“I’ll run and git you some water,” Tish said, after pushing Mrs. Poston to the table. “And I’ll try not to quibble any on the floor.”
“Yes, please do. And quibble means to argue, not spill,” Mrs. Poston said, shaking her head. “So much to learn.”
Tish got Mrs. Poston water and then found Aja.
“I’m going to apply to be a M.A.,” Tish said proudly. “A Medical Assistant. They have a program that I can get into when I get my GED.”
“That’s great, Tish,” Aja said. “I know you’ll do well. Especially if you can handle Mrs. Poston.”
“She don’t scare me. Her bark’s worse’n her bite.”
“Tish, don’t be lallygagging and get back to work.” Mrs. Poston snapped her spidery fingers. “And, China girl, come visit with me after work.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Aja couldn’t believe how all the planets had aligned. Tish working for Mrs. Poston, Aja back with the old folks who at first she thought were gross and now felt a real affection for, and Walker who seemed to watch her every move as she went from table to table.
Chapter 49
Later that night, Aja sat on her bed re-reading what the residents had written on her card. She’d counted the money, which totaled just over two hundred dollars. She was floored. After work, she’d visited Mrs. Poston, who, in her own gruff way, thanked Aja for checking on her.
“I can’t believe no one came to my rescue sooner,” Mrs. Poston told Aja. “I pay too much money here not to have someone come by to see if I’m okay. What happened to good customer service?”
Aja also noticed her attendant light had been re-activated.
“Here, this is for you.” Mrs. Poston handed Aja a small box with a card. “Now go on. I’m too tired to watch you open it here, and my new assistant has to help me get ready for bed. She’s too expensive to keep another minute longer.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m rolling in the dough.” Tish stood behind Mrs. Poston’s chair. “Let’s get you off to bed so I don’t have to hear you order me around anymore.”
“Impertinence,” Mrs. Poston muttered as Tish wheeled her to her bedroom.
“What you call me?” Tish huffed.
“Look it up in the dictionary.”
Before Aja left the apartment, Tish turned to her and said, “Thanks for dealing with the devil. All the bitc—” She stopped and glanced at Mrs. Poston. “—the girls from juvie are glad. We gonna nail his ass.”
“Young lady, see that bar of soap? That will be your dinner if you don’t clean up your mouth,” Mrs. Poston griped. She looked at Aja. “Why are you still here?”
“Just leaving. Thanks, Mrs. Poston.”
“Oh, China girl, I almost forgot.” Mrs. Poston reached into the front pocket of her crisp button-down shirt. “This is yours.” She handed Aja the silver guardian angel medallion Aja had given her on the way to the hospital.
“You keep it,” Aja said.
Mrs. Poston nodded curtly, then carefully slipped it back in her pocket. “Thank you,” she said sincerely.
On her bed, Aja carefully piled the stack of money and cards from the residents and reached for Mrs. Poston’s gift. She opened the box and was surprised to find the brooch that Kendall had taken. On a small piece of paper, in spidery, but impeccable penmanship, Mrs. Poston wrote, “Thank you. You deserve this more than the other girl.” Aja opened the card, where she found a check for two hundred and fifty dollars. Under “memo” Mrs. Poston had written: college tuition.
Aja couldn’t believe how her luck had changed. Fate had stepped in and righted the wrong. She heard a light knock on the front door. Even though Clay Richards was in jail, she still felt a small stab of fear. Her mom and Clara Wells had gone out for karaoke and wine.
Carefully, Aja walked to the door. The wooden dowel still leaned against the wall. “Who is it?”
“Walker.”
Aja looked through the peephole and saw Walker standing on the porch, holding two Starbucks cups.
“I brought lattes.”
Aja opened the door. “Hi.” Walker smiled, which always made Aja’s knees turn to Jell-o.
“Any chance there’s leftover coffee cake?” Walker asked, hope lacing his voice.
“There may be some crumbs on the floor, but that’s all that’s left.”
“Then maybe some tofu?” Walker stepped in and handed Aja a cup.
“That we have.”
They settled on opening a bag of kettle corn, then sprinkled it with dark chocolate chips as they relaxed on the couch.
“It’s so nice not to have any homework or”—Aja rolled her eyes—“drama.”
“The evening’s still young.” Walker tossed a kernel of popcorn in the air and caught it with his mouth. “So what are your plans?”
“Future or immediate?”
“Both.” Walker missed a toss, and the kernel landed in his hair. He grabbed it from his head and ate it.
“Gross.” Aja laughed.
“So, are you planning on a community college education or will you use your GPA and go to Harvard?” He smiled and cocked his head, which reminded Aja of a cute puppy. She was tempted to pick him up and hold him.
She demurred and said, “I’m going to take some basics this summer at the community college here. Then I hope to go to California.”
“Alone?”
Aja shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe. I think mom’s pretty happy here for now.” She sipped her cooling latte and leaned back.
“Maybe I’ll join you in California.”
“We could take long walks on the beach, and go to the library together.” Aja giggled. “You could try to keep me out of trouble.”
“Now, that would be a challenge.” Walker sat up. “Is this a psychic vision, you and me on the beach?”
Aja shook her head. “No, just a daydream.”
Chapter 50
Clay Richards’s pre-trial hearing lasted two days. He had his own character witnesses, who spoke of his dedicated years on the police force as well as his military service. But there were many more witnesses, young women, who had been victimized by him. Most he’d had committed to juvenile detention and made them feel like it was their fault. The most damning witnesses were Julia and Tish. He’d repeatedly hurt and threatened them for years.
Ms. Lewis took the stand and said how difficult it had been for her to accept blame for allowing so much abuse to happen. “I trusted him and thought the girls were lying.” Aja felt uncomfortable seeing this formidable woman sobbing on the witness stand for “being so blind.”
Ms. Lewis and Julia were mending their relationship, slowly. Julia was like a puppy that had been beaten too many times. She wanted to be loved but cringed when a palm was raised, not knowing if it was going to hit her or hold her. She reminded Aja of the little girl who’d been slapped around at Abercrombie.
There was still fire in Clay Richards’s eyes, but it no longer scared Aja. She knew he was going to a place where he could no longer bother her.
Now in summer school, Aja took her books to work every night and tried to study when she could. It was nice having so many residents who enjoyed helping her with homework. She found more resources in the people who had lived some of the history she studied.
Aja poured water in the dining room and greeted the guests as they sat down.
“China girl,” Mrs. Poston called from across from her table. She was still in a wheelchair a month after her accident, but according to Tish, was working extra hard at physical therapy so she could run after Tish with that bar of soap.
“Yes, Mrs. Poston.” Aja made her way to the table, ready to pour a cup of decaf.
“My coffee is cold.”
“I have a fresh pot here.”
“You should have given me a fresh cup the first time,” Mrs. Poston griped.
“Yes, ma’am,” Aja said, pouring. “Are you staying for bingo tonight?”
“I doubt it.” Mrs. Poston nodded toward Tish, who sat near the kitchen
studying a workbook. “Tish has a test tomorrow, and she needs to get home early.”
Tish looked up when she heard her name.
“You’re going to pass that test, right?” Mrs. Poston yelled to Tish across the room.
“I don’t know; it’s too hard.”
“Then keep studying.” Then to Aja she said, “She’s smarter than she thinks. She can be a bit of a pill, but I’m giving her some slack. Confidence is what she needs.” Mrs. Poston poured cream into her coffee. “What’s this? I need fresh cream, China girl, you know that.”
“I’ll get some,” Aja said. As she went into the kitchen, she thought about having confidence. How far could any of these girls go if only they believed in themselves?
“Is everybody served?” Janie asked, stacking the dinner plates. “We need to clear everything out for bingo.”
“Mrs. Poston needs some cream. Then I’ll get the rest of the dishes.
“Are you staying, or are you and Walker going out?”
“We’re both staying for a round, but then I need to hit the books.” She needed Walker to drive her home since she still didn’t have a car.
“Geez, don’t you ever get tired of studying?”
“Yes and no. I don’t know what else I’d do. I’m not sure what I want to get a degree in.”
“Yeah, me either.” Janie scraped more plates for Gabe to soak. “But I’m needed here now. Maybe one day I’ll find my way.”
Aja thought of Tish, sitting in the dining hall studying anatomy terminology for her medical assistant degree. Tish had complained to her earlier that Mrs. Poston took a dollar out of her pay every time she said a bad word. She said, “I’m losing money working for that old bag.” But Aja knew Tish was moving forward, and Aja had to give her credit for sticking with the job and school.
Tish still scratched at her arms when she was stressed, but even that habit seemed to have calmed. She always wore the long-sleeve T-shirt under her scrubs, no matter how hot it was.
Walker stepped into the kitchen, wearing a red-striped vest reminiscent of a carnival hawker. “Come on, Aja, Janie, I’m calling the numbers tonight. I need one of you to be the bingo spinner.”
“What about Dr. Landers?” Janie asked.
“He’s helping Tish with her homework and gave me the coveted vest for the evening.” Walker turned, held out both elbows and said, “Ladies, may I escort you to the playing hall?” They each took an arm and went in, Aja careful not to spill Mrs. Poston’s cream.
“Let the games begin!” Walker gave a shout out to the residents as they settled in the dining hall.
“Well, it’s about time, China girl,” Mrs. Poston complained. “I hope that cream hasn’t curdled, it took you so long.”
After a few rousing games, where Walker called the numbers and Aja spun the balls, some of the residents started to fall asleep in their chairs. Tish, who’d decided to stay because she needed the money, helped Janie work the room, making sure everybody had the numbers correct and keeping the sleepyheads alert. Aja felt a quiet tranquility. This was where she was supposed to be now at this time in her life. Not forever, but for now. She could make a difference. For her and for them.
As she watched the residents with Tish, Janie and Walker, an idea began to form.
Chapter 51
By the end of the summer semester Aja had received acceptance letters from all four of the colleges she’d applied to. She tried to sign up for the Peace Corps but was crushed when she found out you needed a college degree. She was hoping it would set the course for her life and help her decide what to study.
She and her mom sat on the sofa one afternoon before Aja headed off to work. “I guess I should stay in Texas then,” Aja sighed.
“You can go wherever you want. We’ll find a way.” Her mom smiled. “We always do.”
“I’ve been thinking,” Aja said. “What if I stayed here for the fall semester and went to community college? I want to start a program that brings the residents from Golden Leaves to the detention center to tutor the kids there.”
Her mom nodded. “Aja, that’s a wonderful idea.”
“Seeing Tish and Mrs. Poston together is a riot—two people I would have never thought could get along now seem to need each other in some weird way. Mr. Jensen is getting stronger and would love to help with physics. Dr. Landers could teach science.”
“And it would bridge the age gap. Older people tend to dislike teenagers, and teens can’t see past the wrinkles to see what’s inside.”
“I’ll have to talk to Edna Jones about it.”
“I’ll talk to Hilary Lewis and Maggie if you want me to.”
“Sure, let me plant the seed with Edna first.”
“You know you won’t have to worry about Clay Richards anymore,” Aja’s mom said.
“Another of your feelings?” Aja asked.
“No, I spoke with Maggie today. It looks like the charges are solid. He’ll be tried soon or may cop a plea.”
Aja closed her eyes. She knew this, had an intuitive flash about him a few days before. There was no image with the feeling, she just knew deep inside that he would be found guilty of all charges and other indiscretions from his past would be exposed.
The local news had run with the story for a few days, then let it play out. A news magazine show wanted to do an hour program on it after the trial, but Aja was ready to put it behind her, though her mom thought it would be a good way to expose the injustice of the system and encouraged Aja to pursue it.
“What about Walker?” Aja’s mom asked.
Aja shrugged. “I don’t know, he could stay another year here, but then he’ll have to figure out where to go to college, too.”
“Is Kendall still in the picture?”
“Luckily, she’ll never set foot in Texas again. Walker said Kendall’s parents slapped her hand for stealing, then took her shopping because she’d been so traumatized. At least they’re not pressuring for a relationship with Walker anymore.”
“Karma,” her mom said. “It will come back on her.”
“What about you, Mom? I see that look in your eyes again. Are the winds of change blowing?”
“I like my friends here. I like the band I’m with, but I feel my roots growing and, you know me, I’ve never let them grow long enough to bloom.” She leaned back on the couch. “Honestly, I was hoping you’d go to school in Austin. I think I could be comfortable in the Hill Country.” Aja’s mom had been traveling more often to the Austin area for art fairs and music gigs. “But I’m in no hurry. I want to make sure you’re taken care of.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“I’m a mom; it’s my job.”
Aja considered that. Her mom had never been a typical parent but Aja never doubted she loved and cared for her, no matter how scattered Aja’s childhood had been.
Aja checked the time. “I’ve got to go. If I get there a few minutes early, then I can talk to Edna about our new idea.”
“Instead of taking it to her first, talk to the residents and see what they think. You’ll probably have a better chance of success if you have a group supporting you.”
“Yeah, maybe we’ll have a peaceful sit-in at Golden Leaves. Everybody could line their scooters up in the lobby in front of Edna’s office.”
“Remember, Aja, every one of those elderly people was a teenager once. They still have a voice and lots of wisdom to go with it.”
Chapter 52
The residents liked Aja’s idea to work in the detention center. A few worried about being locked in with a bunch of criminals, but they softened when Dr. Landers told them that Aja and Tish had been victims of the system.
“We may not be able to save them all, but wouldn’t it be grand to help the ones who are willing to help themselves?” he told the group at dinner.
“I’m going to show them proper etiquette.” Mrs. Poston stood at her table, her wheelchair parked nearby, since she’d refused to use it during her meal. Tish instinctivel
y headed toward her in case Mrs. Poston lost her balance. “I’m trying to teach Tish, but she’s stubborn.”
“Not as stubborn as you,” Tish shot back. “And she keeps calling me pig million.”
“Pygmalion,” Mrs. Poston said, exasperated. “We’ll rent My Fair Lady and I’ll pay you to watch it.” She sat, unsteady, with her Velcro knee cast but Tish was there to help. “For now, young lady, you need to watch your manners and your mouth.”
“Yeah, you making more money off of me than you paying me on that cuss jar.” Tish helped her sit.
Dr. Landers laughed. “Maybe we’ll have movie night with these kids. We can show them some classics, and they can show some of the new movies.”
“I don’t want to see a bunch of naked bodies or hear foul language,” Mrs. Poston said.
“We’ll teach you to rap,” Tish said, pushing the wheelchair closer to her.
Surprisingly, Mrs. Poston laughed. “Ballroom dancing. That’s what you should learn.”
Aja was amazed at the interaction between them. Aja had never seen Mrs. Poston laugh. Tish took her assaults head-on, and Mrs. Poston seemed to enjoy sparring with her.
“You gonna teach me in this?” Tish asked, shaking the wheelchair.
“Oh, no. I’ll be out of that before you know it, and I’ll be dancing circles around your young legs.”
“You on!”
“No, you’re on. Proper grammar please.”
Aja’s mom was right. Edna Jones pooh-poohed the idea when Aja brought it to her directly, citing liability and danger issues. “These are people charged with crimes, Aja.”
When Aja told her the residents thought it was a good idea, Edna still waved her off. “I just don’t see how it could work.”
“We have the van; I’ll drive them once or twice a week there.”
“Aja, I’m glad you’ve turned out to be such a responsible help around here. The residents really love you, but sometimes things are better left alone. These people need to rest. Too much excitement will stress them.”
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