Before, After, and Somebody In Between by Jeannine Garsee

Author:Jeannine Garsee
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Published: 2011-07-04T05:00:00+00:00

30

Over the next few days, I try to “memorize” the Brinkmans—how they talk, how they eat, how they answer the phone. Even the way they shake hands or get up from their chairs. I memorize everything, and make myself do it exactly the same way. No “ain’ts” or “can’t hardlys” or other hillbilly expressions. Most of all, no cuss words, not even in front of the dog.

Nikki donated one of her notebooks so I can start a new journal, but I’m barely a page into it when the doorbell rings. Well, well, well, Ms. Zelda Broussard—the one person on earth who knows all my dirty secrets. Holding my breath, I hang over the banister and listen to her complain about how I ran away from the Merriweathers, and how she’s even more pissed off because the Brinkmans butted in. Mr. Brinkman informs her that she doesn’t have all the facts, and anyway, there’s some kind of hearing tomorrow. Smugly he adds, “Possession is nine-tenths of the law,” and whatever that means, it makes her blood boil.

I beat it back to my room as she marches upstairs, but don’t quite get the chance to slam the door in her face. “Well, Martha. You certainly picked the winning ticket this time.”

“I didn’t pick anything. They picked me.” As she strolls around, looking at this and that, I ask, “What’re you doing here anyway?”

“I am trying to do my job.” A brilliant gold scarf wraps her dreads in a bunch, and dangly gold bracelets drip from her pudgy wrists. Souvenirs, no doubt, from her fabulous vacation. “Well, well, so tell me. What was so bad about the Merriweathers?”

“They’re jerks,” I spit out, wondering where Nikki is, praying she doesn’t overhear.

“Jerks? In what way?”

“I don’t want to discuss it.”

“You know, they’ve been caring for kids for almost twenty years.”

“So? They’re still jerks.”

Zelda picks up my journal, studying the cover. “The Brinkmans seem to be quite taken with you, hmm? ‘Charming and intelligent’ were their words, as a matter of fact.”

I grab my notebook out of her paw. “I am intelligent.”

“And charming,” she adds.

“I can be charming,” I agree with a charmless sneer. “What are you so mad about?”

“Who says I’m mad?”

“Well, you’re acting mad. Look, he picked me up off the freaking street, okay? I didn’t ask to come here. What do you think, I go around town begging rich people to take me home?”

Zelda heaves a sigh. “Martha, this is fine. I have no problem with it at all, just as long as you remember this is only temporary. You won’t be spending the rest of your life here, you know.”

Whose side is she on? “You think I’m stupid? Oh, and my name is Gina now, by the way.”

This throws her for a second. “Gina?”

“G-i-n-a. Gina.”

Zelda flips up her eyebrows. “Well, Gina. I know you are not stupid. I just want you to keep in mind that your mother does want to get better. And that as soon as she does, she is going to want you back.

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