| Chapter Nineteen The Worst Kind Of Trouble |
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| Patricia felt welcomed by the other staff at the school and she had become good friends with Mark. Since Alex and Wendy were close friends, Patricia felt it was good that she and Mark talk on a regular basis. They visited in the afternoons while the kids played and they often sat together during supper. They had many discussion as to raising children and discipline procedures. Being new to the school setting Patricia took her parental role as mother very serious. She felt thankful to Mr. Parker for starting her out with only two children. This gave Patricia the time she felt was important to the bonding she hoped for and to establish boundaries as well as teaching the girls how to be well rounded young ladies. Patricia spent the first few days getting to know the girls and it didn�t take the girls but a few days under Patricia�s supervision before they both understood the lines they were not to cross. Twice a week she and the girls retreated to some quiet spot in the school for dinner together. Sometimes it would be the girls room and sometimes it would be in Patricia�s room. Patricia would set up a small round table in her room. She would cover it with a white lace table cloth and fancy china dishes that were her own. She would tell the girls how young ladies conducted themselves during meals and she taught them manners while at a fancy dinner. Alex and Missy loved this special time with Patricia and they looked forward to it. During Sunday church service, She required the girls to sit next to her and she didn�t allow fidgeting of any kind. This Alex and Missy didn�t look forward to. They wanted to sit with their friends. Still, they sat in silence and conducted themselves like perfect little ladies. They knew their mother wouldn�t tolerate anything less from them. Patricia also expected the girls to read books during the summer. While other children played in the afternoons, Patricia required Alex and Missy to be in the library every afternoon from three until four thirty reading. Patricia helped Alex and Missy choose books and every few days she would gather the girls just before bed and update her on their book. Missy didn�t mind this ritual but Alex detested it. Alex never complained about this requirement in front of her. She saved her complaints for Wendy. Alex left the library just as the clock struck four thirty. She bolted out the front door and ran to the playground where Sarah and Nadia were playing. Jessica and Wendy were pushing the girls on the swings. Alex took a seat under a nearby tree and frowned at the book her mother had just given her. �What�s the matter?� Wendy asked as she took a seat beside Alex. �Wendy, the book mother gave me is to difficult and I don�t like the story.� �Why don�t you tell her it�s too hard for you.� �I did, but she said it�s not to difficult of a book and that she wants me to read it.� �Well bring it to me later tonight and let me look at it. Maybe we can read it together and I can help you.� Alex smiled and handed Wendy the book. �Ohhh.� Wendy thumbed through the book and read several different parts. �It is a difficult book and I think you should tell her.� Wendy closed the book and handed it back to Alex. Alex sat the book down on the ground and leaned her head to rest on Wendy�s shoulders. As the girls sat there enjoying each others company, they heard the squeaky brakes from a car as it pulled into the parking lot. Both girls looked up and watched as the driver side door opened and out crawled a very stern looking man. They watched as he walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door. They could tell another child had just arrived but the girls were intrigued as to who it might be. They watched the man pull a boy from the car, turn him around and lean him up against the side of the car. Wendy and Alex looked at each other, then turned back to the boy. He wore hand cuffs and after the man took them off, He turned the boy around and poked his finger into the boys face. �I wonder what he did to be in hand cuffs?� Alex asked. �I don�t know, but he must be scared,� Wendy replied. Jessica knelt down beside Alex and Wendy. �Criminals aren�t scared of anything!� �Why do you think he is a criminal?� Wendy asked. �Well he was wearing hand cuffs wasn�t he?� Jessica asked. Wendy, Alex and Jessica watched as the man led the boy toward the entrance of the school. Half way to the front steps, Mr. Parker came out and shook the mans hand Mr. Parker stood behind the boy, grasped both of the boys wrists and placed them behind his back. They watched as Mr. Parker placed his left hand around the back of the boys neck, and led him into the school. �Wow, I�ve never seen Mr. Parker handle a new kid like that. He�s got to be a criminal,� Jessica replied. �If he�s a criminal, then why is he here instead of juvenile hall?� Wendy asked. �I don�t know,� Jessica replied. �Jessica. Come push me!� Sarah called. As Jessica pushed Sarah, Wendy watched as Alex starred at the book her mother had given her. �Alex, was there another book like that one in the library?� �I don�t know. Mother handed it to me and told me to read it.� �Come to the library with me now and if they do have another copy, I�ll read the book for you and fill you in. Ok?� Alex smiled and gave Wendy a big hug. The girls headed to the library. Wendy did find another copy and retreated to her room to start reading. While sitting in the window seat, she saw the strange man get back into his car and leave. Wendy wondered where they had taken the boy. While Jessica busied herself in her room and Alex was getting ready for her dinner with her mother and Missy, Wendy decided to walk around the school and see if she could see or hear something about the boy. When the dinner bell rang, Wendy decided she would wait and look for him later. Wendy stood in line for her food and as she walked back toward her favorite table, she noticed the boy sitting by himself at the isolation table. �Why didn�t I think of that,� she said in a whisper as she walked past him. Though he was sitting, Wendy figured from what she had seen earlier, he appeared to be a little taller than she was and he had the blondest hair she had ever seen. When she passed, she turned and smiled at him. He didn�t smile back. Wendy quickly took her seat. "Wendy, don't even think about it," David warned, as he noticed the look of intrigue on his little sisters face. "Quit drooling." "I'm not drooling," she replied. "Ya ya, right," David responded as he leaned over the table. �He�s trouble Wendy!� "He is sort of cute you know," Jessica stated, as she smiled at her little sister and frowned at David. "How old do you think he is?" Wendy asked. �Wendy, I don't know," Jessica replied, �Maybe twelve or thirteen.� �Well it doesn�t matter how old he is. He isn�t for you to get to know.� David scolded. �What if I want to get to know him?� �You�re heading for a whole lot of trouble if you get tangled with that kid. Stay away from him!� David scolded. Wendy picked up her tray and moved to another table a little closer to the new boy. Wendy choked on her food when Mr. Parker and Mr. Stein approached the new boy. Mr. Stein had only ever had two other kids under him and both of them had spent lots of time in Juvenile Hall. Wendy knew the boy had indeed been in trouble. Somehow it didn�t matter to Wendy. His blonde hair, blue eyes and cute face had indeed captured Wendy�s heart. For the next couple days Wendy watched everything he did. He stayed in the supervision of Mr. Stein or Mr. Parker. He sat at the isolation table at every meal and the rest of the time he worked on the grounds that surrounded the school. Wendy found out that in the evening he was locked in his room. One afternoon as Wendy sat watching him eat, she felt someone grasp her by the arm. "Daddy!" she replied in shock. "I've been watching you, and I'm only going to say this once. You stay away from that boy! "But daddy, I... "No buts! Do you understand?" he asked as he took hold of her chin. �You�re to young to think about boys.� "Yes sir, I understand." "Very good then," he replied as he kissed the top of her head. When Mark left Wendy dumped her tray and slowly dragged herself outside. She walked around the side of the building and sat down under the shade of a big oak tree. Wendy picked at the grass under the tree. Wendy watched as smaller children drifted from the cafeteria and flooded the playground. Since Daddy had scolded her, she didn't have the desire to play. If she was to young to have a boyfriend, how come her heart felt the way it did. How come Daddy was being so mean about the boyfriend thing anyway. Just then she heard a voice speak. "Hello there.� Wendy turned to look. Standing there in the shadow of the sun was that very cute boy. Wendy�s heart raced with excitement. "Hi," she replied. The boy took a seat on the grass beside Wendy, and introduced himself. "I'm Ricky Silverthorn." "Hi Ricky, My name is Wendy Barrett Johnson." "Wow. What a name you�ve got. So are you ok?� �Yeah. Why do you ask?� �I saw you back in the lunch room talking to that guy. Are you in trouble?" he asked. "Why do you think I'm in trouble?" Wendy asked. "Well because you looked sort of sad, that�s all." "Well I'm sort of, but not real trouble. It was just more of a warning than it was trouble. I noticed you haven't talked to anyone since you got here, so why are you talking to me now?� Wendy asked. "Are you kidding. You've been staring at me all week, so I figured I better come talk to you," he replied with a smile on his face. Wendy blushed, then turned away. "I didn't mean to embarrass you. I just figured since you kept looking at me that you would be ok to talk to. I hate new situations and everything, don't you?" he asked. Wendy kept quiet and didn�t look at Ricky. "Don't stop talking to me know," he replied as he touched her shoulder. �I need all the friends I can get.� Wendy sat up and looked at Ricky. "I wasn't looking at you like that. It was just, well you don't know me and I just get interested in new people that come here." "Ok, I'll give you that," he replied. "So then, why are you here?" she asked. "My mom decided she needed a new boyfriend and I guess he didn't want me around," Ricky replied. �Is that why they brought you here in handcuffs?� As soon as she said it, she regretted her words. �Ohh I�m sorry Ricky. I didn�t mean to be rude. �It�s ok. And that�s not why I was in hand cuffs. I didn�t get along with my moms boyfriend. He smacked me around a little so I took off. I got caught stealing something and I�ve been in Juvi for a month. When the guy tried to bring me here, I took off a couple times. Guess they just wanted to make sure I would stay put.� Ricky looked around the grounds and the building, and then back at Wendy. "It doesn�t look so bad here, and I like what I see," he said as he looked at Wendy. Ricky asked Wendy how she came to be at the school. She filled him in and told him a little about Barrington, Mr. Parker and her dad, as well as some of the things that have happened to her since she arrived. She left out the little detail of the spankings. Wendy really didn't want him to know about that part. "Wow, I had no Idea it could be like that. I've been a couple other places before here and they don't give a shit. It sounds like Mr. Johnson really cares about you. Maybe this will be ok after all," he replied. �It really is a good place. At first when I got here, I hated it, but now this is my home," Wendy stated. "Well, I'm not sure if I like that dufus Mr. Parker. He seems like a big jerk and way to uptight. He rattled off all these rules, and I swear I heard him threaten to tan my ass or something if I caused any trouble. After a while I just didn't listen any more.� "Wendy just stared at him, she couldn't believe that he ignored Mr. Parker and he hadn't noticed. Ricky didn't seem to be afraid of anything either. "Hey you, are you still with me?" Ricky asked, as he tapped Wendy on the shoulder. "I'm just thinking is all," she replied. �Hey Ricky. Aren�t you under the watchful eye of Mr. Stein?� �Yeah but the guys gotta shit just like everyone else,� he said with a smile. �You gave him the slip?� �It wasn�t that hard to do.� Wendy looked around, then back at Ricky. She decided now would probably be a good time to mention the great likelihood that he had just made himself a candidate for his first tanning. �Ricky, you shouldn�t have done that.� How come?� That geek Mr. Parker gonna tan my ass or something?� Wendy looked at the ground. �He was serious?� Ricky turned and quickly looked around. �Wendy come on! I need your help here. How much trouble have I gotten myself into?� �No one here wants to get sent to see Mr. Parker. My advice to you is to go and find Mr. Stein right now. Tell him you just needed some air and hope he deals with you and doesn�t send you to Mr. Parker. Remind him you didn�t take off.� �How is he going to deal with me Wendy?� �I�m not sure. Maybe you�ll be able to talk your way out of a lickin, but I don�t know Mr. Stein very well.� Ricky turned and looked around again, then turned back to Wendy. "Have you ever stayed up all night and talked before?" "No," Wendy replied. "I can't believe you haven't. Tonight we will stay up all night and talk.� "We can't. We have to be in our rooms by a certain time. We can't come out until morning and boys aren�t allowed in the girls dorm." "Wendy don't worry. I won't get caught," Ricky replied as he stood and brushed off the grass. �I�ll catch up to you later tonight. Ricky smiled, then turned and strolled back to the school. Wendy sat in the grass under the big oak tree and watched the sun fade. When she entered the school, there were a bustle of children everywhere and everyone seemed to be in quite a hurry. �Why all the excitement?� Wendy asked a girl. Mr. Parker bought all the stuff for ice cream Sundays,� the girl replied. Wendy looked all around for Alex, but she figured she must still be with Patricia and Missy. When she entered the cafeteria, Alex ran up to her, grabbed her arm and pulled her into line. As soon as we are done eating, you have to help me with this darn book. It�s just to hard.� Alex cried. �Alex. I told you� I�d read it, so don�t worry.� Alex hugged Wendy, then the girls made their Sundays. Wendy watched for Ricky but she never saw him getting ice cream. She heard that Mr. Stein had been greatly displeased with Ricky and his ability to give him the slip. He had confined him to his room for the evening. As Wendy dressed for bed, she wondered if Ricky still planned on coming to see her. She crossed her fingers and hoped that if he did, he wouldn�t get caught. Wendy pulled the covers down and after Mark wished the girls a goodnight, Wendy grabbed the book Alex was suppose to be reading and headed for the window seat. Jessica finished cleaning her project up, then jumped into bed. �Wendy don�t stay up to late because I can�t sleep with that light on.� �I just want to finish this chapter, then I�ll turn out the light. As soon as Wendy went back to reading, she heard a light tapping at the door. �Wendy, I think someone is at the door!� Jessica whispered. Wendy smiled then jumped from the window seat. She opened the door just enough to reach around and pull Ricky in by the sleeve on his shirt. "Ohhhh no he don't," Jessica yelled, jumping from her bed. �Are you insane? You can't be here, so go back to your dorm before you get all of us in trouble." �He�s only gonna stay for a few minutes.� "This is crazy Wendy. I'm going to the bathroom. You two have five minutes, and when I get back, you better be out of here.� �Is she uptight or what?� Ricky asked. "Ricky she�s right. You can't stay.� "Ricky looked at her and smiled," But I'm not tired, and we aren't doing anything wrong. Just talking." "I know we are only talking, but we are breaking the rules." If we get caught, we will both get punished. "But we aren�t going to get caught," he replied. When Jessica returned, she stood outside the door and listened. When she didn't hear anything, she felt relieved. When she entered the room, she couldn't believe it. Wendy was gone. Jessica tried to wait up but the later it got, the harder it became. Just as Jessica placed her head on her pillow and closed her eyes, she heard the door open. Jessica turned over and glanced at the clock. It was close to 2 a.m. Where have you been?" "Nowhere. We just sat in the linen closet and talked." Wendy kicked off her slippers and tossed her robe onto the end of her bed before jumping in and covering up. Jessica kicked off her covers and jumped out of bed. She reached down and pulled Wendy�s covers back. "What are you doing?" Wendy asked. "I want to take a look at your butt, because if Daddy ever catches you anywhere with that boy, you won't have any butt left for me to look at," she scolded. "And let me tell you something else. If you ever do this to me again, I will tell Daddy." Jessica turned out the light, then jumped back into bed. "The next day when Wendy woke, she felt as if she�d been run over by a truck. She did her best to do her chores and to not look sleepy around her dad. By late afternoon she felt so tired, she vowed never to stay up that late again. That night as she fell asleep, she heard another knock at the door. She looked over at Jessica. Luckily for Wendy, Jessica had fallen asleep already. Wendy crawled from her bed and peeked out the door. Though her eyes were heavy, she followed Ricky to the linen closet. They played cards and talked about their lives before Barrington until the early hours of the morning. Several nights later during one of their card sessions, Ricky asked Wendy to be his girlfriend. Wendy said yes. She told Ricky of the no boyfriend rule her dad had set for her, and that he couldn't find out or she would be punished. |