When

10-19-2014

   FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW, I saw the mercedes pull up next to our house and realized we were about to have company. Not many Mercedes found their way to our side of town.

   “Maddie?” Ma called from downstairs. “I think we have a client.”

   I closed my Algebra II textbook with a sigh and lay back on the bed where I’d been plodding through equations for the past hour. Mr. Chavez (8-9-2039) had given us a ton of homework and, ironically, I really struggle with math.

   “Maddie?” Ma called again. “Honey, are you up there?”

   “Coming!”

   I rolled off the bed and took a minute to pull my hair back and shrug out of my sweatshirt, trading it for a sweater.

   When I got to the landing, Ma was at the bottom of the stairs waiting on me. “She’s in the back,” she said after I’d made my way down. Smoothing her hand over my ponytail she added, “She seems like a nice lady. She said she only needs one date, so I think this one will be easy. Also, I’m keeping your dinner warm in the oven.”

   I could smell the pizza from the kitchen. I am so sick of pizza I could scream. Ma rarely cooks anymore, so all we ever seem to have are Hot Pockets, microwave pizza, chicken nuggets, or something else right out of the box. “I have to go to the store for some milk,” Ma said as I made my way toward the back of the house. “But I’ll wait until you’re through.”

   Ma never left me alone in the house with a client, which was good, but I knew she was itching to go to the store. Milk was Ma’s code word for vodka .

   Ma’s drinking had stopped burning a hole in my stomach a couple of years ago when I realized I was powerless to stop her. Deep down it still really bothered me, but I tried not to let it show.

   When I walked into the back room, the first thing I noticed about the client was that she was really pretty, regal even, dressed in chocolate suede slacks and a cream silk blouse. A thick, luxurious fur coat was draped over the back of her chair. I knew right away that she was from Parkwick. They’ve got big bucks in Parkwick.

   I moved to the chair opposite her and sat down. “Hello, Maddie,” she said with a warm smile.
   “Hi,” I replied, pulling at my sweater. I felt a little self-conscious in her elegant presence.

   “How are you this evening?”

   I blinked. No one ever bothered to ask how I am. “Uh…fine.”

   The lady smiled again. “I’m Patricia Tibbolt,” she told me, offering me her hand. I shook it, surprised by her easy, relaxed manner. “I’m so sorry to call on you during your dinner hour,” Mrs. Tibbolt continued, “but it was the only time I could get away from the hospital, and I barely managed to work up the courage to come see you tonight.”

   I focused on her for a second. 7-21-2068. That made me relax. If she asked about herself, she’d probably like the answer. “It’s okay,” I told her, referring to the dinner hour. “We’re only having pizza again.”

   Mrs. Tibbolt sat back and beamed her pretty smile at me. “I used to love pizza when I was your age. You must be fifteen or sixteen, right?"

   “Sixteen,” I told her.

   She continued to study me curiously. I noticed she had a whopper of a diamond on her left ring finger. I wondered if it was heavy. “You’re still so young to have such a gift and be able to share it with people.”

   I smirked. “Yeah, I’m a regular Santa Claus.”

   Mrs. Tibbolt’s eyebrows shot up, and I opened my mouth to apologize—it’d come out a little snarky—but she laughed and winked at me. It was like we’d just shared a secret. “Well, I don’t want to keep you too long,” she said next. “Your mother tells me that you need a picture to look at?”