"As long as I stay out of their way, things are okay." She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "I can take care of myself."
"They do drugs."
She stopped and I almost ran into her. Max swung around, her eyes flashing. For a second, I thought she might hit me. "Who told you that?"
"N-nobody. I can tell. We have those movies at school and I saw . . ."
"You saw nothing." Max raised her fist. "You got that?"
I swallowed hard and nodded.
She dropped her arms to her side. "You gotta promise me you won't tell anyone."
"But . . ."
"I mean it, Jess." She started walking again. "I consider you my friend, and I'm gonna give it to you straight."
I wasn't sure what she meant, but I nodded again. "Okay."
She found a log beside the trail and sat down. I sat next to her and waited.
"Remember yesterday when I told you guys about Bob being a fisherman. Well, things were pretty good then—most of the time. We lived at the coast and I liked it there. I liked my school and I had a lot of friends. Bob hardly ever hit me, except when he drank too much. I usually stayed out of the way. One of my teachers saw some bruises on my arm and turned Bob and Serena in to Child Protective Services. " Max sighed.
"It was the wrong thing to do," she continued. "Bob and Serena told the person they sent that I had fallen and she believed them. When she left, Bob told me if I ever did anything like that he'd let them take me. He said the only thing they could do to protect me was to move. We packed up and moved that night."
"Did you tell the lady that you hadn't fallen?"
"Are you kidding? There are some people you don't mess with. My uncle is one of them. Besides, I didn't want to go with her. Bob said they put kids like me in orphanages and treat us like prisoners. I'd been in that awful foster home, and no way was I going back. With Bob and Serena I can pretty much do what I want and go where I want. " She shrugged. "Anyway, like I said, I know how to handle them most of the time. I should have known better than to accept the money from Serena—it was too much and . . .my fault. I'll know better next time."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "How can you say it's your fault? Adults should never hurt kids."
"Save it. I've heard all that garbage before. No way am I going to a foster home. Serena and Bob are my family. They take care of me and it isn't always like . . . like what you saw. They're pretty straight during the week. Besides, it won't be forever. I'll move out when I'm old enough to get my own place."
"When you're eighteen? Max, that's six years from now."
"Don't worry, Jess. I have places I can go and people who will help me out. There's a lady at the Goodwill who gives me really good deals on clothes and shoes." She hesitated. "It won't be like this for very long. I have a plan."
"What do you mean?" I didn't like the tone of her voice.
"Just what I said."
"Max." I looked up at her. "I still think you should turn Bob and Serena in."
"No, and you won't either. Not if you want to be my friend. " She took hold of my shoulders again. "Promise me, Jessie Miller. Promise you won't tell anyone—not the teachers or your parents. Nobody. You got that?"
"Okay," I heard myself say. "For now. But if you get hurt again . . ."
"I won't. " She let go and folded her arms. Her cheek was still red and swollen. The area around her eye was turning a bluish green.
"I—um—you can stay at my house anytime you want." I wanted to protect Max, and if I couldn't tell anyone about her situation, I could at least give her a way out.
"Thanks." She smiled at me. "I appreciate that."
Life settled down for Max for a while—or maybe she was just putting on an act. She went back to being her funny, colorful self. As for me, things were anything but settled. More than anything, I wanted to tell my parents what I had learned about Serena and Bob Schultz. The promise I'd made to Max rolled around my stomach like bad, undigested food. I'd made the wrong choice in promising not to tell, and my conscience wasn't about to let me forget it.
What could I do? I had told Max I'd keep her secret for now, but I'd also made a promise to myself—if Max showed up with bruises again, I was telling my parents.
I didn't have to wait long. The next Saturday Max met me at the park, wearing a large baggy sweatshirt. That in itself was not unusual. What clued me in was the fact that the sun was shining and by noon the temperature had risen to 75 degrees. I could see the sweat breaking out along her hairline, but she wouldn't take off the heavy sweatshirt.
"It happened again, didn't it?" I asked.
Max clamped her mouth shut and set her jaw.
"You can't stay there, Max. Can't you see that? You may not want to be in foster care, but isn't that better than what you have now? I'm telling my parents."
"If you do, I'll never speak to you again. We'll have to move, and I don't want that. I like it here." She bit into her lower lip. "Please, Jess. Just give me a little more time. I almost got them talked into going into a rehab program. If they get off drugs, they'll be okay."
I turned away from her. "I can't promise. It's tearing me apart and—it's just wrong."
Max looked at me like I was the reason for all her troubles and tore off on her bike.
CHAPTER SEVEN
At school, Max made it clear that she no longer considered me a friend. It hurt to have her ignore me and to act like I didn't exist. Others noticed too. Ivy stopped me in the hall one morning before class. "What's with Max?" Ivy wrinkled her nose. "I mean, she's always a twit, but she's even acting mean toward you. I thought you two were friends."
I shrugged. "You'd have to ask her."
"I was just wondering . . . Do you want to walk home with me after school?" Ivy tugged her short knit top down to cover the top of her hip huggers. I wondered why she wore them. She wasn't fat, but the pants made her look that way. I wondered if she knew that. Then I thought, of course she does, but it doesn't matter. She wants to dress like her friends. I might have worn that style too, but I didn't have any hips to hold them up. Consequently, I wore jeans—boy's slims, which were the only kind that fit.
"Uh . . ." I didn't know what to say. I didn't want her to think that Max and I weren't friends anymore. Still, it would be nice to have someone to walk home with. "Sure," I finally said. "Why not?"
"Good. I'll meet you out front right after school." She smiled. "I like your hat."
"Thanks." I reached up to feel it. Mom had gotten the multicolored yarn on her trip to the city to buy painting supplies. She'd knitted the colorful hat in one evening and promised me it wouldn't be itchy. So far she was right. It was made with that wild new fuzzy yarn. I probably wouldn't wear it for long—I never did. I couldn't get used to having my head covered with anything but my own hair. Mostly I put it on in the morning to keep my head warm.
When Ivy left, I finished pulling my books out of the locker and headed for math. School was easy—almost too easy. Mom said it was because she'd put me on an advanced track at home. I asked her about getting moved up a grade, but she thought I'd fit in better with kids my own age, especially with my being so small.
I doubted I'd ever fit in with anybody. I thought about Ivy and wondered if she was being sincere. Maybe she wanted to talk to me about Max. Maybe she and her friends were playing some kind of dirty trick. On one hand I was glad Ivy had asked me. On the other I felt guilty, like I was siding with the enemy. I wondered what Max would think. After school I did meet Ivy, and we walked home together. Max rode her bike past us, pretending like she didn't see us. I said hi, but she didn't answer.
"She's really been acting weird lately," Ivy said. "Even more than usual."
"Yeah. Maybe something is wrong at home." Maybe she's just tired of being treated like an outsider. Maybe she's tired of hanging around me.
"How did you do on the math quiz today?" Ivy asked, changing the subject.
I watched Max put the kickstand dow
n on her bike and go into one of the shops on Main Street. "I did okay."
"I thought it was awful. It isn't fair of Mrs. Peters to give us tests on stuff we don't know."
I nodded and tried to sound like I cared. "I guess. Maybe she won't count it. Maybe she just wanted to see what we needed help in before school lets out."
"You're so good at math." Ivy sighed. "You're good at all your subjects."
"Thanks." I smiled, embarrassed to be talking about my grades. "I do okay."
"You don't like me very much, do you?" Ivy asked.
I glanced over at her, not sure how to answer. "I used to until you started treating me like a space alien." My tone was sharper than it needed to be. I had the feeling Ivy was trying to be friends again, but I wasn't sure I wanted to be friends with her.
"I'm sorry." Ivy sighed. "You were so different after your treatments and I didn't know how to act around you."
"It's all right. Forget I said anything." For the rest of the way home we talked about school and how it would be over soon. And what our plans were for summer vacation.
"I'm going to England on a buying trip with my mother," Ivy said.
"That sounds nice. We're supposed to go to Disney World." I didn't tell her that the trip was going to be sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They were making it possible for my family to take me. I just hoped I lasted that long.
CHAPTER EIGHT
On a Sunday, I got sick again. With a disease like mine there are good times and bad. I go into remission and can feel good for a long time. Then I get too many bad white cells and my immune system starts shutting down. My doctor keeps a close watch on me.When I get sick, I end up in the hospital in isolation so I won't get a cold or the flu. Doctor Caldwell gave me the usual lecture about letting her know sooner. She was right. I should have told Mom to call her a couple of weeks ago.
For the last few weeks, I had felt myself getting weaker and weaker. Stress doesn't help and I'd had a lot of that lately. I had carried Max's secret with me all that time. Every day I would decide I had to tell Mom and Dad, and every day I'd back down. I don't know why. Maybe I just didn't want Max to be mad at me, but that was dumb because Max still wasn't talking to me. Maybe she thought that if she was mean to me, I'd forget about her and not care about her anymore. That wasn't going to happen.
I'm not sure how Max found out about my being in the hospital, but the next day she came in with a lopsided wildflower bouquet, acting like we were still best friends.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. “I thought you didn’t like me anymore.”
"You can't just stop being friends." Max set the vase on the bedside stand. "Anyway, since no one from Child Protective Services has shown up, I figured you haven't told anyone. I wanted to thank you."
"I haven't, but that doesn't mean I won't."
"Well, you don't have to. Bob and Serena are getting help. They'll be going to rehab once a week."
I knew Max well enough to know she was lying. She had this habit of not looking at me. I didn't say anything. It felt good having her there, and I didn't want us to argue. I had also come to the conclusion that as fearless as Max seemed, she was not strong enough to handle her home situation alone. Unfortunately, at the moment, I was in no position to help her.
That night I told my parents what I should have told them weeks ago. Max was being abused.
Dad frowned. "Jessie, that's a pretty serious allegation. Are you sure?"
I nodded. I explained about the bruises I had seen on Max and how Serena had punched her in the face.
My mom hugged me. "How long have you known about this?"
"For a while. She keeps telling me things are better. I don't know if I believe her." I watched the fluid drip from the bag on an IV pole into the tubing.
"You did the right thing by telling us, Jessie." Dad's brown eyes connected with mine. "Secrets like that can only get worse."
I wasn't so sure. I felt terrible about keeping her secret, but I felt even worse now.
"I'll call social services first thing in the morning," Mom told me. "They'll send someone out to evaluate the situation."
"Max will hate me."
"Maybe for a while. But she'll get over it." Mom leaned over and kissed my forehead, pushing my imaginary hair back.
Would she? Max might never speak to me again, but at least she'd be safe. No kid should have to live in an abusive situation. I told them what Max had said about the foster home experience she'd had and how she was afraid of them.
Mom glanced at my dad, then back at me. "That poor child. No wonder she's so confused. I know there are some problems, but most foster home situations are good."
Mom did call Child Services, and they told her they would send someone out to investigate.
I didn't see Max for the next two days, and the waiting made my stomach ache. What if they had moved away? I'd lose Max forever.
On Wednesday Doctor Caldwell told me I could go home. I felt good. Amazing what blood and platelet transfusions can do for you.
I went back to school on Thursday but didn't see Max all day. I asked several of the teachers, but they hadn't seen her either.
After lunch, Cooper came up to me. "Do you know where Max is?"
The question surprised me. "Not for a couple of days. Have you seen her?"
"No. " He seemed upset.
"Is something going on between you and Max?" I asked.
"It's none of your business," he shot back.
I shrugged and headed for class. When the last bell rang I practically ran over to Max's house. I rang the doorbell, afraid they were no longer there, afraid I had made a terrible mistake. Please let her still be here.
No one answered the door, so I walked into town and stopped at the beauty shop where Serena worked.
A bell dinged as I opened the door.
"Can I help you?" A woman with skin the color of chocolate milk and streaked blonde hair was bent over a sink, washing a customer's hair. There was no one else in the room.
I let the door close behind me. "Um—I'm looking for Serena."
"So am I, sugar." The woman, probably Jillian, went back to scrubbing her client's head. "Serena didn't come in today or yesterday. She hasn't called and she's not answering her phone. If you see her you can tell her for me, she doesn't need to bother coming back."
I thanked her and left. Jillian's beauty shop was only three doors down from the Cavanaughs' tea shop where Max and I had been nearly a month ago. I went in and sat down at the same table we'd shared then. What have I done? I should never have told Mom and Dad. I'm sorry, Max. I'm so sorry.
"Did you want something?" Ivy Cavanaugh put a menu in front of me. I looked at it, then at her. "I'd like some tea."
"What kind?" Ivy's eyes were filled with concern.
"Lavender infused Lady Grey," I said, remembering that Max had ordered it. Calculating the amount of money I had in my pocket, I ordered a scone to go with it.
She stood there for a while looking like she wanted to say something. "I heard you were in the hospital," she finally said. "Are you okay now?"
"For now. See, having leukemia is a little like having the life sucked out of you by a vampire. Every once in a while you gotta go in for new blood."
I could tell by the look on her face that I'd totally grossed her out. Good. I wasn't in the mood for pity. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone either. When she left, I heaved a deep sigh and stared out the window. I swallowed back the lump in my throat. Had they really moved away? What would I do without Max?
I left the tea shop half an hour later and walked home. Sam was outside playing with Brian Davidson and his twin brother Benjamin from next door. I felt jealous for a minute. The boys were having a water fight. It wasn't the water that got to me. It was the laughing and the fun time they were having. Max and I used to laugh about stuff.
I gathered up my pillow and quilt and settled onto the swing on the deck, watching them and wondering if I would ever
see my friend again.
CHAPTER NINE
"Jessie. It's almost dinnertime." The swing moved as Mom sat on it.
I yawned and rubbed my eyes. "Is Max here?" I wasn't sure why I had asked. Wishful thinking, maybe.
"No. Were you expecting her?" Mom reached over to stroke my head. When I was little she used to brush the hair out of my eyes. There was no hair now, but I think she still does it out of habit.
"Not really. I was hoping." I used the back of the seat to pull myself up. "I think Max is gone."
"Gone?" Mom moved off the swing so I could push the covers away and swing my legs over the edge. "I think they might have moved. I shouldn't have told you about Bob and Serena."
Mom sat down beside me and spread out her arms. I leaned into them.
"The woman from Child Services called me back today." Mom wrapped her arms around me and patted my back. "She went to the house and talked to Max's aunt and uncle. Everything seemed okay, and Max told her it was all a big misunderstanding."
My lower lip started quivering, so I sucked it into my mouth. When I felt like I could talk, I said, "They moved. I went by the beauty shop and Serena wasn't there. Jillian said she hadn't been there or called."
"I'm sorry, honey. I had no idea. Maybe I can call the police."
"No." I jerked away. "You've done enough. " I ran into the house, leaving Mom sitting there alone. I knew she felt bad, but I didn't care. I felt worse.
Friday after school I made one more effort to find Max. I rode my bike into Lakeside and went into the grocery store. "Is Bob Schultz here?" I asked the first checker I came to.
"He's working in produce," the woman said.
"So he's here?" I asked.
She smiled and nodded. "You can go back there if you want."
"Thanks." I wanted to jump up and down and dance. They hadn't moved away after all. I ran back to the produce section. Though I had never seen Bob, it wasn't hard to pick him out. His name was stitched on the apron he wore. He was arranging boxes of strawberries. I swallowed back my fear and approached him. "Those look like good berries."
Max & Me Mysteries Set Page 4
