Read Online Judging Joey by Elizabeth John - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth John
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narrowed his focus. “A bad childhood?”
“Madeline wasn’t blessed with a family like ours or a mother and father who’d do anything for her.” Caitlin held out her hand for Kevin to hold and she squeezed it when he did. “Her mother was the furthest thing from motherly and when her dad died, her mother abandoned her.” Her voice tightened again and her expression told him she meant business. “This is not to leave this room. I was told this in the strictest of confidence by someone on the PTA.”
The news his sister delivered of a neglected child seemed in contrast to the confident, but perhaps slightly odd, redheaded woman he met earlier. “Bummer. Can’t even imagine what that would be like.”
Caitlin nodded and rested her arm on Kevin’s leg for support. “Even worse, I found out today that she grew up in some small town in Upstate New York where no one knew that Madeline was practically raising herself. Then her dad came down with terminal cancer and she tried to take care of him without her mother’s help. A teacher finally called child services about possible neglect. When he died, her mother, who had some sort of substance abuse problem, left, and child services contacted her mother’s much-older brother and his wife.”
Kevin whistled and frowned. “How old was she at this time?”
“About fifteen. Can you imagine any of us taking care of mom or dad at that age? And to think Madeline grew up with an uncaring mother is horrible. She’s so loving to all the students at the school,” Caitlin said.
Joey leaned in, becoming more fascinated with Madeline’s background. “So what happened when they called her uncle and his wife?”
“They took her in, of course. From what I heard, they had no children of their own and always wanted them. The only problem was that they lived here. She had to leave everyone she knew in New York and transfer here in sophomore year.”
Kevin shook his head again. “That must have been hard on her. Leaving all of her friends that she knew growing up and starting over. Especially at that age.”
Joey had to agree. “Yeah.” Madeline must have found it tough to make new friends, he thought, as he ran his hands across the smooth material of the couch. Most kids find friends in elementary school and stay together through high school. He did. He even worked with some of his childhood friends. In fact, he was meeting them at the park the next day to finish that interrupted basketball game.
He ran his hand down the couch again. “Mom upgraded, huh? The old couch was really beat up.”
“Yes, they were finally able to get rid of that cheap replacement for the other one we had about ten years ago. Remember that hunter-green one? Mom loved that couch, but then we went away, and that jerk Scott had a keg party.”
Kevin chimed in. “Caitlin told me a bit about that.”
“Yeah, Mom and Dad were furious with his parents because they trusted them to house-sit for us,” Joey said.
“They offered to replace the couch that Scott ruined and then they bought one with an awful busy flower pattern.” Caitlin added, then smiled. “Mom hated it, but kept quiet since she knew that family was already in turmoil and she didn’t want to add more stress to their lives.”
Joey had to smile, too. “Dad eventually figured out how much Mom despised it, but he couldn’t afford to buy another at the time.”
“Do you ever think about Scott?” Caitlin asked Joey.
“No, not since high school. When his parents split and his dad dragged him to Florida, I thought maybe it was for the best. That kid was heading for trouble.”
“Yeah, his Dad probably did him a favor getting him away from his mother. I never liked that woman. Even less now. When Mom’s heirloom brooch went missing the night of the party, she blamed it on the cleaning crew she hired to take care of Scott’s mess.”
“I thought Scott blamed it on some girl at the party,” Joey said. Something his sister
“Madeline wasn’t blessed with a family like ours or a mother and father who’d do anything for her.” Caitlin held out her hand for Kevin to hold and she squeezed it when he did. “Her mother was the furthest thing from motherly and when her dad died, her mother abandoned her.” Her voice tightened again and her expression told him she meant business. “This is not to leave this room. I was told this in the strictest of confidence by someone on the PTA.”
The news his sister delivered of a neglected child seemed in contrast to the confident, but perhaps slightly odd, redheaded woman he met earlier. “Bummer. Can’t even imagine what that would be like.”
Caitlin nodded and rested her arm on Kevin’s leg for support. “Even worse, I found out today that she grew up in some small town in Upstate New York where no one knew that Madeline was practically raising herself. Then her dad came down with terminal cancer and she tried to take care of him without her mother’s help. A teacher finally called child services about possible neglect. When he died, her mother, who had some sort of substance abuse problem, left, and child services contacted her mother’s much-older brother and his wife.”
Kevin whistled and frowned. “How old was she at this time?”
“About fifteen. Can you imagine any of us taking care of mom or dad at that age? And to think Madeline grew up with an uncaring mother is horrible. She’s so loving to all the students at the school,” Caitlin said.
Joey leaned in, becoming more fascinated with Madeline’s background. “So what happened when they called her uncle and his wife?”
“They took her in, of course. From what I heard, they had no children of their own and always wanted them. The only problem was that they lived here. She had to leave everyone she knew in New York and transfer here in sophomore year.”
Kevin shook his head again. “That must have been hard on her. Leaving all of her friends that she knew growing up and starting over. Especially at that age.”
Joey had to agree. “Yeah.” Madeline must have found it tough to make new friends, he thought, as he ran his hands across the smooth material of the couch. Most kids find friends in elementary school and stay together through high school. He did. He even worked with some of his childhood friends. In fact, he was meeting them at the park the next day to finish that interrupted basketball game.
He ran his hand down the couch again. “Mom upgraded, huh? The old couch was really beat up.”
“Yes, they were finally able to get rid of that cheap replacement for the other one we had about ten years ago. Remember that hunter-green one? Mom loved that couch, but then we went away, and that jerk Scott had a keg party.”
Kevin chimed in. “Caitlin told me a bit about that.”
“Yeah, Mom and Dad were furious with his parents because they trusted them to house-sit for us,” Joey said.
“They offered to replace the couch that Scott ruined and then they bought one with an awful busy flower pattern.” Caitlin added, then smiled. “Mom hated it, but kept quiet since she knew that family was already in turmoil and she didn’t want to add more stress to their lives.”
Joey had to smile, too. “Dad eventually figured out how much Mom despised it, but he couldn’t afford to buy another at the time.”
“Do you ever think about Scott?” Caitlin asked Joey.
“No, not since high school. When his parents split and his dad dragged him to Florida, I thought maybe it was for the best. That kid was heading for trouble.”
“Yeah, his Dad probably did him a favor getting him away from his mother. I never liked that woman. Even less now. When Mom’s heirloom brooch went missing the night of the party, she blamed it on the cleaning crew she hired to take care of Scott’s mess.”
“I thought Scott blamed it on some girl at the party,” Joey said. Something his sister
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