Blade Silver: Color Me Scarred (23 page)

"Hi, Magdela," she says in this depressed sounding voice. "I'm
so sorry we fought. We really need to talk about this. Please, give me
a call. I'm worried about you."

Well, she should be worried. It's because of her that my life is
getting blown totally apart right now. And it's the beginning of my
senior year, too-my last year at home, and the year when you
really want the love and support of both your parents. My older
brother and sister both got that much, but now they're off living
their own lives and probably totally oblivious to the fact that our
family is disintegrating-like, presto-chango, poof! it is gone.

And here's what really gets me-my parents, the respectable Roberto and Rosa Fernandez, are these born-again Catholic
Christians, and they're all involved in their church and Bible study
groups, and now this? I just don't get it. And they've always told us
kids that marriage was a "forever commitment," that wedding vows
were meant to be kept until "death do you part." So what's the deal here? Are they just total hypocrites or what? It's even making me
question my own faith. I mean, if this is where it gets you-sheesh,
why bother?

Finally, I'm at Claire's house. She meets me at the door with a
big hug. "I'm so sorry, Maggie. I mean, speaking from experience,
I know you'll survive, you'll get through this. But I know that it
totally sucks too."

"You got that right."

As I follow her to the kitchen, I remind myself that Claire's
parents got divorced when she was only ten. At the time, I was
completely shocked and I felt so sorry for her and her mom. But
time passed, and Jeannie eventually remarried a really nice guy, and
I guess I just sort of forget about Claire's real dad. I think she sort
of forgot him too, since he pretty much vanished out of her life. We
never even talk about him anymore. But thinking of this doesn't
make me feel a bit better. The truth is, I really love my dad. I mean
he's not perfect, but he's pretty cool for a parent. And I don't want
him to just disappear.

"You know what," I tell Claire as we dig our spoons into a halffull carton of cookie-dough ice cream. "I think I'll live with my dad."

Her eyebrows lift slightly. "Have you talked to him about this?"

"Of course not. I haven't even seen him since he left. But I'm sure
he'll agree with me. I mean we've always gotten along a whole lot
better than Morn and me. And lately, well, Mom's been pretty witchy
to both of us. She's like this devil woman, always on everyone's case,
always mad about something. She probably told him to leave. I just
don't get it. Why did she do it? Why is she so horrible?" And now I
burst into tears all over again. I will never forgive her for this!

MLLODY C,ARISON has written dozens of books for all age groups,
but she particularly enjoys writing for teens. Perhaps this is because
her own teen years remain so vivid in her memory. After claiming to
be an atheist at the ripe old age of twelve, she later surrendered her
heart to Jesus and has been following him ever since. Her hope and
prayer for all her readers is that each one would be touched by God
in a special way through her stories. For more information, please
visit Melody's website at www.melodycarlson.com.