“Hey,” he said. “I was just thinking about you.”
“You’re always thinking about me.”
He laughed. “You’re right. How was your dinner with your father?”
“Peachy keen. How did you think it would be? He took me out to get away from the situation with my mother, but that was practically all he talked about.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“No one knows how it’s going to end. She could be like this for a long time, and even if she wakes up and realizes what’s happened, she could be worse in a different way.”
He was silent. My talk of tragedy was too heavy.
“But I’ll be fine as long as I have strong people beside me like you.”
“You will. I swear.”
“I might return to school sooner than I planned.”
“That might be very good for you. I’ll pick you up in the morning if you like.”
“I like. Until Daddy gets me my own car. I expect he will now.”
“Just say the word.”
“The word.”
He laughed. “When should I come see you again?”
“Call me tomorrow,” I said. “Maybe the same time. We’ll be together in the same place, unless you’re getting bored with it.”
“Are you kidding? I’d claw up the wall to your window.”
I smiled. I really did have more power over boys right now. They’d never disagree with me or disappoint me. The girls who normally envied me would eat their hearts out watching me capture the interest of whomever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Of course, I knew it wouldn’t last forever. I’d get tired of it myself.
But what lay ahead after this was what I had always dreamed of having anyway.
I talked a while longer, listening to him describe what some of my and Kaylee’s girlfriends were doing, soaking up the sympathetic talk about me and my family. He also told me how nervous the parents of other girls had become, some tightening their restrictions on their social activities. The principal had apparently asked all the teachers to address the dangers attached to flirting with or encouraging strangers.
“I guess the Fitzgeralds are famous now,” I said. “But not in a way we wanted,” I quickly added.
Hearing all this had tired me out again. I said good night and hung up. Then I got ready for bed. Before I turned out my lights, I heard what sounded like whimpering coming from Kaylee’s bedroom. I went to the door to listen, but I heard nothing more. My imagination was running wild again. Snuff it out like a lit match and go to sleep, I told myself.
There was a lot left to do now that I understood what turns my future could take.
Daddy was up before me and down in the kitchen preparing Mother’s breakfast. I was still in my pajamas, but I wanted a cup of coffee.
“Hey,
” he said. “Up early?”
“It’s hard to sleep late. As soon as my eyes pop open, I think about Kaylee. Sometimes she wakes me up.”
He nodded, a pained look in his eyes. Actually, Kaylee almost always woke me up on a school day. She’d make sure to get to me before Mother could, because if Mother thought one of us was oversleeping, she’d assume the other was, and then she’d restrict what we did at night even more.
I poured myself a cup of coffee.
“I’ll be home later than usual today,” he said. “I’ve got an appointment in New Jersey that I can’t postpone any longer. Mrs. Lofter should be here soon, definitely before I leave.”