At least then we’ll have hard evidence if we need it.”
I sounded like Gillian, who owns possibly every
CSI
episode ever aired, plus bonus footage. But maybe sounding like her wasn’t a bad thing.
Mac nodded and hit Print, and with relief I pulled it off the wireless printer we shared in its cubbyhole under my desk. “You deleted all the other ones?”
“Of course. I couldn’t stand to look at them. He never says anything bad. They’re mostly kind of pathetic. But they made me angry and scared and it felt good to just wipe them out of existence.”
“Well, don’t wipe any more, okay? We might need them.”
“I’ve said I would, and I will. And what’s this
we
business?” I stared at her, confused. We? Wii?
Oui
? “This is not your problem. You are not involved.”
I tried not to feel hurt. “I got involved when he took my picture with you. Try to think, Mac. It must be someone you know. How else would they know about you coming here?”
“Carly, didn’t you hear me?”
“I can’t hear you when you sound like my mother.”
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist. I only meant that it could be dangerous. I don’t want any of this to hurt you.”
“But it’s okay if something happens to you?”
“It’s my problem. I’ll deal.”
I thought of Lissa braving the Benefactors’ Day Ball and getting out there under that spotlight, despite the giggles and murmurs I could hear in the audience. And of Gillian, facing down her abusive ex-boyfriend in the school cafeteria and inciting a food fight.
People didn’t have to solve everything alone. They could ask for help. And if they couldn’t or didn’t know they could ask God for it, there was always the second option.
Us.
“You don’t have to deal alone,” I said. “Fine, you can keep it to yourself if you want. But I’m here if you need me.”
She looked down her aristocratic nose. Her gaze measured me from head to foot. I braced myself for another crushing put-down.
And then her eyes filled with tears.
But it was like she was frozen in her seat. As if getting up and taking one step toward me would make her crack and all her feelings would come oozing out.
Before she could take a breath to say a word, I crossed the room and bent down to where she sat in front of her laptop. I gave her a hug.
“You are the nicest person I’ve ever met,” she choked, and began to cry for real.
----
To:[email protected]
From:[email protected]
Date:April 23, 2009
Re:Settling in?
Hello darling. I hope everything is going well for you at this new school. I knew Natalie Curzon when we were children; it seems strange to think you and she are in the same place now, so far away. I’ve never been farther west than New York.
All is much the same here. I saw Lily Allen at a movie premiere and she wanted me to remind you that you promised her a weekend in L.A. I’ve no idea what that’s about, but there you are. Saw Wills and Kate and Harry at the Goldsmiths’ Hall and they send their regards.
Everyone misses you, darling, me most of all. Have you heard from your father recently?
Love, Mummy
----
“DON’T FORGET—prayer circle tonight.” Gillian paused on the wide second-floor landing and let her fifty-pound backpack slide down to rest on her instep. If she ever got mugged, she could use the thing for a lethal weapon. “You’re coming, right?”
I opened my mouth to say yes and then remembered. “I—I can’t. I have something else I need to do.”
I tried not to squirm under that dark-eyed gaze. “But you always come. And fellowship is important. What have you got going? Extracurriculars? Or wait.” She held up a palm. “The committee’s having a meeting.”
I shook my head. “Nothing like that.” I turned to go up the next flight of stairs. “See you tomorrow.” I’d already run up half a dozen when she said, totally confused, “But, Carly . . .”
How to feel completely lame in one easy lesson.
Gillian deserved
I sounded like Gillian, who owns possibly every
CSI
episode ever aired, plus bonus footage. But maybe sounding like her wasn’t a bad thing.
Mac nodded and hit Print, and with relief I pulled it off the wireless printer we shared in its cubbyhole under my desk. “You deleted all the other ones?”
“Of course. I couldn’t stand to look at them. He never says anything bad. They’re mostly kind of pathetic. But they made me angry and scared and it felt good to just wipe them out of existence.”
“Well, don’t wipe any more, okay? We might need them.”
“I’ve said I would, and I will. And what’s this
we
business?” I stared at her, confused. We? Wii?
Oui
? “This is not your problem. You are not involved.”
I tried not to feel hurt. “I got involved when he took my picture with you. Try to think, Mac. It must be someone you know. How else would they know about you coming here?”
“Carly, didn’t you hear me?”
“I can’t hear you when you sound like my mother.”
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist. I only meant that it could be dangerous. I don’t want any of this to hurt you.”
“But it’s okay if something happens to you?”
“It’s my problem. I’ll deal.”
I thought of Lissa braving the Benefactors’ Day Ball and getting out there under that spotlight, despite the giggles and murmurs I could hear in the audience. And of Gillian, facing down her abusive ex-boyfriend in the school cafeteria and inciting a food fight.
People didn’t have to solve everything alone. They could ask for help. And if they couldn’t or didn’t know they could ask God for it, there was always the second option.
Us.
“You don’t have to deal alone,” I said. “Fine, you can keep it to yourself if you want. But I’m here if you need me.”
She looked down her aristocratic nose. Her gaze measured me from head to foot. I braced myself for another crushing put-down.
And then her eyes filled with tears.
But it was like she was frozen in her seat. As if getting up and taking one step toward me would make her crack and all her feelings would come oozing out.
Before she could take a breath to say a word, I crossed the room and bent down to where she sat in front of her laptop. I gave her a hug.
“You are the nicest person I’ve ever met,” she choked, and began to cry for real.
----
To:[email protected]
From:[email protected]
Date:April 23, 2009
Re:Settling in?
Hello darling. I hope everything is going well for you at this new school. I knew Natalie Curzon when we were children; it seems strange to think you and she are in the same place now, so far away. I’ve never been farther west than New York.
All is much the same here. I saw Lily Allen at a movie premiere and she wanted me to remind you that you promised her a weekend in L.A. I’ve no idea what that’s about, but there you are. Saw Wills and Kate and Harry at the Goldsmiths’ Hall and they send their regards.
Everyone misses you, darling, me most of all. Have you heard from your father recently?
Love, Mummy
----
“DON’T FORGET—prayer circle tonight.” Gillian paused on the wide second-floor landing and let her fifty-pound backpack slide down to rest on her instep. If she ever got mugged, she could use the thing for a lethal weapon. “You’re coming, right?”
I opened my mouth to say yes and then remembered. “I—I can’t. I have something else I need to do.”
I tried not to squirm under that dark-eyed gaze. “But you always come. And fellowship is important. What have you got going? Extracurriculars? Or wait.” She held up a palm. “The committee’s having a meeting.”
I shook my head. “Nothing like that.” I turned to go up the next flight of stairs. “See you tomorrow.” I’d already run up half a dozen when she said, totally confused, “But, Carly . . .”
How to feel completely lame in one easy lesson.
Gillian deserved
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