Throw Away Teen (8 page)

Why was he here? I watched Ted anxiously as he eyeballed the studio. Would he take it away from me?

“This is nice, B.J.” Ted smiled at me and kept petting Guard. “I came up to tell you it was time to call it a night.”

I continued to eye him warily and glanced at my watch. “It’s only ten forty-five. I’m old enough to go to bed when I feel tired. You and Liz can go to sleep. I don’t mind. I’m used to entertaining myself.”

Ted kept plenty of space between us. “You don’t understand, B.J. It’s
your
bedtime. It’s the rule we always had for the other girls when they lived at home. Eleven on weekends, ten on school nights.”

“You’re kidding.” I could tell by his face that he wasn’t. When I stared at him, waiting to see what method he would use to enforce his rule, he only smiled at me. He and Liz were strange, all right. “Okay. Whatever.”

I’d be going back to Evergreen on Monday morning. The sooner I got to bed the sooner this weekend visit would be over. I felt a twinge of regret but ignored it. “I have to take Guard outside first.” I put down my pencil. “I don’t want him to have an accident on the new carpet.”

Ted nodded. He backed up and gave me room to get out the door. He made sure Guard was with us, before shutting the studio door, then led the way to the staircase. “I found all the dogs in your room this morning. They don’t disturb you, do they? Ever since Jessie moved out, they’ve slept in our room.”

“Did you carry Guard upstairs last night?” I asked. Then I tensed up. It was a stupid question, but Ted didn’t look mad.

“Yes, but when he gets bigger, he’ll be able to climb the stairs himself.” Ted glanced over his shoulder. “If they bother you at night, you can send them out of your room.”

“It’s fine.” The truth slipped out before I could stop it. “They make me feel safe.”

“Don’t forget you’ve got me, too, B.J. I’m here to take care of you and Liz.”

I didn’t say anything as I followed him downstairs.

When we got to the kitchen, Ted escorted me to the back door. He stood on the porch and waited while I walked Guard one last time. I shivered when a cool breeze swept over me. During the five minutes it took for Guard to find a spot and relieve himself, I kept checking to make sure Ted hadn’t moved. Part of me was worried that he might try to leave me alone in the dark and lock me outside. But even if he did, I still had the puppy. Ted stayed where he was until we came back inside then locked the door for the night.

Upstairs, Guard sat by my bed. I shut the door and undressed, pulling on the old T-shirt I used for sleeping. When it was cold, I added a pair of sweatpants, but I didn’t need them tonight, not when there was a heater in the room and it actually worked. Of course, if I really started to freeze, I could turn on the electric blanket.

I’d no sooner climbed into bed and lifted up Guard when there was a tap on the door. I tensed up and reached for the flashlight under the pillow. “Who is it?”

“Me,” Liz said. “Okay, if we visit a while?”

I nearly demanded to know who she meant by ‘we’, then tightened my hold on the
Mag-Lite
. “All right,” I said reluctantly.

Liz came in, all of the other dogs tagging behind. Relieved that it was them and Ted was nowhere in sight, I let go of the flashlight and smoothed the pillow over it. “What’s up?”

“I came to tuck you in.” Liz sat on the edge of my bed. She didn’t say a word about Guard cuddled next to me. “I used to have such great talks with Jessie and Jocelyn at night.”

“It must’ve been a long time ago. Nobody does that anymore, Liz.” Where had these two weird old people come from? A different planet? “I can’t remember anyone ever tucking me into bed, much less doing that stuff you see on TV.”

“What stuff, honey?”

“Oh, you know. Reading stories, saying prayers, that kind of ‘
Happy Family
’ crap.”

“I always did that with my girls.” Liz smoothed my hair. “It made me feel good, like it was the reason why I managed to survive such hard times, so I could enjoy the happy moments.”

I let her hug me and for the first time, I admitted the truth to myself. I didn’t want to leave her on Monday. I still wasn’t ready to trust Ted yet, but he didn’t creep me out, either. He hadn’t tried to touch me or said crude things about my name. He didn’t make my skin crawl or my stomach twist in knots like other men did.

I hugged Liz back. She acted like it was no big deal and that made it even safer. When she released me, I lay back against the pillows and she fixed my blankets. “Are you sure you want all these dogs in here, B.J.? They can sleep downstairs.”

“I like having them with me.” At that exact moment, the bigger pom-a-poo, Samson, jumped up on the bed. Delilah followed him and the pair collapsed on my feet. Bull and Fifi had already found their favorite places. He was between the bed and the door and she slept next to the closet.

“As long as you’re happy, honey.” Liz kissed my forehead. She stood and started for the door, careful to step around Bull. “Church is at eight. We go to breakfast after services.”

I nearly told her to have a good time. Then I recalled the rules and the strange way she and Ted acted. “You want me to go with you? I’ve haven’t been to church in years. I’ll probably just make a fool of myself and embarrass you guys.”

“I doubt it. All you have to do is sit where we do and listen to the sermon.”

“Don’t you have to dress up for church, Liz? Carol didn’t say anything about it and I only brought jeans and T-shirts.”

“Wear your jeans, B.J.” Liz paused at the door, her hand on the light switch. “God won’t care and nobody else should.”

CHAPTER 5

Liz was true to her word as she hustled us out the door—after we fed the dogs—and into her huge white Pontiac. She didn’t even make a pot of coffee. That surprised me. I didn’t know she or Ted could start the morning without their caffeine. I couldn’t most days. A mocha in the morning always helped me focus and if I couldn’t mooch one of those, I opted for coffee. It was better than the drugs they tried to give me for my ADD because then my brain didn’t get all fuzzy.

The three of us weren’t the first to arrive at the simple white structure Ted called, The Chapel. We followed a line of people through two carved wooden doors. A guy standing at the entrance handed me a brochure and I followed Liz and Ted inside. They walked up to the third row which was empty except for a woman about Liz’s age. She wore blue jeans and a green sweatshirt. She looked pretty good in them, not as if she was fifty plus years old.

“
This is my little sister, Evelyn,” Liz said, gesturing toward the woman. “And this is B.J.”

The woman gave me a stern appraisal, a measuring look I was all too familiar with. “Initials belong on underwear. What’s your name?”

“
B.J.,” I said. “It’s all I’ve got. Use it or not. I don’t care.”

That earned a sniff and a cold hazel glare. “Where did you find her, Elizabeth?”

“
The pound,” I said, using the super sweet tone I saved especially for Carol and other do-gooders. “Right before I got put to sleep. Where did Liz find you?”

“
Elizabeth,” Evelyn informed me. “I don’t like the use of nicknames either.”

I never imagined Liz would have such a snotty sister. If Liz wanted to be called Elizabeth, wouldn’t she have told me? Since she hadn’t, I didn’t plan on starting to call her that now. And if this old witch wanted trouble, I was happy to oblige. “And people care what you like? Do they? Really?”

Liz sighed. “Okay, you two. Knock it off. We’re in church. B.J., I don’t need you to defend me from my sister. And Evelyn, if B.J. chooses to use her initials, that’s her business, not yours. Got it?”

Ted choked back a laugh. “Well, she sure told the both of you. B.J., why don’t you sit between Liz and Evelyn? Then, if you have any questions, they can answer them.”

What was he thinking? Couldn’t he see that Evelyn and I were in a power struggle and the old bat was going down? I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.” I sat between them and waited for the show to begin.

Just before the service started, a dark-haired girl about my age hustled into our row. She sat on the other side of Evelyn and actually kissed her cheek. “Hey, Grandma. I made it,” she said. She leaned across Evelyn to smile at me. “I’m Sarah.”

“
B.J.,” I said.

“
Cool name,” Sarah told me with another sunny smile and not a hint of sarcasm. She grinned at Liz and Ted. “Hi. Did you hear? The squad elected me captain for next year. Did Grandma tell you?”

“
Of course not.” Evelyn smiled and smoothed Sarah’s hair. “That’s your news to share, sweetheart, not mine. Granted if you missed Mass, I’d have told them at breakfast. Where’s your brother?”

“
Oh, you know him. He comes on Saturday afternoon, so he doesn’t have to get up on Sunday morning.” Sarah turned toward me again. Her dark blue eyes reminded me of Ringo’s, which I thought was odd. “Warren will probably show up at the café and I’ll introduce you then, B.J.”

“
Okay.” I shrugged. The likelihood that I would see any of these people after Monday wasn’t very good, so why bother making an effort? But I had to admit her bubbly friendliness made me feel more at ease. Her magic seemed equally effective on Evelyn, who continued to beam at her, and I couldn’t help being impressed.

Between standing up, sitting down and reciting back to the priest, the service flew by. It all seemed vaguely familiar and I remembered that I’d been to Mass before, when I was a little kid in one of my first foster homes. Back then, I’d believed in good and evil. Of course, I’d also believed there was an Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, a Tooth Fairy and parents who actually loved their kids. Now, I knew better. I knew the truth about real life.

The priest didn’t gripe about sin or going to hell. Instead, he just talked about being the best person possible. He was so passionate about his topic, it was hard to tell if he was for real or just saying what he figured these people wanted to hear.

I still hadn’t come to a decision when the show ended. We followed the swarm of people to the Chapel’s entrance where the priest waited to shake hands with everyone like some politician. When we finally got there, Liz stopped in front of him. “Father John, this is B.J.”

“
Hello, B.J.” The man offered his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“
Yeah?” I stared at his hand but made no move to grab it. Regardless of how innocent he looked in his long dress with the fringed scarf around his thick neck, he was still a man. The people in Stewart Falls might not be able to tell how bulky or muscular he was under the modest attire, but I could. “So, what did they tell you? That I’m a street kid from Seattle?”

“
Are you?” A smile crept into Father John’s eyes. He looked like he’d be laughing in a moment. “Nobody said that. Liz and Ted explained that they’re going to adopt you and they hoped we’d welcome you into our church if that was what you wanted.”

“
I haven’t been to church in forever,” I said. “You probably don’t want me here anyway. I’m what they refer to as a
bad influence
.”

“
You can’t decide what other people want,” Evelyn announced behind me. “They make their own choices and Father John doesn’t lie.”

“
Everybody lies,” I told her. “I just admit to it.”

“
Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, B.J., call me.” Father John turned to talk to Sarah and I stepped away. What was with these weirdoes? Had I left the real world behind when I came to Stewart Falls?

Liz and I headed toward her car while Ted stayed back to talk to Father John some more. Evelyn followed us. In the April sunlight, I barely saw any silver in her shoulder-length brown hair. There were a few wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, but I doubted she’d ever had a facelift. She didn’t seem the type.

When Sarah trotted over to us, Evelyn eyed her. “By the way, how did you get here? I didn’t see your mom.”

“
You know she’s not much for church except on Easter and Christmas,” Sarah said. “And Bruce always has such a conniption when I come. I just walked. Well, ran mostly when I realized how late it was.”

“
Bruce acts like a jerk most of the time,” Evelyn announced. “I’ll never know what your mother sees in him, Sarah.”

“
She thinks he’s a hunk,” Sarah said. “She wouldn’t have married him if she didn’t.”

“
Handsome is as handsome does,” Evelyn retorted. “I don’t understand why that man has such fits when you and Warren come to church. It’s not as if it’s a kegger or a rave.”

“
My stepdad’s sort of strange sometimes,” Sarah told me. “Father John says not to let his baggage weigh me down, so I don’t.”

“
If you’re saying I shouldn’t either, then spit it out, girl,” Evelyn said.

To my amazement, Sarah did. “Grandma, don’t waste your time and emotion on him. Don’t carry his baggage when he needs to do it.”

Her grandmother hugged her again. They came with us to the café which turned out to be quite different from the fast food places I was used to. I recognized some of the families in the other booths from the church. While we ate, Sarah talked about school, but she also called it the Academy, her horse, and her friends, along with what the cheer squad planned to do for the baseball games.

Her brother, Warren turned out to be a tall, dark-haired guy with friendly brown eyes that reminded me of Guard’s. Something in the way that Warren carried himself made me think he’d do okay in a fight.

“
If you want to get a word in edgewise, tell me, B.J.,” Warren finally said. “I have some tape and a dirty sock in the car. If we gag Sarah, you can finally talk.”

I shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“
Okay. I’m shutting up now. So, tell us about you, B.J.,” Sarah said before making a zipping sound and pretending to be quiet.