A Good Dude (22 page)

Candace grinned. “When I find the right man, I’ll be a down-ass bitch, too. But if I have to go to jail for somebody, it had better be over some multi-million-dollar investment scam. The only way I’ll do six months is if I got a couple million waiting in the bank.”

Trisha laughed. “All right, Martha Stewart.”

Candace laughed, too.

“So what are you going to do on the first?” Trisha asked.

“I don’t know. If I don’t have my baby by then, I’ll have to stay here. I have to move, though.”

“You got some place in mind?”

“The complex next door is pretty cheap.”

“What about the rent?”

“I guess I have to get a job.”

“You’d better hurry up,” Trisha advised. “It usually takes three weeks to get your first check.”

Candace frowned. She didn’t like that timetable at all.

* * *

At nine o’clock Candace put a hand to her face for an extended yawn. Trisha caught the move and took the cue to leave. Candace thanked her for the help and was glad to be alone when she was gone. She couldn’t wait to sleep in a house all by herself, another thing people take for granted unless they’ve been in jail.

She picked out an outfit for her meeting with the social worker tomorrow. She thought of Leila as she ironed, and that reminded her to call her parents back. It was already after ten in New York, but Candace knew they would still be awake. She made the call from her cell phone, knowing they couldn’t trace it back to an address.

Her father answered after four rings. “Hello?” He sounded a little gruff.

“Hi, Dad. It’s me, Candace. Did I wake you up?”

“No, I wasn’t asleep. Your mom said you called earlier. I was waiting up for you. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d call back.”

“I know,” Candace said. “I told Mom I was going to be different now. I’m going to call more often. You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“Yeah. She said you sounded more mature.”

Candace grinned. “I had no choice but to grow up.”

“Are you going to give us a number we can call back? We should be able to get in touch with you, too, Candace. There might be an emergency.”

“I can give you this number,” Candace said. “I always have my cell phone with me.”

“Okay. I got a pen.”

Candace rattled off the number. “I’d still rather call you,” she said.

“All right. I won’t call you unless your mother dies,” her father kidded.

“No one’s going to die.”

“Probably not. But I hear there’s a new life over on your end.”

Candace grinned. “Yeah. I had my baby. Her name’s Leila Denise.”

“Hendricks, right?”

“Yeah, Dad. She’s a Hendricks.”

“Good. How’s she doing?”

“She’s fine. She eats a lot. Just like you.” Candace frowned and chewed on her lower lip. It was always hard to lie to this man, but it was a little easier over the phone.

“Who does she look like, you or your mom?” Gerald asked.

Candace tried to remember. “I think she looks like
me
,” she said.

“Then she must be beautiful.”

“Thanks, Dad. She is.”

“Your mom says you still don’t want to see us.”

“I do want to see you,” Candace said. “I just want to work things out in my own life first.”

“Where’s that boy?”

“Raul? He’s still in jail.”

“Good. That’s where he should be. You’re living by yourself now?”

“I am.”

“Why do you want to do that?”

“I have to learn how to take care of myself,” Candace said. “I know I made some mistakes, and I’m going to have to live with them. I’m going to show you I can do well for myself.”

“You don’t have to show me anything.”

“Well, I’m going to show myself. I need to know I can do it.”

“And you’re not in any trouble?”

“No, Dad. I’m fine.”

“Do you have a job?”

“Not yet.”

“How are you paying the bills?”

“I’m going to get a job this week.”

“I’m going to send you some money.”

“No, Dad. I don’t—”

“Candace, I’m not taking no for an answer. You’ve got my grandbaby over there. You’re going to need diapers and milk and clothes for her. You might not be able to find a job that pays for all of that.”

“I’ll be all right.”

“Do you want me to come down there? I know what city you live in. Don’t think I can’t find you.”

Candace’s heart froze. “No. Don’t do that.”

“Then let me send you some money. A thousand dollars, just to get you by till you get a job.”

“Alright,” Candace said.
Just don’t come to Texas. Please
.

She got a phone book and found a Western Union store he could wire the money to.
A thousand dollars
. She never thought her father would give up that kind of money. She figured it was the baby who loosened his bank account. With the matter settled, he asked about something that had been on his mind for months.

“So, how did you do in school?”

Candace beamed. “I did great. I’m pretty sure I made straight A’s.”

“How many classes did you take?”

“Five. Just like you said I should.”

“You’re still studying physical therapy, right?”

“Yes. Nothing’s changed.”

“Are these credits going to transfer up here, or do you plan to stay in Texas till you’re done?”

“No, Dad. I’m coming back to New York. I’m just doing one more semester down here. Do you know how hot it is in Texas?”

He laughed, and that was something Candace hadn’t heard from him in more than a year. They talked for another fifteen minutes, and then Candace spoke with her mom briefly before hanging up. She promised to call every Monday at 8:00 a.m. sharp.

When she hung up, Candace felt good about herself and about her chances.

* * *

But ten hours later, she felt like a lost little girl again. The CPS people wanted to know
everything
about her. Candace had had pap smears that were less intrusive. She sat across from Gabriella Sands wearing the only interview-type outfit she had in her closet: A green skirt that went to her knees and a long-sleeved white blouse with a green vest over it.

Candace wore her shoulder-length hair down in a flip. Her lip gloss glistened, her braces sparkled, and her eyes twinkled. She thought they would take one look at her and see she wasn’t an unfit parent, but the caseworker kept asking questions Candace didn’t have an answer to. Every time she opened her mouth, she felt more and more inept.

“So your boyfriend, Raul, you’re saying he’s the one who was selling drugs?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Candace said. “But he’s not my boyfriend anymore.”

“But he sold drugs out of the apartment you live in now?”

“Every now and then. Mostly he took it with him.”

“But there were still drugs there when the police came. That’s why you got arrested, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The caseworker looked over her papers again. She was an attractive Spanish woman, about forty-five years old. She wore a blue blouse with gray slacks and gray pumps. She had long, curly hair, and was a little chubby, but not to the point where it looked bad. It was just the two of them in the office, but Candace felt like the whole world was judging her.

“So why didn’t you throw the drugs out?”

“I thought Rilla, I mean, Raul, was going to get out. I didn’t want him to get mad at me.”

Gabriella nodded. “So, this apartment that got raided. You still live there now?”

“Yes.”

“And this is the place you want to take the baby to?” That questioned sounded loaded. “No. I’m going to move on the first.”

“Where to?”

“Another apartment. Probably right next door.”

The caseworker entered something in the computer. “Where are you working, Candace? I don’t think we have that in our files yet.”

“I don’t have a job.”

“Well, who’s paying your bills?”

“I have some money. I’m going to get a job this week. Plus my parents give me money.” She was glad she had that bit of truth to throw in there.

The woman sat back in her seat. “Have you made
any
plans for this baby? Do you have her room ready? A crib? Any provisions?”

“Not yet,” Candace admitted. “I’m going to get that stuff.”

“You don’t think you should get these things before you get your baby?”

“No. I want her now.”

“Why?”

“ ’Cause she’s mine.” Candace’s eyes watered up so she closed them and took a deep breath. When she opened them, the caseworker regarded her oddly.

“ ’Cause she’s mine and I want her at home with me,” Candace said. “I don’t want somebody else taking care of my baby.”

“It’s going to be all right,” Gabriella said. “The family taking care of Leila is doing a great job.”

“When can I see her?”

“You’re going to get a visit tomorrow.”

Candace beamed like she won the lottery. “Really?”

“Yes. It’ll be supervised.”

Candace nodded. “That’s fine. How do I set it up?”

“This is the first meeting, so I’ll make the arrangements,” Gabriella said. “They’ll bring the baby here. After that we’ll set up a weekly visitation schedule, and you might be able to go to their house for the rest of the visits. It depends on what they’re comfortable with.”

Weekly
schedule?

Candace’s smile went away. “How long is all of this going to take?”

“Do you know what a Service Plan is?”

Candace shook her head.

“A Service Plan consists of the things CPS requires of you before you get your baby back. This is a plan I’m going to write up based on the information I have about your case. I haven’t finalized anything yet, but I can tell you what your plan is going to include.”

Candace waited.

“The first thing I need to do is make sure you aren’t a drug dealer.”