Carlie fingered the beaded necklace as she went into her house. Her friends were the best! Even if Chelsea did live in a big, fancy house with a swimming pool. Carlie would rather have friends like Morgan, Emily, and Amy any day!
chapter four
Carlie entered her house through the front door just in time to overhear Tia Maria’s and her mom’s loud voices coming from the kitchen. It sounded like they were having an argument. In Spanish. It was funny how her mom seemed to assume that if they argued in Spanish, Carlie and her little brothers wouldn’t understand what they were saying. But Carlie knew enough Spanish to eavesdrop, and it only took a few seconds before she figured out that this hot-headed disagreement was about her.
“Why are you so stubborn?” Tia Maria’s voice got louder.
“She’s my only daughter!” said Carlie’s mom. “I want her to dress like a girl! You go and have your own daughter and then you can dress her how you like.”
“But it makes her look different,” argued Tia Maria.
“Carlotta is different,” said Mom. “She’s my pretty little girl!”
“She’s going to seventh grade soon. Do you want kids to pick on her because she’s dressed like your pretty little girl?”
“Why should they pick on her for that?”
“She’s not a baby anymore, Lena!”
Now Carlie came fully into the room. And Tia Maria just held up her hands and shook her head. “Sorry, mija,” she said to Carlie. “I’m not getting through to my big, smart sister.”
Mom looked at Carlie. “You don’t want to look pretty?”
Carlie felt bad, but she wanted to be honest. “I just want to dress like other kids. I don’t want to stick out … like there goes that weird Latina girl.”
“Is that what your friends think?”
“Maybe my friends don’t. But other kids do, Mom. Besides, I’ve been saving my babysitting money all summer long, and I just want to use it to buy some normal things, like some nice jeans and T-shirts — the kinds of stuff that other girls wear to school.”
“But that’s not ladylike, Carlotta,” insisted Mom.
“Listen, Lena,” said Tia Maria in a calming voice. “Carlie always acts like a lady, whether she’s wearing a frilly dress or old blue jeans. Why can’t you let her dress in a way that makes her feel good about herself?”
Mom frowned. “I don’t know … ”
“Please, Mom,” Carlie pleaded.
Mom sighed loudly. “I’ll talk to your father about this, Carlotta.”
Carlie looked at Tia Maria in time to see her wink. They both knew this would settle everything. Dad would side with Carlie.
“Thanks, Mom,” said Carlie, giving her mom a big hug. “I’ll watch the boys while you make dinner.”
“See,” said Tia Maria. “She’s a good girl, Lena. You should be proud.”
Mom said a word in Spanish that Carlie didn’t understand, but she had a strong feeling she shouldn’t ask either. Instead she gathered up her little brothers and took them outside to play in the backyard for a while. It was actually Carlie’s special place — her secret garden — but she and Dad had fixed up part of it as a play area for the boys. She opened the lid to the sandbox, and both boys dove for the dump truck. She turned on the hose and began watering some of her flowers, listening as her brothers argued over whose turn it was to use the shovel now.
“Hey, Carlie,” called Tia Maria as she came outside a few minutes later. “Mrs. Landers just called me on my cell phone, and she’s begging me to bring you again tomorrow. Chelsea is going to call and invite you tonight. But please consider it, mija. Mrs. Landers thinks that you made a good connection with Chelsea and she was so happy about it. Chelsea really likes you.”
“Oh …” Carlie lifted up Pedro, who was crying because Miguel had thrown a handful of sand in his face. She held him on her hip as she brushed sand from his mouth and scolded Miguel. Carlie considered the invitation to the Landers’ and wondered how she could turn it down without hurting anyone. She’d really been hoping to hang with her old friends tomorrow.
“Not that you owe me anything …” Her aunt gave her a sly grin now. “But it does look like you’re going to get to wear what you like to school this year. That is worth a little something, isn’t it?”
Carlie had to smile. “Yeah, that was good. Thanks.”
“So will you go with me again tomorrow?”
“Okay,” she agreed. How could she not?
“Thanks!”
The next morning, Carlie decided to give her mom a little test. What would happen if she wore her favorite khaki shorts and a T-shirt to Chelsea’s house today? Would Mom make her go back to her room and change into something more “ladylike”?
“That’s not what you’re wearing to visit your new friend, is it, Carlotta?” Mom asked as she filled a bowl with Cheerios.
“Yeah.” Carlie avoided eye contact as she slipped into a kitchen chair.
“Maria says this Landers family is very wealthy,” said Mom as she helped Pedro into his booster seat. “She says they’re influential. Mr. Landers is president of the new bank. Don’t you want to make a good impression?”
“It’s okay, Mom. In fact, yesterday Chelsea thought I looked kinda weird because I had on a dress. She even mentioned it. I’m just trying to dress the way she does. I think it makes her more comfortable.”
“Oh.” Mom seemed to consider this as she poured milk on Pedro’s cereal.
Carlie hurried to finish her breakfast before Mom had a chance to come up with another reason why she should go and change her clothes. Then, to her relief, Tia Maria arrived. Carlie grabbed up her backpack with her swimsuit and other things in it and told her mom good-bye.
“Your mom is easing up on the dress code already?” her aunt asked as she got into the car.
“Yeah.” Carlie smiled. “With a little more than two weeks until school starts, I figure I might as well get her used to this.”
“But promise me something, Carlie,” said her aunt. “Promise me you won’t start wearing sleazy-looking clothes like I see on some teenage girls. You won’t go around with your belly or your hind end hanging out, will you?”
Carlie laughed. “No way! That’s gross.”
“Good. Because Lena would kill me if that happened.”
“Don’t worry,” Carlie assured her. “I’m not like that. Not at all.”
Her aunt seemed to relax. “Yes. I’m sure you’re not.”
“So can I ask you another favor, Tia Maria?”
“What is it?”
“Well, do you think you could try to talk to Mom about something else for me?”
Tia Maria groaned. “Oh, dear! Not another knockdown, drag-out fight with my sister!”
“Hopefully not.”
“Well, if it has to do with piercing any body parts or tattoos or coloring your hair, just forget about it, little girl.”
Carlie laughed. “No. But it does have to do with my hair. I want to cut it.”
Her aunt frowned. “You know how your mother loves your hair long, Carlie.”
“I know, but it’s my hair. And I get so tired of it. And it’s so hot and it’s always getting tangled. Even if I could just cut it to my shoulders, like Chelsea’s. That would be way better.”
“Hey, that gives me an idea,” said her aunt. “Let me get back to you on the haircut business, okay?”
“No problem!”
Chelsea came out to meet Carlie in the driveway. “Hey, you didn’t wear a party dress again today.”
Carlie laughed. “Yeah, we’re working on my mom.”
“So what are we going to do today?” Chelsea asked eagerly.
“I don’t know … what do you want to do?”
“Well, I haven’t really been into town much.” She rolled her eyes. “Not that there’s much to see; it’s a pretty small town. But I was thinking maybe I should check it out, you know?”
Carlie nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“My mom said she’ll take us if we want to go.”
Carlie eyed the two fancy cars in the garage. “Can we ride in the white convertible?” she asked.
“Yeah, whatever.”
“With the top down?”
Chelsea laughed. “Sure, if you want.”
So Mrs. Landers drove the two girls to town in the Mercedes with the top down. Carlie felt like she was starring in a movie.
“Just call me when you want to be picked up,” Mrs. Landers told them as she dropped them in the center of town. “You have your cell phone with you, don’t you, Chelsea?”
Chelsea patted her purse. “Got it, Mom.”
“And remember, your dad is right over there at the bank,” Mrs. Landers said, pointing to the tall building across the street. “If you have an emergency or need something … ”
“Yeah, yeah … ”
“Have fun, girls!” Then Chelsea’s mom drove away.
“Where to first?” asked Chelsea.
“We could go down to the waterfront,” suggested Carlie. “It’s only three blocks that way and there are some cool stores down there.”
So they spent a couple of hours checking out the waterfront shops, including Cleo’s where Carlie introduced Chelsea to Morgan’s mom.
“So your friend Morgan is black?” Chelsea asked after they left the shop.
“Huh?” Carlie wasn’t sure if she’d heard her right.
“Morgan is African-American?” said Chelsea.
Carlie nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
“I never had a friend who was black before,” said Chelsea.
“Why not?”
“The school I went to had black kids in it, but they kept to themselves. And the white kids did too. I mean, it’s like we didn’t have anything in common with them anyway. So why bother getting to know them?”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll like Morgan. She’s very cool. Not only that, she’s so much fun. She has all these ideas … she’s totally creative.”
“Her mom seemed okay … I mean for a black lady.”
Carlie wondered what that was supposed to mean but didn’t want to ask. Instead she just got quiet as they walked past a candle shop.
“I mean, it’s not that I’m prejudiced,” said Chelsea quickly. “It’s just kind of weird, you know? I’m not used to it. Do kids at your school give you a bad time for having a black friend?”
Carlie considered this. “Some kids will give you a bad time for almost anything. And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly white.”
“But that’s different.”
“How?” asked Carlie, feeling irritated now.
“I don’t know … it just is.”
“So, have you ever had a Hispanic friend before?” asked Carlie, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer to this either.
“Nope.”
“But you’re okay with it?”
“Sure. I like you.”
“I like you too, Chelsea. But you gotta admit we’re different.” Carlie wanted to point out that Chelsea was rich.
“I’m hungry,” said Chelsea as they walked past the Waterfront Cinema.
“Me too,” said Carlie. “There’s a McDonald’s a couple of blocks up there near the wharf.”
“McDonald’s is so cheesy.”
“Well, you don’t have to get a cheeseburger.”
Chelsea laughed. “See, that’s what I like about you, Carlie. You have a wacky sense of humor.”
Carlie also had less money to waste on lunch, and McDonald’s was good enough for her. She’d stuck a few bucks in her pocket this morning. She hadn’t even been sure why, maybe it was just in case. But she knew she didn’t have enough for anything beyond cheap, fast food.
“My mom gave us money to have lunch in town,” said Chelsea as they paused on a corner. “Do you know of a good restaurant? I mean, besides McDonald’s?”
Carlie thought for a few seconds. Her family didn’t eat out much. “My friend Amy has a restaurant in town. I mean, her parents do. I’ve only been there once. It’s pretty nice though.”
“Why don’t we go there?”
So they walked back to the business section of town and Carlie pointed out Asian Garden from across the street.
“A Chinese restaurant?” said Chelsea with surprise.
“You don’t like Chinese food?”
“No, I like it okay.”
“Actually, they have more than just Chinese food. They have Thai and a couple of other kinds too. I can’t remember what though.”
“Is your friend Chinese?”
“Amy?”
“Yeah, the one whose family owns the restaurant.”
“They’re Vietnamese,” said Carlie. “But Amy was born in America, and she makes a big point of letting everyone know that she’s American.”
“Wow,” said Chelsea. “You have a black friend and a Chinese —”
“Not Chinese,” Carlie corrected, “Vietnamese.”
“Yeah, right. That’s what I meant. But don’t you think that’s just a little bit weird?”
“Why?”
“I mean you’re Mexican and —”
“I’m not really Mexican,” said Carlie. “I mean my family hasn’t lived in Mexico for several generations. So we’re Americans too. But we are Hispanic or Latino.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” Chelsea frowned as if Carlie was the one with the problem. “So do you want to eat there or not?”
“You decide.” Carlie was seriously irritated at her new friend now. She realized she didn’t really know Chelsea very well. And if Chelsea was having a problem with Carlie’s friends before she’d even met them … well, that didn’t seem like a very good sign. Right now all Carlie wanted was to be back at the Rainbow Bus with good friends who understood and accepted each other for who and what they were.
chapter five
Chelsea decided she wanted to eat at Asian Garden, but now Carlie wasn’t so sure. Hopefully Chelsea wouldn’t say anything to offend someone in Amy’s family. Amy’s sister Ly was working as hostess today. “Hi, Carlie,” she said cheerfully as the girls went inside. “How are you doing?”
“Good,” said Carlie. “This is my friend Chelsea. She just moved to town a couple of weeks ago.”
Ly smiled. “Nice to meet you, Chelsea. Are you girls here for lunch?”
Carlie nodded. “Yeah. I’ve been showing Chelsea around town, and we got hungry.”
“You came to the right place. This way,” she said as she led them to a small table next to the bubbling fountain.
“They have real fish in there,” said Carlie, pointing down to where a giant goldfish was swimming by.
“Cool,” said Chelsea as they sat down.
Ly handed them menus. “Enjoy your meal.”
“Thanks,” said Chelsea.
“That’s Amy’s oldest sister,” said Carlie as Ly walked away.
“She’s pretty.”
“Yeah,” said Carlie, relieved to hear something positive for a change. “Amy has two older sisters and one older brother. They’re way older though, like in their twenties, and I think Amy said Ly might be close to thirty, although I think she looks pretty young for her age.”
“That’s kind of like my family,” said Chelsea. “My brother’s twenty-three and my sister’s twenty-one. I’ve heard my mom tell her friends that I was an unexpected surprise.”
Carlie nodded. “Amy said that’s how it was with her too. And I think her parents are even older than yours.”
“I’m sorry if I sounded rude when we were outside,” said Chelsea. “I mean, when I was asking about your friends and everything. I’m sure it came out all wrong. But it’s just kinda weird, you know. Like I’m wondering does everyone have to be from a different race to join your club?”
Carlie giggled. “Well, we haven’t really made rules yet. But I’m certain that wouldn’t be one of them.”
“So are white girls allowed then?”
“Of course. Emily is a white girl.”
“How many girls are in your club anyway?”
“Just four. But we only started it in June. And our clubhouse — the bus, you know — isn’t very big so I doubt that we’ll ever have too many members.”
“Oh …”
Carlie wasn’t sure what to say now. Was Chelsea trying to hint that she’d like to be invited to join their club? But after all the other comments about Carlie’s friends, girls Chelsea hadn’t even met … well, it didn’t seem like such a good idea. Not yet anyway.
“Would you like tea?” asked Amy’s other sister An.
“Yes, please,” said Carlie. “Do you remember me, An? I’m Amy’s friend from —”
“Oh, yes,” said An with a smile. “I do remember you now. You’re Carlie. I didn’t recognize you at first.”
So Carlie introduced Chelsea to her as well.
“Amy is supposed to come in to help out this afternoon,” said An as she filled their water glasses. “But not until three. You’ll probably be finished and gone by then.”
“Too bad,” said Chelsea. “I’d like to meet her.”
“Do you live in Harbor View too?” asked An.
“No, I live in Pacific Shores.”
An’s eyebrows lifted up. “I’ve heard that’s very nice.”
“Yes,” said Carlie. “It is.”
“Does the whole family work here?” asked Chelsea after An left.
“Yeah,” said Carlie. “I think so.”
“That must be weird.”
“I don’t know,” said Carlie. “My dad works with my uncle. And my mom and my aunt want to go into business together. I think it’d be fun to work with my own family.”
Chelsea shook her head. “No way. I cannot imagine having to work at my dad’s bank.”
Carlie laughed. “Well, you’re not old enough to anyway.”
Both girls seemed to relax as they ate their lunch, and by the time they finished, Carlie thought maybe her earlier worries about Chelsea were silly. Sure, Chelsea seemed to just say whatever popped into her head, and sometimes that was offensive, but Carlie had to admit she was fun too.
“What’s your fortune say?” asked Chelsea.
Take Charge Page 3
