Read Online Specter (9780307823403) by Joan Lowery Nixon - Free Book Online
Authors: Joan Lowery Nixon
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health card, fire inspection,” Julie’s doctor says. “All that will take time.”
“I got a sister-in-law who’s a social worker for the county,” Mrs. Cardenas tells him. “I’ll call Dolores and see what she can do.”
“It may take a few days,” Dr. Lynn says, “but it’s going to work out well for everyone. Mrs. Cardenas, we’re so glad that—”
I step into the small office, pulling Julie with me. “We’re going to stay with you, Mrs. Cardenas? Really? Is it true?”
She laughs. “
Es verdad
.”
“It’s just a matter of getting through some forms, interviews, home checks—that sort of thing,” Dr. Cruz explains.
“And in the meantime, we can get you both some clothes,” Dr. Lynn says.
“What do you think? They worked it out with the office here to give me two weeks vacation time, so I still get paid, but I can quit at the end of the week!” Mrs. Cardenas’s cheeks are flushed, and she wiggles as though she wanted to bounce up and down. “I hope I get my party,” she adds.
‘What party?”
“When somebody who works here leaves, the people on the floor usually have a cake and some punch. Areal nice party.”
“You’ll certainly have your party,” Dr. Lynn says.
I should be glad that Mrs. Cardenas wants us. But for some reason I am sad. Why? I try to move back, to look inside my mind, to find this mixed-up person who lives inside, but there are too manypeople in the room, too much chatter. I am locked into the now, planted firmly in the here.
Dr. Lynn has moved beside me. She takes my other hand and leads me into the hall. Julie comes, too, with her grip that won’t let go.
“On Thursday, Jack—Dr. Paull—and I are off duty. Would you like us to take you to the home where you lived, so you can see your friends? Get your things?”
“Oh, yes!” Thursday is real. A square on the calendar. A time I can count on. Three days away. “Yes,” I repeat. “I’ll be ready.”
“Can I come, too?” There is a tugging on my arm.
I’d like to cry out at Julie, “I don’t want to be your mother!” but instead I take a long breath and wait.
Dr. Lynn picks up the answer. “I think it would be nice if Julie came with us. After we drop you off to see your friends, Dr. Paull and I can show her some of the countryside.”
Thank you thank you thank you thank you. “You’d like that, Julie. You wouldn’t know anyone at the home.”
Julie thinks a moment, then nods. “Okay.”
“I’ll let them know we’re coming,” Dr. Lynn says. “And I’ll make sure they give the message to Holley Jo.”
The days go slowly. Dr. Lynn comes in each day to talk to Julie, and Mrs. Cardenas pops in as often as the witch on a temperature gauge whoannounces the rain in the dripping months of autumn. But Mrs. Cardenas’s announcements are all positive. Her sister-in-law got the paperwork speeded up, and her cousin, Carmen, is dating someone in the fire department who got the Cardenas house inspection at the head of the list. There’s a slight delay on the food handler license because none of the relatives have connections there, but Dr. Cruz has used his deep-voiced authority to try to get things moving in that department.
“After my party on Friday,” Mrs. Cardenas tells us, “you’ll come home with me.”
Wednesday, and Dr. Lynn has brought Julie some clothes. I have my jeans and blouse, which I wore when I came here. I put them on and stare at myself in the mirror. These are clothes that fit another girl who lived in another world. What am I doing, trying to put my skinny bones in pants so large I have to hold them up? In a blouse that droops over the shoulders and flaps around my waist?
Mrs. Cardenas shakes her head when she sees me. “This is the place for a needle and thread,” she says. Somehow the juice cartons get delivered to patients in record time, and she comes back to our room with everything she needs to pin and tuck and sew and cut. I try the clothes on again,
“I got a sister-in-law who’s a social worker for the county,” Mrs. Cardenas tells him. “I’ll call Dolores and see what she can do.”
“It may take a few days,” Dr. Lynn says, “but it’s going to work out well for everyone. Mrs. Cardenas, we’re so glad that—”
I step into the small office, pulling Julie with me. “We’re going to stay with you, Mrs. Cardenas? Really? Is it true?”
She laughs. “
Es verdad
.”
“It’s just a matter of getting through some forms, interviews, home checks—that sort of thing,” Dr. Cruz explains.
“And in the meantime, we can get you both some clothes,” Dr. Lynn says.
“What do you think? They worked it out with the office here to give me two weeks vacation time, so I still get paid, but I can quit at the end of the week!” Mrs. Cardenas’s cheeks are flushed, and she wiggles as though she wanted to bounce up and down. “I hope I get my party,” she adds.
‘What party?”
“When somebody who works here leaves, the people on the floor usually have a cake and some punch. Areal nice party.”
“You’ll certainly have your party,” Dr. Lynn says.
I should be glad that Mrs. Cardenas wants us. But for some reason I am sad. Why? I try to move back, to look inside my mind, to find this mixed-up person who lives inside, but there are too manypeople in the room, too much chatter. I am locked into the now, planted firmly in the here.
Dr. Lynn has moved beside me. She takes my other hand and leads me into the hall. Julie comes, too, with her grip that won’t let go.
“On Thursday, Jack—Dr. Paull—and I are off duty. Would you like us to take you to the home where you lived, so you can see your friends? Get your things?”
“Oh, yes!” Thursday is real. A square on the calendar. A time I can count on. Three days away. “Yes,” I repeat. “I’ll be ready.”
“Can I come, too?” There is a tugging on my arm.
I’d like to cry out at Julie, “I don’t want to be your mother!” but instead I take a long breath and wait.
Dr. Lynn picks up the answer. “I think it would be nice if Julie came with us. After we drop you off to see your friends, Dr. Paull and I can show her some of the countryside.”
Thank you thank you thank you thank you. “You’d like that, Julie. You wouldn’t know anyone at the home.”
Julie thinks a moment, then nods. “Okay.”
“I’ll let them know we’re coming,” Dr. Lynn says. “And I’ll make sure they give the message to Holley Jo.”
The days go slowly. Dr. Lynn comes in each day to talk to Julie, and Mrs. Cardenas pops in as often as the witch on a temperature gauge whoannounces the rain in the dripping months of autumn. But Mrs. Cardenas’s announcements are all positive. Her sister-in-law got the paperwork speeded up, and her cousin, Carmen, is dating someone in the fire department who got the Cardenas house inspection at the head of the list. There’s a slight delay on the food handler license because none of the relatives have connections there, but Dr. Cruz has used his deep-voiced authority to try to get things moving in that department.
“After my party on Friday,” Mrs. Cardenas tells us, “you’ll come home with me.”
Wednesday, and Dr. Lynn has brought Julie some clothes. I have my jeans and blouse, which I wore when I came here. I put them on and stare at myself in the mirror. These are clothes that fit another girl who lived in another world. What am I doing, trying to put my skinny bones in pants so large I have to hold them up? In a blouse that droops over the shoulders and flaps around my waist?
Mrs. Cardenas shakes her head when she sees me. “This is the place for a needle and thread,” she says. Somehow the juice cartons get delivered to patients in record time, and she comes back to our room with everything she needs to pin and tuck and sew and cut. I try the clothes on again,
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