Sharon paused on the driveway to wait for the garage door to open. “So eight thirty, then. I can drive you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to,” Sharon said. “I want to. It makes me feel like I’m helping, so really you’ll be doing me a favor. Besides, I have some errands to run in that direction anyway, so it’s not a big deal.”
“I really appreciate it.” Her voice got smaller. “You and Amy are the best things that ever happened to me.”
Sharon heard the emotion behind the words and was touched. Such a sad commentary on this girl’s life that simple kindnesses were considered the best things that had ever happened to her, but Sharon felt fortunate to be able to play such a large role in another person’s life. How often did that kind of opportunity come around? Not often enough. Or maybe she hadn’t really been looking.
Chapter Eight
The next morning, Ma’am unlocked Mia’s door early, reminding her to step lively. She clapped three times, and her voice was crisp. “No time to waste. The man is coming early to install the blinds.” Mia knew what that meant. She had to finish her morning chores posthaste and eat quickly, then return to her bedroom until further notice.
Posthaste was a word Ma’am used a lot. The expression until further notice was another favorite. One time Jacob had mockingly repeated the phrase right to Ma’am’s face, intoning “until further notice” in a whiny voice, and she’d slapped him so hard his ear had turned red. The slap had shocked both Jacob and Mia. Hitting was something reserved for Mia; Jacob got lectures or was grounded. Sometimes his mother took his phone away from him, but that was for the very worst offenses. Without his phone he was absolutely miserable, and his misery carried over to Mia. The slap that day had been unprecedented. Later he’d blamed Mia for it, saying, “If you’d gotten your chores done on time, she wouldn’t have been in such a foul mood.”
He was right, which made Mia feel awful. So much depended on her ability to do what Ma’am wanted in the correct time frame. The happiness of the entire household was determined by Ma’am’s mood. Even Griswold seemed affected by it.
That morning, Mia hurriedly got dressed, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and went upstairs. She was greeted by Griswold, who excitedly nudged his nose up against her leg. Her first responsibility of the day was always to fill Griswold’s food bowl and to give him fresh water. Next she would empty the dishwasher, if need be, or load it if there were dishes in the sink. This morning she avoided going by the window because two nights before Ma’am had pulled her out of bed to wash the larger cooking pots in the sink. Mia had worked hard to get them clean, but still got in trouble. It was her own fault, really, for not realizing that without the blinds she could be seen through the window. Ma’am had screamed when she saw Mia with her hands in the soapy water, scrubbing a soup pot. The scream had scared Mia so much that she’d peed a little. “Get away from that window, you stupid girl! What in the world do you think you’re doing?” Ma’am had pulled her off the step stool and shook her so hard her teeth rattled and then angrily sent her off to bed. Later Ma’am had apologized, saying, “I’m sorry that it came to that, Mia. If you weren’t always screwing up, I wouldn’t have to be so hard on you.”
Mia had nodded, not meeting her eyes. Ma’am continued. “Try using your head for once. I’m trying to teach you the proper way to do things, but it doesn’t work if you don’t listen.”
When the pause was long enough to require a response, Mia had said, “I’m sorry.”
Ma’am had nodded. “That’s my girl.”
The words had warmed Mia’s heart. She wasn’t part of the family, really, but she belonged to them. That’s my girl.
After feeding the dog and emptying the dishwasher, she poured herself a bowl of cereal, careful not to drip the milk. She ate at the counter, while the rest of the family sat around the kitchen table. Mister took a last sip of his coffee and then silently went to gather up his phone and keys. She heard him shuffle through the coats in the hall closet, and then he appeared in the doorway wearing the jacket he wore to work, a pair of leather gloves in his hand. “Heading out now.”
Ma’am didn’t even look up. “Bye.”
Jacob said, “See you later, Dad.”
Mister said, “Have a good day, son. You too, Mia.”
Mia liked it when he included her like that. She finished her cereal with a smile.
After tidying up the kitchen and getting permission to go to her room, Mia went back down the stairs, this time accompanied by Griswold. Normally he wasn’t allowed in her room, but Ma’am made an exception this morning. “Otherwise he’ll be underfoot during the installation.”
Mia pulled the bookcase closed from inside her room, then settled back on her cot, patting the space next to her. Griswold jumped up, nestling perfectly along the length of her body. He was so warm and cozy. She stroked his fur and rubbed behind his ears. “Aren’t you the sweetest, best dog?” she whispered. Griswold gave a soft snort as his tail thumped against the bed.
Mia was Griswold’s favorite person in the family. Jacob said it was because she fed him, but Mia had another theory. It was because both of them were only noticed if they did something wrong.
Today was turning out to be one of the best days ever, second only to the time Mister had insisted she accompany them on a day trip to the state fair two summers ago. Ma’am had protested, but he was firm. “Can’t she have a little fun, Suzette? If we run into anyone we know, we’ll just say she’s our niece, visiting for the week.”
Ma’am had scoffed. “Our niece? She looks nothing like us! Besides, people are bound to ask how she’s related, and what do I say then?” She folded her arms and defiantly raised her chin. “All my friends know I only have one brother, and he doesn’t have any children. And your sister is way too old to have a child this young.”
“Okay, then,” he said impatiently. “We’ll say she’s the daughter of a cousin. Adopted from Central America.” He winked at Mia, who felt her heart soar. It took everything she had to suppress a grin in return.
And so she was able to go to the state fair. She had to hold Ma’am’s handbag the entire time, but it was worth it to experience all the sights and sounds. And to see so many people! Couples in love, families with a real mom and dad—the parents holding the hands of their small children or pushing toddlers in strollers. One dad hoisted a little boy onto his shoulders, saying, “Now you can see everything.” Mia marveled at it all.
It had been hot that day, but she didn’t mind. She could still taste the cream puff and fried cheese. The look on her face when she took her first bite of the cream puff had made Mister laugh with delight. They had walked through some of the animal barns too, and she had been overjoyed to see all the farm animals. Jacob had complained about the smell, which she’d silently agreed was pretty terrible.
Today, having the morning off, just her and Griswold, was nice too. When she heard the thump of work boots overhead, she knew the man had arrived to install the new blinds and her reprieve would soon be over. Ma’am’s voice could be heard overhead, but she couldn’t make out the words. The brisk, authoritative tone was one she was familiar with; clearly, Ma’am was giving the man instructions and letting him know she would not tolerate anything but his best effort. Ma’am expected nothing but the best.
Mia buried her face in the dog’s soft fur. “Oh, Griswold. I love you so much.”
In reply he whined, his tail thumping enthusiastically, and she knew that he was saying he loved her too.
Chapter Nine
Niki woke up early on her first day to work at Magnificent Nutrition. The transition from sleep to wakefulness came gradually and felt as peaceful as drifting on a cloud. She lay in bed for a minute, watching a slant of light come through the gap in the curtains and remembering where she was and how she’d gotten here. This had been Amy’s room. Amy had slept in this very same bed, right here in the house she’d lived in with her mother. And now Niki
was here, occupying the same space, living with the same woman. In a way, it was as if she’d stepped out of her life and into Amy’s old life. The idea made her smile.
When Amy had been assigned as her advocate, she was the third one who’d taken on the job. The first one had quit when she’d had a baby. The second woman had bowed out after getting a job promotion. Her name was Angie. She’d apologized to Niki, saying the demands on her time were just too great. “It’s not you, really,” she’d said. Niki had just shrugged. People came and went pretty regularly in her life. She had come to expect nothing from other people. The fact that they’d done it at all had been phenomenal, considering it was a volunteer position, and Niki hadn’t gone out of her way to show outward signs of appreciation.
The first two women had done a decent job looking out for her, but Amy had gone above and beyond. She’d taken Niki clothing shopping and bought her school supplies, attended parent-teacher conferences at her high school, and stood up for Niki when she’d been threatened with suspension for an incident in the school bathroom. An altercation that wasn’t her fault. A group of girls had backed her up against a wall and held a pair of scissors to her neck. All of it came as a shock to Niki, because she had no idea why she’d been targeted. In short order, the leader of the bunch, a girl named True, started screaming that Niki had a lot of balls flirting with her boyfriend, a guy named Jace. When True threatened to kill her, Niki began to fight back. She ignored the scissors pressed against her throat, punched True in the arm, and kicked at another girl. When the girls backed off, she pushed through the group and managed to get out the door into the safety of the crowded hallway.
Once she made it to her next class, she vowed never to go to the bathroom during the school day again, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to talk to Jace again either, not even to say hi. In her mind, the worst of it was over, but the next morning she was summoned to the vice principal’s office and told she was being suspended for fighting. She tried to explain, but Mrs. Marzetti wouldn’t listen, instead berating her as if the whole thing had been her fault. “I don’t know what went on at your other schools, but we have zero tolerance for bullying at Central High,” she said, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Zero.”
“They started it. They cornered me in the bathroom and held a pair of scissors to my throat,” Niki said. “They threatened to kill me.”
Mrs. Marzetti continued talking as if Niki had said nothing. Angrily, the older woman told her that one of the girls had a bruise the size of a tennis ball on her leg, and the other had a cut on her cheek. “You could have seriously injured them,” she said indignantly.
“I didn’t do anything to them. They attacked me. They threatened to kill me.” The words hung in the air unacknowledged. Mrs. Marzetti told her to go to her locker and get her things. Her foster parents would be called to pick her up from school. Until then, she would sit in the entrance and wait.
Niki fought back tears of frustration as she left the room. This was a disaster. Her foster parents both worked full-time. Neither of them would come to get her until they were done with their shift. She’d be sitting for hours, and when they did show up, they’d be livid. They might even ask for her to be placed in a different home.
Crying, Niki made her way to her locker, fumbled her phone out of her backpack, and called Amy at work.
She’d barely gotten out the word suspended when Amy said, “Sit tight, Niki. I’ll be right there.” When Amy arrived a half hour later, Niki’s heart swelled with gratitude at the sight of her advocate bursting through the door. Even better, as she began telling her what had happened, Amy was already irate on her behalf. By the time Niki finished the story, Amy was furious.
Amy stepped up to the counter where the two office ladies sat, silently tapping on their keyboards. “Excuse me,” she said, her voice cutting through the quiet. “I need to see Mrs. Marzetti immediately.”
They tried to give her the runaround, trotting out lines that sounded like total bull crap to Niki. Mrs. Marzetti is busy. You should make an appointment—she could see you another day. Amy leaned over the counter and said, “Another day won’t work. I need to see her now.” Her voice ratcheted up at the end of the sentence, startling Niki, who hadn’t known Amy could sound like that.
The two women exchanged a look that made Niki wonder if they were going to call the security officer. Instead, one of them got on the phone and said something to Mrs. Marzetti in a hushed voice. When she hung up, she stood and said to Amy, “Mrs. Marzetti has a few minutes available. She can see you now.” She pointed toward the hallway, and when Niki got up to follow, she said, “Not you, dear. This is just for the adults.”
Amy beckoned to Niki. “This concerns her. She needs to be there.”
Mrs. Marzetti’s office was a different place now that Amy was there. Amy introduced herself as Niki’s court-appointed special advocate. “I’m here because Niki’s rights have been violated.”
“How so?” Mrs. Marzetti frowned and tented her fingertips together.
“I believe that students in your care have a right to a safe environment, and when accused of a wrongdoing, they have the right to speak in their own defense. Niki has been deprived of both of these rights. As she’s a foster child who’s been through so much already, I find this especially egregious.”
Especially egregious. Niki loved the expression and filed it away for future reference.
Mrs. Marzetti gave her the other girls’ version of events and finished by saying that the school had zero tolerance for bullying. “Violence is not tolerated, and bullying is punished here.”
Amy shot back, “I’m glad to hear that, because Niki has been bullied, and those girls are lying.”
“They have injuries.”
“Which they most likely inflicted upon themselves.”
“And they back up each other’s stories.”
“As they would, of course. I don’t know these girls, but I know Niki, and she is not a liar. I believe her version of events. She was attacked and threatened.”
“We can go back and forth about this,” Mrs. Marzetti said, “but I’ve made a decision and already filed the paperwork. My ruling stands.”
Anyone else might have backed down or begged the vice principal to reconsider. Not Amy.
“Well then you’ll have to unfile the paperwork,” she said, “because here’s what’s going to happen. Niki will not be suspended. You’ll be calling her foster parents and telling them it was a misunderstanding and she’s not in trouble after all. Niki will be returning to her classes, and no further punishment will be given to her. And if there are any more of these mishaps, I expect a phone call from your office immediately, and I want Niki to be given the same consideration you give to the students that you favor.”
Mrs. Marzetti began to object. “Wait a minute,” she said indignantly.
Amy stood and talked right over her, the forward tilt of her shoulders establishing dominance. “No, you wait a minute. You should be ashamed of yourself, targeting a foster child who doesn’t have a way to defend herself. I’m giving you an opportunity to make this right. If you’re smart, you’ll take it.”
There was a stare-off between the two women. It probably only lasted a minute or so, but to Niki, it went on forever. Finally, Mrs. Marzetti sighed. “Niki, this time I’ll let you off with a warning. I will call your foster parents to let them know. You may go back to class.”
As Niki got up to leave, Mrs. Marzetti couldn’t resist one final zinger. “True’s parents are talking about calling their attorney.”
Amy said, “I am an attorney. Please let them know I’d be happy to meet with their legal representative.”
In the front office, Amy had handed one of the office ladies her business card, along with a request to have her number listed as Niki’s first contact for emergencies.
Lying in Amy’s old bedroom now, Niki thought back on this memory, and a slow grin crossed her face. Amy was a total bada
ss, the boldest, best person she knew. Scrappy. Full of confidence and enthusiasm. Amy’s mother, Sharon, wasn’t much like her at all, which made her wonder what Amy’s father had been like. “I never met the man,” Amy had said when Niki asked about him. She said her mother had a one-night stand and opted to keep the baby. “I’m kind of glad she did,” Amy said with a laugh. Her father never knew he even had a child, and Amy didn’t seem to miss his presence or even wonder what had happened to him.
It was hard to look at a sixty-something woman and imagine her having casual sex and raising a baby alone, but then again, it was a lifetime ago.
Niki couldn’t help but think that today, her first day on the job, was a new beginning in what could be a new life. Wanting to make a good impression, she put on her best pair of pants and the blue Magnificent Nutrition polo shirt, then pulled her hair up into a neat bun before going downstairs to get a bite to eat. After breakfast, Sharon drove her to the shopping center, dropping her off at the nutrition store and saying, “Call me when you’re finished, and I’ll swing by and pick you up.”
Niki gathered her bag from the floor of the car. “Or I can just walk back. I mean, if it’s too much trouble.” She said it casually, her eyes downcast while she waited for Sharon’s response.
“Don’t be silly. There’s no point in you being out in the cold walking through the slush when I can come get you in five minutes.”
She and Sharon were just getting to know each other. Amy had told her that her mom was kind and easygoing, but Niki had learned that people had layers, and sometimes what lurked underneath the prettiness could be ugly and cruel. Of course Amy had known Sharon all her life, so presumably she’d encountered all sides of her personality, but people were often different with family members. Niki had learned that as a kid in foster care. Even the best families, the ones who clearly cared, couldn’t help but favor their own flesh and blood when it really got down to it. This was different, though. Sharon was letting her stay in her home as a favor to Amy. She wasn’t getting money for doing it, and she didn’t seem to expect much from Niki. An open-ended stay as a guest. It seemed too good to be true, something that made her both grateful and suspicious. Good things didn’t usually last for very long.
The Moonlight Child Page 5
