Cheshire Girl

Ch. 50

Weeks Later

My relationship with my dad was back on track. 

                Mom always wore a sour face whenever I talked to Dad over the phone, but she didn't say a word or try to stop me.  She wouldn't dare try, anyway; I was temporarily disabled, and throwing that at her always made her laugh.  Any annoyance she felt about me and Dad getting closer she vented out through her writing; she churned out another novel in record time.

                Dad was right when he said he never expected her to forgive him.  I didn't really forgive him either, but even if I did, it wouldn't change the past.  The best anyone could do was to try to move on, and accept our faults; we had plenty.

                Principal Wyatt was sentence to 20 years in prison.  All the charges and counts added up, not to mention the jury's unanimous decision.  No one had a party, per se, but everyone in town was in a good mood after it'd been announced.  

                Thomas' dad became Cheshire High School's interim principal for the rest of the year, and summer, if the county and school district hadn't found anyone.  Mayor Seth let a few things slide, and so did the rest of Cheshire, once we saw how remorseful Phillip was on behalf of his brother's actions.

                The Walkers were no longer frowned upon like the Plague.  It turned out their family house had never been occupied, so they moved back in, within walking distance of me and Charlie.  Thomas and Ethan got really close now, all their past fights behind them.  And there were days when Thomas' group and Ethan's all hung out at the Cheshire Rocket. 

                It wasn't just me who received a lot of notoriety.  Everyone counted me, Charlie, Ethan, and especially Catherine, as heroes.  It got us discounts to a lot of places.

                School was pretty normal.  I sort of received special treatment, mostly on account of my ankle.  About said ankle, it was a mistake for me to walk on it so much.  Dr. Michaels was upset that I didn't let it rest.  Even if it didn't really hurt relying on the brace, in a sense, I never allowed it to heal, so he encouraged anyone who hung out with me to make sure I used the stupid crutches. 

                All in all, I was going to have the brace longer than I would have if I hadn't been so stubborn.  I only regretted my actions until the evening of prom.

                With Mom, her mom, and Celia for help, Charlie practically wrestled me into the car for dress shopping.  Ethan had purchased the four tickets.  It was obvious they were setting me up with Ethan's cousin, but they refused to tell me anything else about him.   I only let them get away with it because they seemed so happy together… enjoying my suffering.

                Now, the night of, I really really didn't want to go.

                "Oh, look at that.  I can only wear one shoe.  I guess I can't go."

                Charlie forced me back into my chair.  "Cut it out.  You're not leaving here without your crutches."

                "You're really going to force me to have crutches at prom?  Everyone's going to be taking pictures!"

                "We'll let you go crutchless once you enter the gym," said Mom, thoroughly enjoying taking pictures of me already dressed.  "Just this once, as long as no one tells Dr. Michaels."

                "You guys are horrible."

                Charlie lightly slapped my wrist.  "Stop moving, will you?  I'm almost done."