“So it is settled,” said Amanda.
“Actually Amanda is right. The boys do need to be together all the time. And they do need money and cell phones. Just how did you figure all of that out?” asked Michael.
“We had a meeting and we talked. We had to figure out everything when we were lost in New York City so we decided to start thinking again,” said Amanda.
“Well, I think you are one of the smartest girls ever,” said Solange.
“Hey, we all met and decided together what to do except for that part about Peter being in the eighth grade,” said Thibodeaux. “Amanda just thought that one up just now.”
“Father Francis, can you work all of this out?” asked Solange.
“I guess so. I will tell the Father in charge of the dorms that since Peter and Thibodeaux are enrolling in the school midterm, they need to have a room close to mine so I can tutor them if they need any extra help. Peter, do you really think you can keep up with the eighth grade?” asked Father Francis.
“Sure,” said Peter.
“As for the cell phones and money, please hide them in your pockets and I will tell your teachers, well, I will figure out something to tell your teachers. So it looks like we have a plan,” said Father Francis.
“The boys already have their cell phones and their money. Here are some lists of everyone’s phone numbers that I printed out this afternoon. I got Father Francis’s phone number from Solange,” said Amanda as she handed out phone lists. “Also, here are some Google maps showing where we are and where the school is located. I want to go with you when you take the boys so I can figure out how to walk there in an emergency,” said Amanda. “Solange, Michael, can one of you follow Father Francis and bring me back home?”
“I will take you and show you how to get there and back,” said Michael looking down at the list. “You have everything on here, even the FBI and my father.”
“Well, we are not going to call them, but if we need to, we will have the phone numbers,” said Amanda.
“Hey, kid, you just amaze me,” said Solange. “You too,” said Solange looking at Thibodeaux and Peter.
“I want to ride over with Father Francis and the boys so we can memorize the route,” said Amanda.
“Okay, I will take my car. Solange, do you want to ride along?” asked Michael.
“Of course, I need to say goodbye to my boys,” said Solange.
“But you cannot figure out the route by just riding with Father Francis. We need to go a crazy way just in case someone follows us. So let’s sit down at the dining room table and figure out the routes and take notes,” said Michael.
And so they did and then they left to take the boys to St. Barnabus.
St. Barnabus was a beautiful old church, built several centuries ago in the French Gothic style. The school was adjacent to the Church. The main building of the school had also been built in the same French Gothic style, but several side buildings had been built and designed in a variety of styles after the church and the original school building were constructed. The dorm that Father Francis drove to had obviously been built in the last twenty years. It was a large three story structure that faced a park-like area. The complex looked like a small college campus.
Both Father Francis’s car and Michael’s car pulled up behind the dorm and everyone got out. Even though Michael had led everyone on a circuitous route to the school, he still took a quick look around. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so the boys quickly unloaded their bags and saying good-bye to everyone, they followed Father Francis into the dorm.
Amanda looked at her brother walking into the school with Father Francis and felt like she would cry, but she did not. She had to be brave, for Peter’s sake. It would upset him too much if she started to cry. She had talked to Peter and Thibodeaux about whether the boys should actually go ahead and move to the school and they had finally agreed that enrolling in a boarding school would be one of the last things the thieves would expect to happen. Plus, while they were at the school, they would not be allowed to leave the campus so there was no way they would be spotted walking around the city. And by dividing up, they would look less like three of the four kids who had pooled their talents to save New York City.
Chapter VII
Amanda and Solange rode back to the apartment with Michael. They pulled in back and went up the stairs and all three went into Amanda and Solange’s apartment. Amanda thought about how from now on she would always be with Michael and Solange. She really did not know how she felt about that. They were safer when Michael was around, but it was so much more fun when it was just Solange. Plus, Amanda knew her mother would not approve of her living with a twenty-three year old man and a seventeen year old girl. And her father, if he had been around, would have a fit about her living arrangements. But good sense rules seemed to have flown out the window.
After they were inside, Solange insisted that Amanda try on some of her ballet clothes. She also gave her a pair of ballet shoes which miraculously fit. Solange put on her leotard and tights also, but with a pair of baggy shorts on top.
“Here, let’s go through all the positions,” said Solange handing Amanda the print outs she had made from the computer.
Solange put her iPod on the stand and selected some ballet music. She then pulled two dining room chairs into the middle of the living room to use as ballet bars. Solange taught Amanda the basic positions and movements for about two hours after which Amanda was utterly exhausted.
While they were practicing, Michael worked on his laptop, every now and then looking up to watch Amanda and Solange. Michael being in the room made Amanda feel very self conscious even though she assumed he was mostly interested in looking at Solange. Michael and Solange acted very strange when they were together. When Solange had first met Michael, Amanda could tell that she was just putting up with him but now, there was something different. Amanda did not really think that Solange liked him, but something was definitely going on. Michael always looked like he was trying not to stare at Solange and he certainly made a big point of never looking at Amanda. It all made her uncomfortable.
After they finished the ballet lesson, Solange turned to Amanda and said, “You might want to go ahead and get ready for bed early tonight. Sister Anne will be here tomorrow at nine for school and then we have to be at the studio from one through five.”
“School?” asked Amanda.
“Yes, I am home schooled by a nun from my high school, Sister Anne. Father Francis arranged for her to teach you eighth grade while you are here. She was able to get a copy of the Connecticut curriculum so you won’t get behind,” said Solange.
“Why are you home schooled?” asked Amanda. “Why don’t you just go to school?”
“My Mom and I worked this out when I started dancing with Miss McMartin’s company. I have to be there every day at 1 p.m., and if we have rehearsal, sometimes I am not home until midnight. There was no way I could attend a regular school. But Sister Anne is from the order that teaches at my school and this way I will still be able to graduate with my class,” said Solange.
“Are you going to be coming home at midnight?” asked Amanda. If Solange were out to midnight, she would be stuck at the apartment with Michael.
“No, we are not in rehearsal now. It is just class for the rest off March and then we start rehearsing in April for our late May performances,” said Solange.
“Am I going to take ballet class four hours every day?” asked Amanda in a strained voice.
“No, I am going to talk to Miss McMartin and tell her that you need to take the class that runs from 1 p.m. till 3 p.m.. It is the apprentice class and it will still be very hard, but at least it is not four hours long. Afterwards maybe Michael can pick you up and the two of you can go to the grocery store and buy the food for dinner. I like to buy everything the day I cook so it is very fresh,” said Solange. “I will give you a grocery list in the morning and leave recipes on the counter so you can start dinner every night.
“Start dinner?” asked Amanda. “I don’t know how to cook.”
“That’s okay. I will keep the recipes very simple,” said Solange.
“Thanks, I think,” said Amanda.
“Just think of it this way. You are hiding in New Orleans but you are also learning how to dance and how to cook. Plus you attended the Lundi Gras party and marched in the Zulu second line. How many fugitives can say that?” asked Solange.
“The next time I meet some fugitives, I will be sure to ask them,” said Amanda.
“Hey, you are working on your sense of humor. But now, you need to get ready for bed. Armand is going to come over for a bit,” said Solange.
“I don’t think it is a good idea for you to see Armand all the time,” said Michael.
“I have to see Armand. We have been together every day since we were in first grade. Besides, I would trust him with my life,” said Solange.
“Well, let’s hope you don’t have to,” said Michael.
“He’ll just be here for a little while,” said Solange.
Amanda looked at Michael and Solange and thought that maybe she did need to go to bed. There was nothing that she could do that would make whatever was going on between them a bit better. And she knew Armand would not want her hanging around. The only person he was interested in seeing was Solange. Amanda wondered how Armand was dealing with the fact that Michael was always there, and if the fact that Michael was living with Solange wasn’t the real reason Armand insisted on seeing her every day.
Amanda went into the bathroom and while she was getting ready for bed, she heard Solange let Armand in through the back bedroom door. “Oh, well,” Amanda thought, “I bet they are going to be in and out of that door all night long.”
After Amanda finished getting ready for bed, she went into the back bedroom and got her pillow and comforter and walked to the door to the living room and stood there in her pajamas. Michael was working on his laptop at the dining room table and Solange and Armand were sitting on the balcony. The balcony door was open so Solange and Armand would be able to hear what she said, “Since Peter and Thibodeaux are away at school, I am going to sleep in their room so you can use the back door without waking me up.”
Amanda moved into the Peter and Thibodaux’s room and making sure that she had her purse with her money and her cell phones handy, she went to sleep. Two hours of ballet was enough to put anyone to sleep. She would not need any of the sleepy time tea with the bunnies on the package.
Wednesday morning, Solange woke Amanda at seven. When Amanda went into the kitchen to get some coffee, she saw that Michael had already gone next door to his apartment.
At nine, Sister Anne arrived. She took a quick look around the apartment and seemed pleased with their accommodations until she saw the altars. “Solange, just cause your Mama never gave up the old beliefs doesn’t mean you have to drag it with you through life.”
Solange responded by laughing and hugging Sister Anne.
Sister Anne had brought Solange’s school work with her but she had also obviously spent a lot of time finding school books, library books, and articles off the internet that dealt with the curriculum that Amanda would have studied if she had been attending school in Greenwich, Connecticut. Looking at the subjects she was supposed to study made Amanda feel oddly content. She missed attending her own school so much and it was nice to just know about the things her friends were studying.
Amanda worked on her reading assignments as Solange worked with Sister Anne. At around 11 a.m., Solange and Sister Anne began speaking French and they discussed a book on art history. The only way Amanda knew that it was French was that she had attended kindergarten at Alliance Francaise when her family still lived in New York City. She had switched to Spanish when her family moved to Greenwich, but she knew enough French to recognize the language.
“I did not know you spoke French,” said Amanda.
“A lot of us do. My grandmother and her sisters only spoke French at home when they were growing up. My mother was the first generation of her family to be raised in an English speaking household, but both Mom and I can speak French. My grandmother would not talk to me unless I spoke French. That used to make me mad when I was a little girl but now I am grateful,” said Solange.
“I did not know that,” said Amanda.
“I am French Creole and so is Sister Anne,” said Solange.
“Oh,” said Amanda feeling a bit foolish.
“You both need to finish your work because you need to eat and go to ballet,” said Sister Anne.
“Would you like to eat lunch with us today?” asked Solange.
“No, I need to get back to the school. But thank you for asking. And it was very nice to meet you Amanda. You are a very bright young lady and I am looking forward to working with you,” said Sister Anne.
“Thank you,” said Amanda.
Sister Anne left.
Amanda turned to Solange and said, “She was very nice and not what I thought she would be.”
“What? Did you think she would rap your knuckles with a ruler?” asked Solange.
“No,” replied Amanda. “Well, yes. That is what I heard about Catholic schools.”
“Well, I go to a very nice Catholic school and the nuns don’t rap knuckles,” said Solange. “Here, let’s make some sandwiches so we can leave. Michael, is going to be here at 12:30 to take us to ballet school.”
Amanda ate quickly and changed into her leotard and tights and was careful to pin up her now shorter hair the way Solange had taught her to last night. She did not put three earrings on each earlobe. Having red hair was enough change for now.
Then Michael was there (Amanda had no idea where he had been all morning and had no interest in asking) so they piled in his car to drive to the ballet school.
The ballet school was only four blocks away from the apartment, but Michael still wanted them to go by car because as he said, the less time they spent on the streets of New Orleans, the less likely it was that someone would recognize them.
While they were driving to the school, Solange turned around to speak to Amanda who was alone in the backseat of the Escalade, “Sweetie, all the people at the school know is that you are my cousin from Chicago and your parents are getting divorced and you were having a hard time with it so your Mom sent you here to live so you could study ballet and get your mind off what was going on at home. I told them that you did not have a lot of formal training, but I also told them that you love ballet. Do you think you will be able to carry that off?”
“I guess I have to, but I don’t know how,” said Amanda.
“Just smile a lot, look enthusiastic and concentrate like it is the most important thing in the world to you,” said Solange.
“Got it,” said Amanda.
Michael pulled up in front of the ballet studio and told them to wait. He walked outside like he was looking for an address (he was really checking out the street) and then he opened the door and said, “Okay, go. Amanda, I’ll pick you up at three”
Amanda and Solange quickly went inside the ballet studio. The studio was in an old firehouse and it had beautiful old wood floors and high vaulted windows. Solange led Amanda up the stairs to the second floor studio which had obviously been completely renovated. The studio occupied the entire floor. There was a beautiful hardwood dance floor, a piano, and at both the front and the back of the room, floor to ceiling windows. The room was filled with natural light. Amanda looked around and thought that maybe it would not be that hard to be enthusiastic.
An imposing looking woman who looked to be in her sixties approached Solange and Amanda. She was tall and very thin. Her hair was pulled back in a bun that was so tight it seemed to have pulled her cheek bones back into her ears. She was dressed in a black leotard and pink tights which made her body look emaciated. She was also carrying an ornate walking stick with a rams head collar.
“So this is your cousin,” said the woman to Solange.
“Yes, Miss McMartin, this is my cousin, Amanda Pascal. She is thrilled to have a chance to study in your school,” said Solange looking meaningfully at Amanda.
“Yes, ma’am. It is an honor,” said Amanda as she slightly bowed her head.
“Solange tells me that you do not have a lot of training but I agreed to give you a chance anyway. But I don’t want to see you disrupting your class,” said Miss McMartin as she tapped her walking stick on the floor.
“No, ma’am. I am very serious about ballet,” said Amanda lying through her teeth.
“Thank you so much for agreeing to let my cousin study at your school. My mother and I are very grateful,” said Solange.
“Well, I really did not have a choice,” said Miss McMartin. “Anyone who knows your mother knows not to cross her. You are staying away from those arts, aren’t you Solange?”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Solange.
“Behave yourself young lady and let’s see how this goes,” said Miss McMartin to Amanda.
“Your studio is just up those stairs. Let me take you up there and introduce you to Miss Rafaela, who will teach your class,” said Solange.
Amanda was very relieved to leave Miss McMartin and she followed Solange up the stairs to the third floor which was a replica of the second floor studio. The room was filled with ballet students, stretching at the bar. Solange walked Amanda up to Miss Rafaela, a tall thin dark haired young woman who was also dressed in a black leotard and pink tights. “Hi Rafi, this is my cousin from Chicago I told you about. Amanda, this is Miss Rafaela. She is your dance teacher.”
“It is nice to meet you, Miss Rafaela,” said Amanda.
“I understand you love ballet,” said Miss Rafaela.
“Yes I do. It is all I ever think about. But I have not had a lot of lessons,” said Amanda thinking that her bad habit of lying was coming in very handy. She would need to point this out to her mother the next time her mother got on her case about lying.
“That’s wonderful. Please take your position at the bar. We are about to start our warm ups. Uh, Amanda, this is the apprentice class, but if you have not had a lot of lessons, they will seem very advanced. Just do the best you can today and then you can stay afterwards for about a half an hour and I will work with you individually,” said Miss Rafaela.
The Big Apple Posse Trilogy Page 23
