had called to tell her about. “Could you say a few words there? Remind the parents about their role in teaching their children how to behave toward their classmates?” Paula grinned. “You know, give them a little come-to-Jesus talk the way you used to.”
“Count me in,” Frances said eagerly. At Liz and Flo’s worried looks, she waved them off. “If I’m having a bad morning, we’ll have to reconsider, but this is too important for me not to at least try to say what needs to be said.” She turned to Paula. “Can we make my appearance contingent on that, that I’m feeling up to it when the time comes? Or maybe Liz can take over for me.” She smiled at her friend. “You haven’t lost your touch at rallying a crowd, have you?”
“Oh, I imagine I could think of a few things to say,” Liz said. “I’ll be happy to step in if needed, but only if needed. You have a connection to these parents, Frances. I’m better known by an entirely different generation, many of whom have died off.”
“Then we’re set,” Paula confirmed, pleased by their willingness to pitch in.
“Now, what about us?” Liz asked. “What can Flo and I do, beyond me providing backup for Frances if needed?”
“I’ve already spoken to Helen,” Flo said. “She’d like us to make some signs.” She gave Liz a sly look. “You’re the expert on protest signs. You tell me what to put on them, and I’ll make them up. My hand’s steady, and I have a whole bunch of bright markers for my granddaughter’s art projects.”
Paula nodded with satisfaction. “I had one more thought last night. I know the local radio station will broadcast this live, but I think we need to stir things up a bit farther afield. What do you think about me making a few calls to the other media? I still have a few contacts from my various art shows. The individuals may not be the right reporters, but I imagine they can point me in the right direction.”
“I say go for it,” Liz said. “This isn’t an isolated incident or something unique to Serenity. If anything, I’m sure it’s a bigger problem in the larger communities. Maybe we can point the way to how things like this should be handled.”
“Go, Liz,” Flo said. “Still a rabble-rouser.”
“And intend to be one until the day they lay me to rest,” Liz said proudly.
“Then we have a plan,” Paula said, pleased.
The others nodded. “We have a plan,” Flo confirmed. “I’ll fill Helen in. I have to admit I’m tickled to be part of some crusade she’s on. It’s not as if I can go to the courthouse and cheer her on when she’s handling a divorce, but I want her to know just how proud I am of the stances she takes against all kinds of injustice.”
“You should be proud of her,” Paula said. “I know it wasn’t always easy, but you raised a strong, intelligent, independent woman.”
“Who’s given me a granddaughter who’s the joy of my life,” Flo said. “Since I moved back to Serenity to be close to Helen, Sarah Beth and Erik, I count my blessings every single day of my life.”
“At our age, just getting up in the morning is one of the biggest blessings of all,” Frances said. “Having this cause where we might make a difference, that’s just downright amazing.”
Paula looked at the three extraordinary women around her table and thought they were the amazing ones. Having them as her friends was at the very top of her own list of blessings.
* * *
Laura took one look at Misty’s panicked expression when she arrived in class and felt her heart sink. There was little question that things weren’t going well on her first day back after the news of Annabelle’s suspension had spread. She was torn about pulling Misty aside for a chat. She feared that drawing attention to her would only compound the problem.
Thankfully Misty solved that for her by lingering after class.
“How’s it going?” Laura asked her when the other students had rushed off after casting a few disparaging looks in Misty’s direction.
“It sucks, if you want to know the truth,” Misty said. “Hardly anybody’s talking to me. All they do is whisper and point when they see me coming.”
Laura regarded her with sympathy. “I know that must be hard, but it’ll get easier. In a few days they’ll forget all about you and move on to something else.”
Misty gave her an incredulous look. “Like that’s ever going to happen with some big rally on Saturday. You might as well put a big sign on me that says Bullying Victim or Big Crybaby.”
Laura frowned at her perceptions of herself. “First, you are not a crybaby. I don’t want to hear you describe yourself that way. And while you were absolutely a target for Annabelle, only you can allow yourself to be perceived as a victim. That’s a mind-set over which you have control.”
Misty didn’t look convinced, but she was clearly intrigued.
“What does that mean, that being a victim is a mind-set?”
“You can choose how you respond to what other people do,” Laura explained. “If you hide out and act ashamed, then not only will people think of you as a victim, you’ll think of yourself that way.”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“You find a way to stay strong,” Laura said, then held up a hand to stop Misty’s protest. “I know that’s not as easy as it sounds, but you surround yourself with friends who know who you really are. You fight back, appropriately, of course.” She gave her a meaningful look. “I think it might even help if you got on that stage this weekend and told your story. Let people hear how what happened affected you. Take back your self-esteem by speaking out for others. Keep this from ever happening to anyone else.” She shrugged. “Just a thought. It’s up to you.”
Misty seemed to consider the idea, but her expression remained skeptical. “You really think what I say could make a difference?” she asked.
“Absolutely, and it’s a way to show everyone—yourself included—just how strong you are.” She studied Misty, gave her some time to think it over, then asked, “What do you think?”
“Will you be on stage, too?”
“Me, Dr. Fullerton, Mrs. Donovan, Frances Wingate,” Laura confirmed. “Maybe Hamilton Rey
nolds from the school board.”
“What if the kids start heckling me?” Misty asked worriedly.
“What if they do?” Laura said. “It’ll say more about them than it does about you. And I imagine the crowd won’t tolerate it for more than a second. If anything, any hecklers will be proving just how important a rally like this is. You know Dr. Fullerton and the rest of us won’t allow it to get out of hand. We’ll be right there with you.”
“Can I think about it?” Misty asked eventually. “It would be good to feel strong and in control again. I’m just not sure I’m ready to stand up in front of a crowd like that. Public speaking’s never been my thing. I want to throw up when I have to give a book report in class.”
“Think about it for however long you need,” Laura told her. “And no matter what you decide, it’s okay.”
“You won’t be disappointed in me if I say no?”
“Not a chance. I just think this is a great opportunity for you to move forward.” Laura reached in her desk and drew out a notepad with her name printed on it and wrote a note for Misty’s next class. “Here you go. Now run along to your next class. And anytime things get tough around here, come find me or go to Mrs. Donovan’s office. No more hiding in stairwells, okay?”
Misty regarded her with surprise. “How did you know that’s where I was?”
“Lucky guess,” Laura admitted. “I’d looked practically everywhere else in the building. Now you’ve confirmed it, so you’ve blown your cover. If you skip again, it won’t take me more than a minute or two to track you down.”
“Maybe Mr. Jenkins will let me sit in the closet with the mops,” Misty said, her expression thoughtful, but a twinkle in her eye.
“Don’t even think about it,” Laura said sternly. “Now run along. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”
Misty was almost to the door when she turned and ran back to embrace Laura. “Thank you,” she murmured, then raced off, her cheeks flushed pink.
Laura stared after her, tears welling up in her eyes. Over the years she’d wanted desperately to believe she was making a difference in the lives of the kids she taught, a difference as powerful and lasting as the one Vicki Kincaid had made in hers. Now, with Misty and this terrible situation, she honestly felt she could say she had, at least with one student.
* * *
J.C.’s day had been filled with frustration. Two parents had the audacity to bring up what had happened to “poor Annabelle” and expressed outrage that she’d been suspended over something they considered to be so minor. To their shock, he’d delivered a stinging lecture on the possible consequences of bullying that had sent them scurrying off looking chagrined.
He was about to write his notes in the file for his last patient of the day when Bill walked into his office.
“Exactly what did you say to tick off Delilah Jefferson and Jane Trainor?” Bill asked. “Debra says they left here muttering about switching to a doctor in Columbia.”
When J.C. started to respond, Bill held up a hand, a grin spreading across his face. “She also told me they deserved every word you said.”
J.C.’s quick rise of temper cooled. “I suppose that’s something,” he said, appreciating his nurse’s support. He explained about both incidents. “I couldn’t let what they said go unchallenged. If that bothers you, I’m sorry, but this is one subject about which I intend to take a stand.”
Bill nodded. “I gather half the town is taking a stand on one side or another. I talked to my son last night. Ty says Annie’s smack in the middle of planning this rally on Saturday.”
“And I’m one of the speakers,” J.C. said.
Bill nodded slowly. “Something tells me I need to be there as a show of support. I may not have seen anything as extreme as what’s gone on with Misty Dawson, but I see kids all the time starting in grade school who suddenly don’t want to go back. They develop stomachaches and every symptom known to man to avoid having to go to school. It can almost always be traced to some other kid picking on them, stealing their lunch money or knocking their books out of their arms and pretending it’s an accident.”
J.C. regarded him with surprise. “I don’t suppose you’d want to speak on Saturday, too. Maybe if these parents hear just how early bullying affects their children’s lives, they’ll take it more seriously and pay more attention to the signs. This whole business of thinking it’s just part of growing up is nonsense.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more about that,” Bill said, looking thoughtful. “Okay, sign me up, if you think it’ll help to have another perspective.”
J.C. grinned. “It’ll help. Since we want to keep the rally fairly short, the more speakers we have, the less each of us will have to say.”
“When have you ever been short-winded when it’s a subject you’re passionate about?” Bill taunted. “You spent a full hour trying to convince me we needed to hire Debra’s friend as a nurse practitioner. Her credentials alone would have been enough to convince me.”
“I figured you already knew we needed the help,” J.C. countered. “I just wanted to be sure you had all the data you needed to support making the decision and spending the money.” He gave Bill a long look. “You know, there could be another benefit to having you get up on that stage on Saturday.”
“What’s that?”
“It might make you a real hero in your daughter’s eyes. Katie was the one who made sure Misty got the help she needed. Not that anyone’s mentioned that to me directly, but all roads point in that direction.”
Bill stiffened ever-so-slightly. “Katie and I have done okay since the divorce.”
J.C. regarded him doubtfully. “Seriously? How many times has she put you off when you had plans? I know you’ve mentioned it to me on several occasions.”
Bill shrugged, though his expression said he was anything but indifferent. “She’s a teenager. None of them want to spend time with a parent.”
“Maybe that’s all it is,” J.C. conceded. “But just in case, this couldn’t hurt your cause. She may have been, what, just six when you left Maddie? But now she’s old enough to understand everything that happened back then, and she may be a whole lot more sympathetic to her mother.”
Bill winced. “I know you’re right. She’s even made a few comments, and, just as you guessed, she has been pulling away. It tears me up that I ruined my relationship with my kids for an affair that wound up going nowhere. Now I have a son in Tennessee I hardly see and three kids here who spend as little time with me as they can manage. I never thought my life would turn out like this. Let that be a lesson to you, J.C. When you have someone incredible in your life, do not do something stupid and thoughtless to ruin it.”
J.C. nodded, thinking of Laura. “Advice I’m doing my best to heed.” He regarded Bill curiously. “Do you think Delilah Jefferson and Jane Trainor really will take their kids over to Columbia to see other doctors?”
Bill shrugged. “So what if they do? Their loss, not ours.”
J.C. admired the cavalier attitude but still felt the need to reassure his partner. “I’ll do my best not to chase off any more patients, okay?”
“While I’d appreciate that from a business perspective, when it comes to saying what needs to be said, I don’t ever want you to hold back,” Bill said clearly. “Understood?”
“Understood,” J.C. said. “And appreciated more than I can say.”
18
Laura made it a point to go outside after school and linger where she could be seen by the students as they walked to the parking lot or headed home on foot. She noted that Betty Donovan and several other teachers were visibly scattered outside the school, as well. The usual clusters of chattering students seemed to break up quickly and move on.
Satisfied that they’d done what they could to ensure there would be no torment of Misty, at least on school grounds, Laura was about to return to her classroom when she saw Diana Dawson heading her way.
“Do you have some time?” Diana asked.
“Of course, come on inside. Were you here to pick up Misty?”
Diana gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “Are you kidding? She’d rather die than have me wait outside for her.”
“They do develop a healthy independent streak at this age, don’t they?” Laura said with a laugh.
“You say independent streak. I say aversion to all things parental,” Diana replied. “You should have seen her expression when I offered to drive her over here this morning.”
“I can imagine,” Laura said.
As soon as they were settled in her classroom, Laura asked, “Was there a particular reason you wanted to see me, beyond being worried about Misty, of course?”
“I came to thank you for being so quick to spot what was going on with my daughter. I’m very sorry to say that I was so lost in my own misery, I didn’t realize how much trouble she was having. I can’t forgive myself for that.”
“You shouldn’t blame yourself,” Laura consoled her. “I know parents are supposed to see and hear everything, and I truly do believe they have a responsibility to pay attention to what’s going on with their kids. That said, I also know just how good kids are at keeping things from their parents. I know Misty was doing her best to deal with this on her own, because she didn’t want to upset you. She found what she thought was the best way to handle it.”
“Skipping classes,” Diana said with a shake of her head. “What was she thinking?”
“It was a terrible solution,” Laura agreed. “But it’s exactly what caught my attention. Students as smart as Misty generally have no reason to skip a class unless there’s some other problem. I’m just sorry it took me so long to pinpoint what that problem was.”
Catching Fireflies Page 23
