Voodootown

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Janey

"Don't be home.  Don't be home," Janey said to herself as she unlocked the back door.  Her mother had been sitting at the kitchen table when Janey had left to meet Curtis that morning.  Her mother's chattiness usually made Janey uncomfortable, but breakfast that morning had been silent.  That had been worse than the talking.

Janey turned to Curtis and held a finger to her lips.  It was just past dinnertime, and she didn't even have a curfew, but it was the first time she had ever brought a boy home.  Since Wednesday, she and Curtis had spent all their free time at school together, but today had felt like a date.  Aside from the weird part with Ash and Bambi, it had been a great afternoon.  And Curtis had looked really cute in his tux. 

The clothes he normally wore, heavy sweaters and jeans or corduroys, were fine, but Janey had really liked how the dark jacket had gone with the tangled curls of his hair.  It had made her want to have him over.

Homework had been her excuse for inviting him home, but Janey really hoped that Curtis would kiss her.  And that wouldn't happen if her mom was home.

She turned the corner and peeked into the kitchen.  The room was empty, and her mom hadn't put any of the dishes away.  As Curtis came in behind her, Janey heard a hiss and felt her cat, Muffin, run past her leg and out the door.  She and Curtis both looked outside after the cat, then came into the kitchen.

Janey smiled as she turned on the light.  The lights had been off in the house, but a little worry had tugged at her that her mother might still be at the kitchen table.  She was glad she had been wrong.  "Come on into the living room.  More comfortable there," she said.

Curtis nodded.  Janey noticed that he didn't look around the room, but kept his eyes on her instead.  She smiled and he smiled back.  Even though he was shy, Janey had a good feeling.  They had held hands several times that day and he had insisted on paying for dinner.  It had been a date, and if they sat on the couch together, sat close, she was sure he'd kiss her.

She pushed open the swinging door into the dining room and living room.  The sun hadn't been down long, but the curtains were closed and the room was dark.  She reached out her right hand, turned on the light and nearly screamed.

Her mother sat on the couch, facing the blank television screen.  Janey stopped, felt Curtis close behind her.  "Mom?" she asked.

The room was quiet and her mother didn't move.  Janey took a step into the room.  "Mom?"  She looked back at Curtis, who stared at her mom, a frown on his face.  "Mom, I brought Curtis home to do some studying together.  He was going to help me with the Shakespeare assignment."

There was still no answer.  Janey walked into the room and around to the side of the couch.  "Mom?" she asked again.

After a moment, her mother turned her head.  "Oh, hi," she said.

Janey felt like her whole body was deflating.  Not only would she not be able to sit with Curtis, but her mother was different, sick somehow.  She looked at Curtis.

"My dad was the same way this morning.  He didn't even get out of bed before I left," he said.

Janey didn't know what to say.  She missed the little voice in her head that was always telling her to be bold.  She hadn't had an urge like that in days.  She imagined the voice would tell her to pull Curtis into the kitchen and kiss him before he had to leave.  But she couldn't do that.  Curtis might not like that, and if he didn't kiss her back, it would destroy every hope she'd built up over the last three days.

She looked back to her mom.  "I'd better call the doctor," she said.

Curtis nodded.  "Yeah, I should get home too."  But he waited in the doorway.

Janey caught his hesitation, and when he reached out a hand, she took it, their fingertips curling around each other.  They stepped closer into a hug and when Curtis stepped away, she felt his head turn toward her.  He stopped, leaned in, then back.  Finally, he turned in, and the side of his mouth brushed her cheek.  Janey smiled as they stepped apart.

It hadn't been a full kiss, but it was the closest she'd ever had to one.  "See you at school," Curtis said.

Janey nodded and tried to hold onto the feeling of his lips on her cheek as she looked at her mother.  It didn't work.