A Starling's Redemption

The Dawn

We awoke the next morning to a phone ringing. It was Bret calling Elise. Josh and I both needed to use the restroom, so we quietly excused ourselves. Once we'd both returned to the living room, Elise handed Josh the phone, so she could change Paul.

Josh said, "Bret, you old dog! How the heck are ya?"

"You do know Elise is my wife, right? You aint tryin to steal her from me?" Meanwhile, Elise was talking me through my first attempt at a diaper change. Josh looked over at us, and sort of gasped.

Bret asked, "Josh, is something wrong?"

"Amanda is changing Paul's diaper, with Elise's guidance."

"Isn't Amanda a starling?"

"Up until recently. That girl is changing so fast, and growing so much, she's just about human." A little emotion crept into Josh's voice, "After last night, I'm not sure there's any starling left in her. Bret, you have no idea what a blessing Elise is to us, especially to Amanda."

I turned around, a big smile on my face.

I exclaimed, "I changed a diaper!"

Josh asked me, "Have I ever told you how proud I am of you?"

Bret told him, "Joshua boy, you just keep encouragin' that girl. That's the best thing you can do for her right now." That was the same advice Elise and Chelsea had given him. Josh gave the phone back to Elise, who talked to Bret for a few more minutes.

Josh called his mom to tell her we were still at Elise's.

Helen said, "I'm just about to start breakfast. Why don't you and Amanda bring Elise and Paul with you, so they can join us?"

For the ride out I sat in the middle and held Paul on my lap. As soon as we arrived, I headed straight into Josh's room to change into his comfy clothes.

During breakfast we brought his family up to speed on the previous night's events. The verdict was predictable: I was to move back in with them for the time being.

Elise asked, "Josh, what are your intentions concerning Amanda?"

He answered, "At this point? I may as well put a ring on her finger, and get it over with. It's going to happen sooner or later, anyway."

After breakfast, Helen drove Elise and Paul home. I went with her as well, and we drove past my parents' home. Helen was hoping to speak with my parents about me, and to discuss their relationship with me. But she never had the chance.

A servant was carrying a large black trash bag to the curb, and waved when she saw me. It turned out the bag was full of my clothes. My parents were having my room cleared out. All of my stuff was going away. Josh's mom took the bag of clothes. That was a relief to the maid who wasn't sure she could lift it into the dumpster, which was retained in the alcove to the right of the driveway. At least I'd have my school clothes.

When we got home, Josh and I went to visit the elderly neighbors.

Mrs. Schwartz hugged me.

She reassured me, "Amanda, you are not on your own. The Whitakers now consider you part of their family. They will always have a place for you in their home. And if they ever don't, Otto and I would be happy to let you stay here."

We were just finishing breakfast the next morning, when Helen's phone rang. Helen set her phone on the table.

"It's Elise, she wants to talk to all of us."

Elise asked, "Are Josh and Amanda there with you?"

"Yes, we're here," I replied.

"Good, because this concerns you most of all. I had a very long conversation with Bret this morning. Once the dust has settled on your situation, we want you to move in with us. It would not be good for you and Josh to cohabitate before getting married. Besides, I could use your help with Paul, especially now that Shannon's out of the picture."

Helen asked, "I thought you and Shannon were still close?"

"She stopped by yesterday, not long after you dropped me off. She wanted to discuss Josh and Amanda. Things were going okay until I suggested she get to know the new Amanda, that she's someone worth knowing. Shannon flew off the handle, first cussing Amanda, then cussing me. She said, 'A starling never stops being a starling, and you all stick together!' She stomped out of the house, slammed the door, and that was that."

Robert added, "That girl's anger is going to kill her." Helen told Elise we'd get back to her, and the phone call ended.

We discussed the offer at length. I just wanted to remain where Josh was. I wasn't ready for us to live apart. More than anything, I needed Josh and his family to be strong for me while I dealt with the trauma of the past forty-eight hours or so. Helen called Elise back, and went to pick her up. She and Paul would be our guests for lunch, and her input would be invaluable. When they arrived, we continued the discussion.

Elise stated, "Amanda needs to stay here with you for at least the next few weeks. She needs the structure and stability of your family unit to guide her healing." Elise had lived with Bret's parents after her own parents had kicked her out, and she wasn't sure she'd have survived otherwise.

Elise told Josh's parents point blank that input from Bret's parents, Barney and Ruby, would be highly recommended at that point. The call was made and, even though it was short notice, they drove up. They live almost twenty miles away, across the valley, so Josh's family doesn't see them that often.

Bret's parents hadn't heard about me. They listened intently as the whole story was told. Ruby gave me a big hug.

Bret's little sister, Raina, who was eighteen, had also come along.

Raina said, "Welcome to the family." She also gave me a hug.

Elise told them about the offer to stay with her and Bret. Bret's parents thought it was a great idea, but also warned Josh's family not to move me too soon.

Barney said, "Amanda has been through a pair of massively traumatic episodes, so you need to give her at least a couple of months. And don't stop loving on her. She'll come out stronger, and will be a better person because of it."

Raina asked Josh about Shannon. He asked Raina if they could talk in private, so they went outside and sat on the tailgate of his pick-up. Moments later, I went out and sat on Josh's lap. I put my arms around him, and my head on his shoulder. I didn't say anything, I just listened.

Josh told Raina what had transpired with Shannon. She was amazed to hear it. She'd known Shannon almost as long as he had.

She finally said, "Amanda and Elise found you and Bret to rescue them, so hopefully Shannon can find a guy like you to rescue her." He replied that he hoped so, too.

Raina told me, "Amanda, I hope that someday the two of us will be as close as me and Elise are."

Finally, life seemed to be turning down a smoother road. Was I wrong to fear that it only appeared that way?