Bittersweet Sixteen (A Dodie Jenks Novel) (3 page)

Chapter Six

We all piled out of the SUV a few minutes before ten in the parking lot of the Canaan Episcopal Church. Brody left us to join the group of guys standing near the cemetery gate.

Grandma placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled. “I told him they’d be here. If there is one thing about Franklin that I know it’s everyone goes to church on Sunday mornings.”

“But we’re not Episcopalian,” my dad pointed out.

“Neither am I, but look around. Is there another church in town?”

Another point for Grandma.

Mom slipped her arm around my dad’s and they walked toward the church building. She wore a wraparound dress in burnt orange that made her hair appear browner than normal and a pair of wedge closed toe shoes. Dad wore a charcoal gray pinstripe suit. And Brody sported a new pair of jeans and a navy sweater with a geometric design in red, green, and white across the chest. I had to hand it to Grandma. She had excellent taste in clothing.

The choir was filing into their pews as we entered the church. Grandma hurried ahead of my parents to lead the way to where we were to sit. I could tell from the way my dad slumped his shoulders he wasn’t happy that we were going to the front of the church instead of lingering in the back. Brody and his cohort came in after we were seated, but he didn’t join us.

The service wasn’t bad. I enjoyed the singing and the scripture reading, but I found my mind drifting during the sermon. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I was going to die. What would happen to me when I did? Would that be it? Where would I be buried? We didn’t go to church. Would my parents have my body cremated and place my ashes in an urn on the mantle?

A tightness formed in my throat and I found it difficult to swallow. My breathing began coming out in little gasps and I once again felt like I was choking. I reached for Grandma’s hand and squeezed it. She leaned toward my ear and whispered something that I couldn’t understand because of the ringing in my ears, but immediately it stopped, my breathing returned to normal and I could swallow again. My grip on her hand loosened and I was able to relax.

After the service everyone filed into the fellowship hall for coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Warm doughnuts and cookies from a local bakery were served along with a platter of fruit. Grandma motioned Brody over and then she proceeded to introduce us to the minister.

Father Branum was in his late thirties, but his hair had already started to recede and was thinning on top. His wife, Mary Margaret, stood by his side, holding their infant son. They seemed like nice people, but I had a sinking suspicion that if I told them I was cursed they’d freak out. But I didn’t have to worry about speaking with them because Grandma and my parents carried the conversation.

“Dodie, come with me,” Brody whispered.

Having nothing better to do, I followed him across the hall to where a group of teenagers were hanging out. A few of the girls glanced at me then turned their attention to my brother. Of course they did. I was chopped liver and he was caviar in their eyes. It didn’t really bother me that they reacted that way because I was used to it. What I didn’t expect was the reaction of the guys. Two of them practically fell over themselves trying to get my attention.

“So who is this fox?” one of the boys asked.

Brody laughed. “Dude, you didn’t just say that. She’s no fox. She’s my little sister. Dodie, meet Jackass and Dweeb.”

“What? Am I wrong?” Jackass asked Dweeb who couldn’t stop looking at me.

I hate to admit it, but they both gave me with willies the way they looked at me like I was the dessert of the day.

“Don’t mind them,” the other boy in the group said. “They were dropped on their heads at birth.”

I giggled. “And who are you?”

“Anson Parker,” he said, pushing his wire-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his freckled nose. His brownish red hair was buzzed on top and on the sides of his head in what I believed Brody called a high and tight cut. He got those during football season.

“Dorothy Anne Jenks, but everyone calls me Dodie.”

Anson held out his hand for me to shake. I had to give him credit for being polite and more mature than the rest of his cohort
s.

“Would you like to get a drink?” he asked.

I wasn’t really thirsty, but if it got me away from being gawked at then I was game. “Sure.”

He offered me his arm, which surprised me at first, but I found myself slipping my arm through his as he led me over to the refreshment table. He fixed us both a cup of hot chocolate and then we grabbed a couple of doughnuts before going to sit at one of the tables.

“So how are you liking Franklin?” he asked.

“It’s okay, I guess. I haven’t really seen much of it.”

“Your brother said you were here visiting your grandmother. That surprised me because I didn’t know Cherie had any family.”

“We haven’t been close in several years.”

“So I gather.” He took a sip of his hot chocolate and it left a ring above his upper lip. He took his napkin and wiped it away. “My family’s property runs against hers.”

I looked up from where I had been picking at the doughnut. “Really? On the other side of the little woods?”

He nodded. “How’d you know?”

“I went for a walk yesterday and came to the fence. I saw the house up on the hill.”

“Yep, that’s us.”

I saw my grandmother approaching us so I popped a chunk of the doughnut in my mouth and drank some of my hot chocolate.

“Hello, Anson.  Dodie, dear, your parents are ready to go,” she said.

“Okay. Thank you for the chat and the hot chocolate.” I got to my feet and picked up my trash. “Perhaps I’ll see you again.”

“Sure.” He stood as well. “You know where I live.”

As we walk toward the side door, Grandma said, “He’s a nice boy.”

I tossed my trash in a nearby receptacle. “Too bad it doesn’t matter. I won’t ever see him again.”

We passed Brody and his group. Jackass and Dweeb whistled as we walked by. Grandma looked over her shoulder at them and winked while I ignored them.

“Come along, Brody.”

“I’ll catch you later,” he said, falling into step behind us. Once we were outside he asked, “When can we come back to visit?”

Grandma hugged him. “Any time you want.”

Chapter Seven

When we got back to Grandma’s I went up to my room and changed out of the dress and hung it back in the closet. I put my jeans and t-shirt from the day before back on and my kicks, grabbing my hoodie as I went back downstairs to join my family before we said goodbye. It felt like this weekend had all been a dream as we got into the car. So surreal. I wanted to run back into the house and stay with Grandma, but I couldn’t. I had to go to school on the off chance that the curse didn’t happen.

We were going back to town to have lunch at the soda fountain before heading home. Greasy burgers, French fries, and malted milkshakes. Nothing sounded better. The only downside was that Grandma wasn’t joining us.

An hour later we left Franklin the way we had come. Brody and I both had our ear buds in listening to our respective music. However, for some reason my classical selections seemed boring now.

As soon as we arrived home, dad locked himself in his office. Mom went to her room, and Brody called a friend to go hang out. I was left all alone so I went to my room and got on my computer to do a little research. The only problem was I had no idea where to begin. I did a search on curses but found little to put my mind at ease. I next did a search on witchcraft and read its history and about the Salem Witch trials in the sixteen hundreds.

A knock at my door startled me and I shut my laptop before going to the door. My mom stood there in her robe. “It’s after midnight. You better get to sleep or you won’t get up for school tomorrow.”

“Sorry. Time got away from me.”

“What were you working on? Homework?”

I shook my head, yawning. “I was doing research.”

Mom pulled me to her in a hug. She kissed my forehead. “Try not to worry too much. We can’t change the future. It is what it is. Tomorrow is uncertain for us all. So don’t feel you are being singled out.”

I nodded wishing it was that easy to do, but I didn’t like feeling helpless. At least Grandma claimed to still have hope, but it sounded like my mom was resigned to losing me. And that made me sad.

“Good night.” I closed the bedroom door and went into my bathroom to change into my night gown.

Crawling into bed I wished once again I was able to stay at Grandma’s. I missed the wonderful four poster bed with its downy comforter and soft mattress. And I missed the safety I felt at Grandma’s because of her optimism.

Morning came all too early. I hit the snooze button three times before Brody came banging on my bedroom door. I had little time to get dressed so I jumped in the shower, but didn’t bother to wash my hair. I was surprised that the curls from yesterday had stayed in as well as they did even after I had slept on them. I pulled on a clean pair of jeans, a three quarter length sleeve t-shirt and a coordinating hoodie before slipping my feet into my kicks. I quickly brushed my teeth while I searched for a hair band in my vanity drawer with my free hand. I ran the brush through my hair a few times and haphazardly pulled it back into a messy pony tail.

Brody came by my door again and banged a few more times. “I’m leaving without you in two minutes.”

“Okay. Okay. I’m coming.” I hoisted my book bag onto my shoulder and headed out the door. There was no time to swing by the kitchen and grab a pop tart so I hoped we got to school in time for me to stop by the vending machine for a granola bar.

Most of the day seemed like a blur. I was late to almost all of my classes because my head was in a foggy state. At the end of the day my Spanish teacher pulled me aside after class and asked if something was wrong. I had failed the pop quiz—which I never did. But in my defense I was having trouble concentrating.

“This is so unlike you, Dodie. Are you feeling well? There’s something different about you today.”

Boy was there ever!

“No, Ms. Hall. I’m not sick, I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

She nodded, but frowned. “If you need to talk to someone please be sure to stop in to see your guidance counselor. That is what they are there for.”

“I will.”

“And Dodie, don’t make a habit of this or your grade in the class will suffer,” she said, pointing to the F on my quiz.

I took the paper and slipped in inside of my text book before hurrying down the hall to my locker to change out my books and grab my backpack so I could meet Brody in front of the gym where he always hung out after school before heading home.

As usual he was there with his jock buddies and a few of the cheerleaders.

“You know, Dodie, with a little make up you could hide those freckles,” Sasha York said. “I like the pony tail and the curls today.”

“Thanks.” I said.

“What’s wrong, Squirt?” Brody asked. “You look down.”

“I am. This has been a bad day. I just want to go home.”

He dug into his jeans pocket. “Here,” he said, tossing me his car keys. “Head to the car. I’ll be there in a few.”

“Bye, Dodie,” Sasha called, stepping closer to my brother. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a kiss on the lips.

I thought I would barf so I hurried to his car so I didn’t have to watch them. When had he started liking her?

I unlocked the car and got into the passenger seat, slumping down. I unzipped my backpack and pulled out my history book. I had a chapter to read tonight and essay questions to answer. I began reading and was halfway through with the reading when Brody finally came to the car.

“You like Sasha?” I asked.

“Yeah. You got a problem with that?”

I shook my head. “Don’t you think she’s kinda plastic?”

“Plastic? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s like a Barbie, all perfect. Her hair and makeup are always flawless. She doesn’t seem real.” I handed him his keys.

“Well, I happen to like that about her. Besides, she is always nice to you so you shouldn’t complain.”

She was that, but I never knew if it was real or an act, but I didn’t want to tell him that. “I just didn’t know she was your type so when you kissed her it surprised me.”

He grinned at me and started the car and we headed home. Mom was in the kitchen fixing dinner when we arrived. I stopped by long enough to grab a cold bottle of water before heading upstairs to start my homework.

“Dodie, wait. Cherie called this afternoon. She’d like you to call her. You can use the downstairs extension.”

“Okay. Thanks.” I dropped my book bag on the kitchen table and grabbed the phone, dialing the number mom had written down on a piece of paper.

“Dodie,” Grandma said as soon as she answered the phone. “I have wonderful news. Can you and your mom meet me in Dover tomorrow at ten in the morning?”

“I don’t know. Let me check.” I put the phone to my chest and walked over to mom. “She wants to know if we can meet her in Dover tomorrow.”

“But you have school.”

“I know, but I can miss a day.”

“What about your perfect attendance record?”

I laughed. “Really, Mom?  Do you think that is going to matter in twenty-nine days?”

“All right. Tell her yes.”

I put the phone back to my ear. “Yes, we can do that. Where should we meet you?” I wrote down the address on the shopping list notepad, tore the sheet off and handed it to mom.

“I have high hopes, Dodie. I talked to Professor Simons today at length and she is certain that we will find the help we need at last.”

“But the seer said…”

“I know what she said, but a seer can only see what is present at the time. Decisions and actions can change the outcome of their visions. Professor Simons told me that. I will see you tomorrow, and Dodie, know that I love you.”

“I love you too, Grandma.”

I was grinning from ear to ear when I hung up the phone. I danced across the room and gave mom a hug. Then I grabbed my bag and bottle of water and went upstairs to finish my homework.