This is good news!” Miss Miller was sitting on the couch next to me.
I shook my head. “How is this good news?” I was not sure I could picture my mother drug free. I didn’t believe it. Miss Miller couldn’t be talking about my mother. She had visited a bunch of times in the last six months. But the times had been awkward. I was always ready for her to leave. I didn’t recognize her clean look. I didn’t recognize her touch.
The social worker uncrossed her legs. She turned to face me. “TJ, I know it’s hard to believe, but she has gone through all the classes and has shown up for her drug tests. She is clean.” She paused and then took a deep breath. “And she wants you to come home.”
“I can’t live with her again. This is my home.” I had just started my junior year at South High. Two years of school left. I had started to believe this was where I would graduate. At that moment I wished I had never let my guard down. I wished I had stayed in my shell and pushed everyone away. If I had, then the news might have been good.
Miss Dixie came in from the kitchen and put her hand on my shoulder. “TJ, I’m so happy you can call this home. But your mother needs you.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Remember, you will always have a place here.”
Miss Miller gave Miss Dixie a glare for just a minute and then quickly hid her look with a fake smile. “TJ, you really don’t have a choice. The court has granted her full custody of you.” I could feel Miss Dixie turn around and stomp off back into the kitchen. She banged a few dishes around before Miss Miller yelled to her, “I know you don’t like it, but you’re not helping here!”
My chest felt like it was burning. My heart was racing. Trapped. I felt trapped. I didn’t have a say. Everything I had come to care about would be gone. Miss Dixie, hot meals, friends, Mae’s little hand, and Annabelle.
I looked at Miss Miller and asked, “When?”
She forced another fake smile. “I’ll come get you tomorrow at nine.”
As she left I sat on the couch and didn’t move. I heard footsteps on the stairs. Before I knew it, Mae was jumping in my lap. Big tears started to fall. “First Rico and now you.” She put her arms around my neck. “I listened. I couldn’t help it.” She pointed to the stairs. “But Annabelle started listening.” I saw some feet turn and run up the stairs. A few seconds later a door slammed.
I squeezed Mae. “Don’t worry. I’m not mad. I would have listened too.” She smiled. I took a deep breath so I wouldn’t cry. But it was hard. I smiled back. “I guess you’ll have to fInd someone else to pester.”
Mae laughed. “I guess so.”