The Barefoot Girl

Chapter 40

"I'm still not going to school tomorrow!" Megan announces.

Everyone is gathered in the living room, all of us half watching our phones, half listening to each other. Megan's proclamation gets Mom's attention.

"Ha. Ha. Nice try, you're going. You're gonna fall behind if you'd don't," she says sternly.

"Ben's falling behind faster than any of us!" Megan whines. "You're not making him go back!"

"Ben won't be in the house to complain about all his crazy make-up work once he goes back."

Michelle lets out a snort and starts guffawing which makes Megan glare at her.

"Shut doooowwwn!" Michelle teases, cupping her hands around her mouth like a megaphone.

"Aah, aah, aah young lady," my mom warns. "Just cause you're suspended doesn't mean you'll be sitting around doing nothing."

Michelle slinks back into the couch.

"I know," she mutters.

Megan smirks, "Yeah, Michelle. Punching a guy won't free you from school's tortures."

Michelle looks about ready to punch her but mom quickly intervenes.

"Ok, seriously guys," she says. "This week has been emotionally draining for all of us we don't need bickering."

Megan gets a mischievous grin on her face. "Yeah, Mom. It's been a really crazy couple of days and school will just add to the stress...."

Ben laughs and points at Megan.

"Point for Megan," he says.

Mom sighs and glares at Ben. Then she refocuses her attention on Megan. She opens her mouth to protest but then clamps it shut, thinking. Then she lets out a sigh of defeat and looks between me and Megan.

"Ok you can choose whether or not you want to go tomorrow but after that, you are going back."

Dad glances at Mom and chuckles a little.

"Ladies, don't make a habit of taking advantage of her like that."

Mom whacks him on the arm.

"I could just have easily have made them go and they know it."

This only makes Dad chuckle harder.

I debate whether or not I want to go in my head. On one hand I really want to see Natalie and Katrina and fill them in, in person. On the other hand, I mean, if you have the chance to skip, take it, am I right???

Forgetting school for a moment I look at my parents.

"Hey guy?" I say. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course!" says Dad.

Everyone's eyes are on me now.

"Umm... Alone?" I mutter.

Mom and Dad look at each I the before nodding. I except that I'll be getting up and heading to their room or something but instead my Dad just says, "Disperse peasants!"

Michelle rolls her eyes and Megan laughs. Ben hops off the couch and gives me a knowing glance before taking Liam's hand and heading to the basement. The twins head upstairs and I hear Michelle mumble, "What on earth is up with her?"

There's no real reason for this conversation to be private other than the fact that I hate having serious conversations with everyone listening in.

"Everything ok?" my mom prompts.

"Yeah! It's just ummm... One of my friends she... Umm... Well I'm worried about her."

I dive into Genevieve's story, adding in that she's the "homeless girl on Q Street," as much as I hate to label her like that anymore. Mom and Dad's eyebrows seem to raise farther and farther up as I tell them everything I know, emphasizing how much she loves the kids in the children's hospital; how she was the reason I found Lacy. I throw in the fact that she was the reason I bailed during the tornado and I think my mom might start hyperventilating.

"Soooo... You two have gotten close?" my dad asks, clearly confused as to the point of this story.

"Yeah! And ummm... I'd like you to meet her!"

Mom laughs a little.

"Is that all? You had me really worried something was up!"

I bite my lip, wondering if I should add that I think she needs a family to care for her and that... I'd like that family to be ours. I decide against it, for now, knowing I still have to tell them that Genevieve saved Lacy's life.

"Well, Mom... She's the reason we found Lacy and, well, she's the reason Lacy's... Still with us."

Mom's jaw drops and Dad's eyes big out of their sockets.

"She's... She... The donor... Was a teenage girl?" Dad asks.

I nod solemnly.

"Next time we visit Lacy, can we go see her too? I really think our whole family owes her."

"Well, yeah!" Dad agrees like the fact that we owe her is the most obvious thing in the world.

Which it kind of is...

I smile nervously, feeling like I'm sweating but not sure if I actually am. I just want to get on my knees and beg them to adopt Gen! But I know it's not my place... Right...? Or... Maybe it is...?

I shake my head as if that will organize my thoughts. I take a deep breath and decide the best thing to do is not rush anything.

We've all had an emotionally draining week.