Her Journey Begins (34 page)

  


   Chris sets her camera bag on the front counter and Charlie smiles at her.
“
Well how
’
d it go?
”

Chris smiles,
“
I think it went good
…
at least I hope it did.
”

  
“
So are you ready to start finding out?
”
Chris nods and follows Charlie into the darkroom. Hanging the last of the negatives up to dry, Charlie tells her,
“
Time for lunch, are you hungry?
”
Chris
’
stomach growls and Charlie smiles.
“
Yeah that
’
s what I thought. Well I left Steve a note on the desk telling him to go get us some lunch. I hope you like Mexican food.
”

She grins
“
I like all food.
”

Chris crumbles up her napkin and lays it on her plate.
“
Hmm
…
That was good. Thank you Charlie.
”

  
“
You are very welcome. So what day are the clients coming to view the prints?
”

  
“
Tuesday after three. I hope that
’
s okay? Since, I can
’
t get here until three.
”
Charlie raises an eyebrow at her.
“
Didn
’
t Steve tell you? I got the job at the school!
”

  
“
I finally find someone that can take good pictures and you
’
re deserting me already?
”

  
“
I
’
m sorry
”
She tells him giving him a mock pout.
“
I can still come in on those two days, but it has to be at three. Is that okay?
”

Charlie pats her on the knee,
“
That
’
s fine. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. works too.
”

  


   Chris grabs the bowl of popcorn from Sue

  
“
Hey!
”

  
“
Hey what? You
’
re the one eating it all.
”

Sue grins at her.
“
Sorry
”

  
“
I saw Jason today.
”

  
“
The little boy that you were in foster care with?
”

  
“
Uh huh
”

   
“
Where did you see him at?
”

  
“
You know the photo shoot I did today?
”
Sue nods her head.
“
They are his adopted family.
”

  
“
Did he recognize you?
”

Chris smiles,
“
He recognized me before I knew it was him. I was standing on the patio waiting for the girl to go change her clothes and I noticed him out the corner of my eye. When I turned to look at him he grinned at me.
”

  
“
How long has it been since you last saw him?
”

  
“
Ten years, he
’
ll start high school in September.
”

  
“
Chris, Can I ask you something?
”

  
“
Sure, ask away.
”

  
“
When was the last time you saw your foster parents?
”

  
“
It has been about two years. Why?
”

  
“
Do they know where you are?
”

Chris shakes her head no.

  
“
You should go see them.
”

Chris
’
eyes cloud over with sadness and a deep sorrow.

  
“
They probably don
’
t want to see me. In fact, they probably hate me for disappearing like I did.
”

  
“
Chris they probably don
’
t hate you. From what you
’
ve told me, they are probably worried sick. Not knowing if you
’
re alive or dead. You should go see them. If my parents didn
’
t hear from me for that long, they
’
d be frantic.
”

  
“
I can
’
t
”

Sue sees Chris clenching and unclenching her hands, so she lets it drop for now, but
…
.

  
“
Not to change the subject or anything Sue, but I need to find out where the school is that I will be working at.
”

  
“
I can take you to work on Monday, on my way to work.
”

  
“
No, I thought maybe we could drive by it tomorrow, that way I can walk to work as long as the weather is nice, and as long as it
’
s not too far away. It isn
’
t is it?
”

Sue smiles,
“
No, it
’
s probably about 2 miles from here. We can drive by there tomorrow, but I don
’
t want you walking just because you don
’
t want to impose. It
’
s really not out of my way.
”

  
“
No, I like to walk, besides I can use the exercise.
”

  
“
Okay, well I
’
m going to head off to bed. Night Chris
”

  
“
Night Sue, sleep well.
”

After Sue leaves, Chris picks up her portfolio and looks at the photos of Brandon and mom and dad and she silently weeps.



   Monday morning Chris is up and a total nervous wreck. Sue finally comes out of the bathroom and Chris hurries in. Sue laughs and heads towards the kitchen to grab something to eat, seeing how Chris got up and made breakfast, she figures why not. Coming back out of the bathroom Chris checks her pockets to make sure she has everything. Keys, Id. Looking out the window she decides she won
’
t need an umbrella, because the rain is gone and the sun is out, just like the weatherman said it would be.

  
“
Well I
’
m going to go.
”

  
“
A little early don
’
t you think?
”

Chris smiles,
“
It will probably take me half an hour to get there and that will give me 15 minutes to figure out what the
“
H
”
I
’
m doing.
”

Sue laughs,
“
Okay, well have a great first day. And mind the teacher and don
’
t take any candy from strangers, and if someone wants to give you a ride, run away, screaming, okay?
”

Chris laughs,
“
Yes mom.
”

   Walking along, the things that Sue told her bring back memories of her senior year in high school.
How she wasn
’
t allowed to ride in Brandon
’
s car at first and then when she was finally allowed, he told mom,
“
That it was more fun walking her home.
”
Maybe if she would have ran away screaming, she wouldn
’
t be missing him now.
Shaking her head to clear it, she looks around at everything along her route, taking in all the sites and sounds of everyday life going on around her.

   Chris walks up the sidewalk. She smiles and nods to the custodian who is running the flag up the flagpole. She watches the woman walking in front of her and figures it might be the secretary. Chris stops at the door and looks around. Taking a deep breath, she pushes open the office door and walks in.



   It
’
s Saturday afternoon and Chris is cleaning up the apartment. Sue and her went to the aerobics studio this morning and laughing at themselves, they decided if they ever get good enough and save enough money they will open their own.
Chris can
’
t believe how fast time goes by. She
’
s been at Sue
’
s two months now and tomorrow she gets to move into her own apartment. She still can
’
t believe her luck. She was just getting home from work last week and was checking the mail when the apartment manager walked up to her. Replaying the conversation over and over in her head she still wonders if she heard her right.
“
Hi Chris, how are you today?
”
Smiling Chris had told her that she was doing okay.
“
Chris, do you know of anyone looking to rent an apartment? The couple that lives next to you and Sue is moving out Saturday and I need to get the apartment rented.
”

  
“
Hey
…”
Sue comes in as Chris is running the vacuum.

Chris turns off the vacuum.
“
What?
”

  
“
Want to go to the club tonight? I just heard they have another new band playing tonight.
”

  
“
I don
’
t think so, it
’
s been a long week and I
’
m thinking I
’
d like to just sit down and read tonight, but you should go.
”

  
“
Are you sure? I know for a fact that a couple of the cute teachers from the school are going to be there tonight and Steve will probably show up too.
”

Chris turns the vacuum back on and cups her hand to her ear, 
“
What
’
d you say? I can
’
t hear you!
”
Laughing Sue walks off into the kitchen.



   Chris is still up reading when Sue gets in just before midnight.

  
“
Hey you
’
re still up.
”

Chris smiles at her,
“
Uh huh
”

  
“
Steve said to tell you hi. He likes you, you know.
”

  
“
I know and he is a really nice guy, but
…”

Sue plops down on the couch.
“
I know what you mean. Chris not to change the subject but
…
I want to meet your foster parents.
”

Chris places her piece of paper inside her book to save her page, closes it and lays it on the table.
“
Why?
”

Sue takes a deep breath,
“
Because I think you need to go see them. You won
’
t know if they hate you or not, unless you do.
”

  
“
Ugh!
”
Sue you sound like my mom.
”

  
“
Your real mom or your foster mom?
”

Chris smiles and shakes her head.
“
My foster mom, in fact almost everything you
’
ve said to me these past couple of months, reminds me of her.
”

  
“
Then maybe that
’
s a sign that you should go see her and make amends.
”