Read Online Looking for Julie by Jackie Calhoun - Free Book Online

she could see the sky reflected in her eyes, but of course her mother would think such a thing. No one else would.
    They had made some order in Jamie’s room. The twin bed was pushed against the far wall. The desk was crammed next to it. The dresser stood in the closet with clothes piled on top. Her sleeping bag lay atop a cushion of dirty clothes.
    Jamie was stretched out on the bed, watching the small TV on top of the dresser. He looked at her when she came in.
    “Do you know who lives in three-seventeen?” she asked. “She came to an LGBT meeting.”
    “No, but I remember some of the girls. Lisa, Toni, Karen?”
    “That’s it! Karen! I saw her in the john and couldn’t think who she was. She invited me to hang out with some other girls in her room tomorrow night, but I have to work.” She put her toothbrush and toothpaste away and slid into her sleeping bag. It felt like she was lying on rolled up socks.
    Jamie turned off the television. “Bet that feels a lot like the couch at your apartment.”
    “Feels pretty good to lie down anywhere after moving all your stuff.” Her phone was buzzing next to her. She looked at the display. “It’s Nita. Think I should answer?”
    “Send her a text that you’re not coming home tonight. Otherwise, she might call the cops when you’re still gone in the morning.”
    Yeah, that would be bad, she thought and sent the text.
    Nita wrote back, “Where are you?”
    She passed this information on to Jamie.
    “Tell her you’re with a friend. Let her worry a little.”
    “She won’t worry,” Sam said but sent the text anyway and turned off the cell.

Chapter Four
     
    Edie dug out Pam’s card as she sat in her car outside of Sam’s apartment. It had been a long week and she was too sleepy to drive to Point. Pam picked up on the second ring.
    “Is this really you, Edie?”
    Edie smiled at Pam’s enthusiasm. “Yes, it’s me. I had to come to Madison to help my nephew out of a bind. I know it’s late, but I thought I’d give you a call.”
    “Hey, it’s the shank of the evening as my dad used to say. Have you eaten?”
    It was almost impossible to hear over the voices talking and laughing in the background. “I ate something with my nephew and his friend. I’m at four-thirty-five West Washington.”
    “We’re at the Kabul on State Street. Don’t move. I’ll come and get you.”
    “Wait,” Edie said, almost changing her mind, but Pam was gone. Did she really want to sit here waiting for Pam? Yes, she thought, just in case Claire was at the restaurant. She started the motor for warmth.
     
     
     
    Pam knocked on her window, startling her out of a dream. She unrolled the glass a few inches, letting in the biting cold.
    “Follow me,” Pam said and hurried back to her car.
    Edie followed the Jetta through a few intersections before Pam pulled into one of a double parking space around the corner from State Street.
    “You’ll be hungry when you smell this place,” Pam said.
    They half ran toward the restaurant. The warm redolence of the Kabul enveloped them with smells of garlic and ginger and onions and roasted lamb. They were led to a table for two. “Everyone was leaving for a concert when I came to get you,” Pam said.
    “Did I keep you from going with them?”
    “Nah. I don’t have a ticket.”
    Edie didn’t believe her. She was surprised at how disappointed she was that Claire wasn’t there. She wished she had headed for home despite the tiredness.
    “Is your nephew all right?”
    “For now he is, I hope.” She told Pam how she went about getting Jamie another room. “His parents are in Mexico, so I’m his person of last resort.” That wasn’t completely true, of course. He always called her first when he needed help. She also told Pam about Sam and her dilemma.
    “I wouldn’t willingly be that age again, would you?” Pam asked.
    “Probably nobody would. Oh well, I think he’ll be okay now if someone doesn’t beat him up again.” She