Viola Avenue by Pamela Grandstaff

Author:Pamela Grandstaff [Grandstaff, Pamela]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unknown
Published: 2016-10-23T05:00:00+00:00

Claire called home to check on her mother, who said her father was sleeping in his chair, quiet as a lamb. His brother, Fitz, was hanging out at their house, just to make sure Delia was safe.

Claire stopped by the newspaper office, but Ed was not there, and the door was locked. Down on Iris Avenue, she saw his car was in his driveway so she knocked, and Tommy answered the door.

“He’s in the shower,” Tommy said, and went back to his homework at the kitchen table.

Claire wandered around the kitchen, opening cabinet doors and closing them, not really looking for anything, just not able to stand still.

“Are you hungry or something?” Tommy asked. “We’re ordering pizza.”

“Sounds good,” Claire said, and sat down at the table across from him.

Tommy was sixteen, with floppy brown hair and the normal teenage skin issues. He was cute, and would be handsome, but although it was obvious to Claire, evidently Tommy didn’t realize it. Claire bit her tongue rather than offer to cut his hair or shop for some better fitting clothes. He did have a mother, and Claire was determined to stay on the right side of her.

“Oh,” Claire said, remembering. “Did you know Charlotte’s boyfriend broke up with her?”

To Claire’s amazement, Tommy’s face flushed and he tensed up as if ready for a fight.

“She broke up with him,” Tommy said. “If I ever catch him out somewhere, I’m going to beat the crap out of him.”

“Why did they break up?” Claire asked.

“I heard they ran away together and got caught. Something pretty bad must have happened, though, because his parents sent him to military school and Charlotte’s missed the first two weeks of school.”

“What do you think happened?”

“He must have done something to her,” Tommy said. “Something bad.”

“If he did something illegal, he should be arrested,” Claire said. “He might do it again to someone else.”

“Rowan’s dad is the new president at Eldridge, and Ava doesn’t want a scandal to mess up things with her rich boyfriend.”

“When did this happen?”

“When did what happen?” Ed said as he walked in the room.

Tommy gave Claire a look of wide-eyed panic and shook his head with a tiny movement.

“When did teenagers get so spoiled and entitled?” Claire said. “I’ve got a couple of wannabe reality stars in my class named Porsche and Mercedes.”

“The car twins,” Ed said. “Everyone knows them.”

“Are they really twins?” Tommy asked.

“No,” Claire said. “Not even related. Just have parents with luxury car fetishes, I guess.”

“Actually, Mercedes is another name for the Virgin Mary,” Ed said. “And Portia is a character in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice.”

“Thanks, smarty-pants,” Claire said. “I somehow don’t think that’s the reasoning behind their names but I’m always so grateful to be schooled by you.”

“I detect sarcasm.”

“How do you handle the racism and general hatefulness in your classes?”

“I gave a speech about tolerance and respect on the first day,” Ed said. “I told them professional civility was part of their grade.”

“I don’t think a speech would work with these kids,” Claire said.

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