A Second Helping (15 page)

“She's still pretty.”

Crystal rolled her eyes and checked out her plate. “I know I'm supposed to be polite and wait until you all get your food, but my fries will be cold by then, so…” She grabbed the ketchup bottle on the table and hit them up. “How old are you, Eli?”

“Sixteen.” He found himself wondering what a girl with gold hair and so much makeup was doing living here. She looked more L.A. than Kansas. “How old are you?”

She eyed him over her big fat burger for a long moment. “I'll be sixteen in September.”

“You grow up here?”

“No. I was born in Cleveland. Moved here last summer.”

“Do you like it?”

“I suppose. How about you?”

“Not at all.”

“Why not?”

Her direct questioning reminded him a bit of Tamar. He shrugged. “Not my kind of lifestyle.”

“Not a lot to do here, that's for sure, but it's okay. We have fun sometimes.”

“Doing what?”

“Nothing big, but we do. What's your dad like?”

“He's okay I guess, as long as you're not his kid.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Preston asked.

“He's real nice to his students but could care less about me.”

Crystal studied him. “So you all don't get along?”

“No. Can't wait to turn eighteen so I can move out.”

“He beat on you?”

“No,” he replied as if the question was stupid.

“He ever starve you?”

“No.”

Amari asked, “He ever hold your hand on a hot iron until you told the truth?”

“What?”

Amari held up his right hand to show the puckered skin on his palm.

“Damn, Amari,” Crystal said quietly. “You never mentioned that before.”

“I know, but hey, it healed up pretty good for not being taken to the doctor afterward.”

A puzzled Eli looked between them and received a cool smile from Preston, who said, “We're all foster kids, Eli. Your dad is probably a thousand times better than the dads we had. Not that I ever knew mine.”

“Or mine,” Crystal and Amari said in unison.

Mr. July returned with their food, and after his departure they started in on their meals.

Eli was still stuck on the last conversation. “So, you're all here as part of some kind of experiment?”

“Sort of,” Crystal said, and took a few minutes to tell them how they'd come to be in Henry Adams. “Ms. Bernadine is one of the richest women in the world.”

Amari took a bite and said around it. “She's got this really sweet all-white jet.”

“And she owns this whole town,” Preston added.

Eli was half thinking he was being punked, but they all
seemed to be telling the story so seamlessly. “So how many kids in all live here?”

Crystal said, “Just five. The three of us, and Devon and Zoey. Zoey is mute. She was homeless and got attacked by rats after her mother died and hasn't said a word since.”

“My mom died about two years ago.”

“Mine died day before yesterday.”

Silence filled the table for a moment, then Crystal asked, “How's your dad dealing with it?”

Eli shrugged. “Okay, I guess. We don't talk a lot.”

“Why not?” Crystal asked, “Ms. Bernadine and I talked for a long time. She's been helping me deal.”

“All my dad's been doing is getting on my case.”

“About what?”

“My grades. Me sleeping over with my friends instead of coming home, and everything else seems like. He really blew up when he had to come get me from the police station last month.”

“Why'd you get picked up?”

“Friends and I stole a car.”

Amari put down his burger and asked, “What kind?”

“A Taurus, I think it was. We were just riding around. The owner didn't even press charges so I don't know why he was so mad.”

“You stole a Taurus?” Amari echoed skeptically.

“Yeah,” Eli replied proudly. “Had it most of the night too.”

“Why didn't you just take a minivan? How lame are your friends?”

Crystal chuckled softly and Preston smiled around the straw in his mouth.

Eli didn't get it. “What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about standards, dog. Zoey and Devon could steal a Taurus.”

“I suppose you're going to lie and say you stole what, a Ferrari?”

“No, I'm not going to lie and say I stole
a
Ferrari. Going to tell the truth and say I stole
three.
”

“You're lying.”

Amari threw up his hands.

Crystal was still chuckling.

Preston said, “Eli, meet Amari ‘Flash' Steele, Detroit's most wanted car thief. They called him Flash because that's how fast he could steal a car.”

Crystal added, “When we flew to Detroit in Ms. Bernadine's jet to pick him up to come live here, boyfriend was in handcuffs and leg irons for trying to steal a Viper while he was with the police, at the airport.”

Eli stared. “How old are you?”

“Eleven. Be twelve next month.”

Once again, Eli thought he was being punked but the kids seemed dead serious.

Amari added. “And been to juvie three times.”

Eli stared again.

Crystal offered some advice, “You should probably eat before your fries get cold.”

The stunned Eli looked around at their amused faces, then began eating again.

The kids held on to their booth throughout the hectic lunch hour, talking and ordering ice cream for dessert.

As the lunch crowd came and went and the diner began to quiet once more, July came over and said, “Need help in the kitchen, buckaroos.”

The Henry Adams teens groaned silently but after a second or two got up to follow him into the kitchen. Eli didn't move.

July said, “I'm talking to you too.”

“I'm not working in the kitchen.”

“Yeah, you are,” he countered. “Around here, everybody pitches in when needed and you are now part of that everybody, so come on.”

Eli blew out a breath to show he wasn't pleased, but he got up too.

 

Jack was touring the new Marie Jefferson Academy with Ms. Jefferson and Ms. Brown, and he was blown away by the place. He'd been expecting a small humble school, not this top-of-the-line, million-dollar beauty. In addition to the classrooms there was a media center with wall-mounted plasma monitors, science labs, art facilities, a woodworking shop, and an Olympic-sized, in-ground swimming pool.

Marie was saying as they turned a corner into another hallway, “It's all on one level and partially below ground because of the tornado risk. That's how we lost the old school.”

“All this for six students?”

Bernadine said, “We're planning for the future so we built it to hold about one hundred, but for now, you and the students will have plenty of room.”

“So will it be operating as a one-room school, or do you want the children separated in different rooms by grade, which to me seems a waste of space, time, and energy.”

Marie told him, “This is your school, Jack. Your call.”

They continued down a hall and past a kiva with a stage. The room was filled with workers fine-tuning the audio system.

“Jack, Marie tells me that in addition to your college teaching credentials, you have a K–12 certification with an emphasis on the math and the sciences?”

He nodded.

“Good, because Preston wants to grow up to be Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson.”

“The African-American astrophysicist?”

“That's him,” Marie replied, enjoying the surprise on his face. “And since I can barely spell
astrophysicist
, he'll be all yours.”

“Wow.”

Marie chuckled, “Wow is right. Preston is by far the brightest student I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and teaching, and I've been in the classroom a long time.”

Jack looked around at the sparkling new equipment in the second science classroom. “When I interviewed with you, Ms. Jefferson, you said this was a small rural district so I expected a small rural school. I don't mean to be nosy or rude, but how did you all pay for all this?”

Bernadine said simply, “I wrote a check.”

He stared with wide eyes.

Bernadine glanced at her watch. It was eleven-twenty.
“How about I call over to the diner, see if we can get some lunch delivered, and you can hear the story.”

Still mute, he nodded.

While Jack turned to Marie with wonder all over his face and received an answering pat on the shoulder and an understanding smile, Bernadine stepped outside the classroom for a moment and dialed up the diner.

Malachi answered the phone. “This is the Dog and Cow. Mal speaking.”

“Hey,” Bernadine said.

“You're sounding awfully good this afternoon, Ms. Brown.”

“And you need to stop all this flirting,” she warned him playfully in response.

“And here I was just getting started. What can I do for you?”

“Is it possible to have some lunch delivered to the school for Jack, Marie, and myself? I know it's late.”

“For you, it's never too late. What would you like?”

“Hold on.” She went back in to take their orders, then returned to the call.

Mal listened to the selections before saying, “I'll have this down to you quick as I can.”

“Thanks, Mal.”

“You're welcome, pretty lady.”

Bernadine ended the call and sighed. Realizing she was acting like a girl in high school, she shook off the remnants of what his voice did to her each and every time, and stepped back into the room to rejoin the others.

T
o Bernadine's surprise, Rocky delivered the lunch.

“I just needed out of that kitchen for a while,” she explained. “Here you go.” The box in her arms held sandwiches, salads, and drinks.

“Thanks, Rock,” Marie told her as she searched for the corned beef on rye she'd ordered.

Rocky, with her brickhouse stature and beautiful face, was accustomed to men staring, so she didn't pay much attention to Jack's muted interest. “Are we all set here?” she asked.

Bernadine handed out the last of the food. “Looks that way. Thanks so much. Have you decided whether you want the trailer or not?”

“Yes. I do. Okay if I move my stuff in this weekend?”

“Yep. Let me know if you need any help.”

“Will do, but I think I can manage. Should I let Tamar know?”

“Might be best.”

Jack found the conversation quite interesting and so said to Rocky, “Sorry to butt in, but are you moving into the other trailer on Tamar's land?”

“Looks that way.”

“Welcome to the neighborhood.”

Rocky gave him a noncommittal “Thanks,” before turning back to Bernadine and Marie. “Gotta go. I'll see you all later.”

She shot Jack a quick glance and made her exit.

“Tough lady,” Jack said.

“She's earned it,” Marie replied.

Jack waited for her to say more but when she didn't, it piqued his curiosity. What was Rocky's story? But he didn't ask. He was new here, and it was going to be a while before he earned his way into learning the town's secrets, and he was okay with that.

His thoughts of Rocky were set aside as they ate lunch and he listened to the story of Henry Adams's revival as he'd been promised by Bernadine. When she finished the tale he found himself staring and speechless once again. “That must've been some kind of serious divorce settlement if you were able to buy an entire town.”

“And have plenty left over for all the trimmings,” she responded with a twinkle in her eye.

“So, how much larger do you envision the town becoming?”

She shrugged. “No idea, but if we start to lose the closeness, it'll be time to pack up the bulldozers and call it a day.”

Marie nodded her agreement. “This is a very special place, Jack. I told you the history on the phone. We want
to pass that legacy down just as it was passed down to us. Can't do that if we don't know our neighbors.”

“True. I grew up in Boston. Town that big, it's impossible to know everyone.”

“Here, we can,” Marie said. “And we'd like to keep it that way.”

Jack had no idea if he could thrive in such a simple isolated environment but after all the upheaval in his life, simple and isolated was something he was willing to try.

“Any other questions for me?” Bernadine asked as she gathered up her lunch trash and placed it the large bag the sandwiches had arrived in. “I need to get back to my office.”

“Which is where?” he asked.

“Power Plant. When you go out, turn right. Red, round building. You can't miss it. Town administrative offices are there. Stop by later today or tomorrow at the latest, so that Lily can get your payroll info plugged into the system. School starts next week, and after dealing with the Big Three—Crystal, Amari, and Preston—you'll definitely want to be paid.”

His smile met hers. “Thanks for everything, Ms. Brown.”

“Call me Bernadine, and your house should be ready in about ten days. Feel free to go over and take a peek. You'll be next door to the Paynes.”

Jack was still blown away by the fact that he and Eli were being given a brand-new house as part of his salary, for free. If this was a dream he sure didn't want to wake up.

“Okay,” Bernadine said as she shouldered her purse. “I'm outta here. Jack, thanks for signing on. You're going to like it here.”

“I'm hoping to.”

With a wave, she was gone, and he and Marie began their plans for the school's upcoming semester.

An hour later, when Jack finally drove away from the school, his head was spinning from everything he'd seen, heard, and talked about with Marie, but it was a happy spin. He was actually looking forward to teaching again. At the moment, he wanted to drive over and check out the house, but decided to go and get Eli first, so that he could see the place too.

He found him inside the diner drying pots and pans in the kitchen along with Amari, Preston, and a teenage young lady he assumed to be Crystal, one of the students he hadn't met. To say Jack was surprised to see Eli working was an understatement, but that Eli looked angry was not surprising.

As soon as he saw Jack he said angrily, “You want to tell these people that there are child labor laws in the real world.”

Before Jack could counter that a little honest work didn't constitute child endangerment, Rocky walked in.

“Hope you don't mind that I put him to work. The waitstaff has been busting their butts since I took over, and a few of them missed class today, so I gave them the afternoon off. I didn't need permission to turn those three into kitchen help,” she explained, indicating Crystal and the boys. “But I suppose I should have asked you about Oscar the Grouch over there.”

“Quit calling me that.”

Rocky just smiled. “Kid's got a real loving attitude.”

“Tell me about it. How much longer will you need him?”

She glanced around at the small mountain of pots and pans still waiting to be dried and put away. “Another half hour.”

Crystal cracked, “Be less if he'd stop whining and start drying.”

Jack liked Crystal instantly. He asked Rocky. “Is there any coffee?”

“Dad, get me out of here!”

Amari snapped. “Dog, shut up. Tired of you complaining.”

“Make me,” he grumbled. “If you think you can.”

Crystal shook her head, “Tamar's going to love you.”

“They've already met,” Jack related.

“How'd that go?” Amari asked.

“Tamar, one. Eli, zero.”

Preston swung his dish towel inside a big roaster. “Glad I missed that.”

“Me too,” Amari tossed back.

Eli's lips tightened further but he kept drying.

Rocky said to Jack, “Go get a seat and I'll bring your coffee.”

“Thanks.”

While waiting for his coffee to arrive, Jack mused on this decidedly different place called Henry Adams. Unlike in the popular culture of TV and movies, kids didn't rule here—adults did, and it made him feel as if his tireless and sometimes thankless campaign to make Eli do the right thing in life wasn't in vain. He'd be supported here, he thought, as would Eli. According to Bernadine, all the children in town had spent time in foster care, yet here, out in
the middle of nowhere, they were living in paradise, surrounded by adults dedicated to the proposition that they be loved—unconditionally. Eli could use that, as well.

“Here's your coffee.”

Rocky's voice and presence broke into his thoughts. “Thanks. Um, since we're going to be neighbors, I'd like to formally introduce myself, Jack James.”

“Rocky Dancer.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

“Same here.”

“Will you have dinner with me sometime?” Jack had no idea that was going to come out of his mouth, but now that it had, he cursed himself and waited for a reply.

Arms crossed, coffee carafe in hand, she looked him over for a moment and asked, “That your standard line for women you just met?”

“Well—uh, no. Look, I had no idea I was going to say that to you. It just sort of escaped, somehow.”

“Escaped?”

“Yeah.” He wanted to climb under the table.

“Thanks for the invite but I think not.”

“Didn't mean to offend you.”

“I'm not offended. I'm just not interested. Can I get you anything to go with the coffee while you wait?”

“No. I'm fine. Thanks.”

“Okay. I'll send Oscar out when he's finished.”

“Appreciate it.”

Wondering if he should look down to see if his head was rolling around on the floor, Jack smiled and brought the rim of the cup to his lips.

 

The work in the kitchen was finally completed, and to compensate them, Rocky gave Amari, Crystal, and Preston ten dollars each.

Eli got five. Confused, he looked at the bill, then at Rocky. “You give me five and them ten?”

“You did half the work. The rest of the time you were either whining or slowing around so much the other members in your crew had to take up your slack. Half the work, half the cash.”

He tossed the bill onto a table. “Keep it,” and he strode out.

Rocky let him go and said to the others. “I really appreciated your help in here. Thanks a lot.”

Sounding annoyed, Crystal asked, “What is up with him? Everybody's got issues, but he's just rude.”

Rocky shrugged. “I know. Let's make sure it's not contagious.”

They gave her a smile.

Preston said, “Usually when we're volunteered for stuff like this nobody ever pays us, so thanks a lot.”

“Yeah,” the other two echoed.

“My daddy always said, an honest day's work, an honest wage.”

Amari asked, “You think you can teach that to Tamar?”

They all laughed.

“See you later,” Rocky said.

They nodded and departed.

As they walked back into the main dining room, they
spotted the angry Eli sitting silently in a booth waiting for his dad to finish his coffee.

Ignoring him, Amari said to Crystal, “Did Ms. Bernadine tell you about the parade?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I may need your help. That okay?”

“Depends on what you want me to do.”

So he told her about the flags he wanted her to make.

“Sounds easy, but where are you going to hang them? We don't have a bunch of buildings on Main Street anymore like back in the day.”

“We can put them on the school, the rec center, and here maybe?”

“It's your parade. I'll do some drawings and you can take a look at them, how's that?”

“That's good.”

“I'll work on them when I get home.”

“Thanks, Crystal.”

Eli's dad came over and asked Preston, “You live with the Paynes, right?”

“Yes. Do you want to talk to them?”

“No. Ms. Brown said Eli and I will be living next door to you, and I wanted to get a quick look at the house, but I don't know where it is.”

“I'm on my way home, so you can follow me and Amari in your car if you want.”

“I'd like that. Thank you.”

Crystal had a better idea. “Why don't you just give me a ride home, Mr. James? That way you'll get there faster. Me and Ms. Bernadine live right across the street from him.”

“That would make it faster, but Amari, where do you live?”

“Next door to Preston.”

“So we're going to be neighbors. I like that. How do you feel about the teacher living so close by?”

Amari broke it down as always, “Do we have a choice?”

He laughed. “Let's roll.”

They trooped toward the exit with the sullen Eli bringing up the rear. The kids waved to Rocky standing at the cash register (Eli didn't), before stepping outside into the sunshine and fresh air but Jack stopped. “How much do I owe you for the coffee?”

Rocky looked up. “Nothing. Coffee at the Dog's always been free.”

“Good to know.” He knew he should move on, but he couldn't quite seem to make himself comply.

She waited and when he didn't say anything else, “Is there something else?”

“Yeah. I'm going to ask you again.”

“I know.”

He smiled.

She didn't.

Grinning, he left.

Rocky growled like a frustrated tigress and slammed the cash drawer closed with a force that shook the machine and counter.

“What the heck's the matter with you?” Mal asked, coming out of his office.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, just exercising your lungs?”

She nodded tersely.

“Next time do it outside, or post a sign. You give a poor brother a heart attack.”

“Sorry.”

“Uh-huh.”

He left and Rocky wanted to kick something. She was not going to be attracted to another man! She was not! Especially not one she'd only met today! Firm in that belief, she headed back to the kitchen but swore she heard the Ancestors laughing.

 

Riley was driving across the state of Louisiana and his gas was getting low. He knew he should stop and fill up, but Chocolate had been wailing and acting up since yesterday, and he wasn't sure what might happen if he did. He guessed she was homesick and missing Eustasia and wanted to go back to Texas. He knew this might happen, which was why he'd told Cletus bringing her along was a bad idea. She'd been so distressed this morning that when Riley stopped at McDonald's, she'd refused to eat her fast food breakfast sandwich; even tried to bite him, which was not like her at all. Mercy, he was in a heap of trouble. He had a mad hog in the bed of his truck, the police were after them, and by now Eustasia was probably home and fit to be tied. Nothing he could do but keep driving, so he did.

A few more miles down the road the needle on the gas gauge was hovering at empty so he pulled off the interstate to find a station. When got out to go inside and pay, both hogs put up a fuss, so on the way out he bought them a couple of snack cakes, in hopes the treat would satisfy them
until he came up with a plan for their next meal. He was hungry too, but it was just about dinnertime and all the fast food places would be filled no matter where he went, so they'd have to wait and eat later because the less people saw them the better.

In the end, it didn't matter. As soon as Riley turned back onto the interstate, he could see Chocolate in the mirror trying to climb out of the bed. The sight scared him so badly that he swerved and didn't see the Louisiana Highway Patrol sitting on the side of the road until it was too late. He sideswiped the cruiser like a drunk driver at three in the morning. The roof's light began to spin, the siren wailed, and Riley Curry's Great American Adventure was done.