ODDS OF LOVE: Season Nine

Episode 20

Saturday September 21 , 2024

" I didn't do any drugs, Uncle D ! ," Luci said for what she felt was the one million one billion time since she had woke up in the emergency room at her uncle's old hospital surrounded by so many worried looking people. Her uncles. Her homeroom teacher Mr. Peters  and a cute blond guy. Theodore who looked sad and kinda betrayed when he gazed at her. Alan. And Sol.  She couldn't even remember much of last night. Just bits and pieces of it all. It was like her mind was now groggy and full of holes like Swiss cheese or something. Sol had even told her uncles that she hadn't taken anything and only drank punch and eaten cookies. But Uncle D just wouldn't let up , she thought in disgust as she pulled her blanket up over her head in an effort to block out his voice. It was not bad enough one of the few things she did remember was of most of the other kids laughing at her. About what she didn't know but they were laughing. Except for her boys.  And oddly enough Zora's little pet Diamond who kinda seemed scared. Zora and her cousin Kyle had really been having fun at her expense, she mused with disgust.

DuBuis pulled the blanket off of her head and stood there beside the bed in her room. He looked so disappointed. And so mad. She shifted her gaze away from his dark judging eyes. From the knowledge that whatever she had did last night she screwed up big time. Omg what was she going to do about school? She kinda did like Barrington better than the other one. What if she couldn't stay there after what happened? She just couldn't go back and face JT Keller every day. She couldn't lose seeing Sol and Alan at school.  And unlike the other school she liked the teachers more at Bougie Academy. Mr. Peters was fun especially when you got him going on the negatives of climate change in science class. He was always doing something cool in class. Like taking them all outside to work on really nice days. Like letting them play with his bird sometimes. Even Ms. Perkins was ok even if her class was a little boring.

What if her uncles made her leave? No. Correction. What if Uncle D made her leave? What if Dr. Hightower kicked her out? He was another one who she remembered looking at her so disappointed.

" You say you didn't do drugs," DuBuis said quietly and firmly. " That's what you been saying. Over and over. It's what those boys said too. Even Theodore who you need to apologize to for hitting for no good reason.  I want to believe you, Luci. I really do. Your Uncle Spencer wants to believe you. But the ER tested you. You had Ketamine in your system. That's a dangerous drug, little girl. You know that. I talked to you about drugs before. "

Luci poked out her lip and touched her head. She wished he would just go away already. Her head was still hurting even though he had given her two aspirin already with water. " Yeah. You did. Which is why I would never do drugs like that ! I do listen to you. Sometimes." She cut her eyes at him. " Maybe it was in the punch. Maybe someone spiked the punch. Because I swear on my daddy's grave that I didn't take it. I don't remember how I got it but I know I didn't take it myself. Please believe me. And don't take me out of Barrington! "

DuBuis sighed and sat almost wearily on the bed. He did believe her. At least he wanted to. But he knew what the tests said and he had seen the way she acted last night. Whether or not she had actually taken it herself or just didn't want to admit that she took it that didn't change the fact that he had to do the parent thing. Even though he didn't have the faintest idea what the parent thing was supposed to be. Not in something like this. This wasn't exactly covered in one of Spencer's parenting books from the library. And Spencer thought they should just make her go talk to Reverend Lynn about any issues she might have that lead her to last night. He didn't know. Maybe his husband was right. Maybe she should talk to someone other than them.

" I.... I'm going to ease off right now. Cause I see you are not feeling yourself right now. You need rest and to drink plenty of water. Then we'll talk more. Oh believe me we will be talking more about this. I want to know what is going on at that school. I feel like me and Spencer are the only ones right now who don't know the punch line to the damn joke. As for the school we won't take you out of it because you need to be in school and the other is not a good option. " He hesitated before speaking. " You're lucky in so many ways. Gerald wanted to expel you. I talked him into three days of in school suspension. You're welcome. You're also grounded for a day. No phone, no video games, no friends for today. "

He stood up and went over to the door of her bedroom, walking like a very old man all of a sudden. Then he turned back and looked at her. She had pulled the blanket back over her head. " You may hate me but always remember I love you. "