“They’re going to visit it every day,” I say, “because Crystal with a C isn’t there anymore. They’re going to keep an eye on things for a while.”
Rick takes a drink of his coffee. “Did you ever wonder if maybe Gloria changed?”
“Her shirt looks mostly different.”
“Right, but I mean maybe who she is changed. Moms are people, too, you know. They change, just like everyone else. From what I understand, things were pretty difficult for Gloria when you were in the apartment with her. You’re a pretty special kid, Ginny. Plus, there was the baby to deal with, and she was an addict.”
In my brain I see that he is right. People change. I changed and no one knows it. I changed into (-Ginny).
“So you don’t think she gets mad and hits anymore?” I say.
“I didn’t say that,” says Rick. “But if we’re honest, we don’t know that she still does. Like I said, moms change.”
“My Forever Mom changed,” I say.
On the other side of the couch my Forever Dad sits up. My Forever Mom stands up straight.
“Really?” says Rick.
I nod my head yes. “She—”
“Ginny,” says my Forever Dad, “Rick’s right. Gloria probably changed a lot since you were living in the apartment. But we have to let the social workers finish their investigation. No one realized that your aunt went over there every day to help her take care of your Baby Doll.”
“Who knows?” says Rick. “If Gloria gets the help she needs, maybe she can come visit you.”
Everyone looks at Rick.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” says my Forever Mom.
“Why not?” Rick says.
“Yes, why not?” I say.
“Because I won’t allow it,” she says.
“We’re talking about someone who was involved in a kidnapping,” my Forever Dad says.
“Crystal is in jail,” says Rick.
“Crystal with a C,” I say.
“Right, but you don’t think she acted alone, do you?” says my Forever Dad. “We don’t know what the police discovered, but I don’t believe for a second that the two weren’t working together. The case is far from over, but come on, Gloria isn’t someone we want around Ginny. She’s way too volatile.”
“Like I said before, people change,” says Rick. “Didn’t you folks ever go through a rough patch? I know I sure have. And now look at all of us.”
I look but I don’t see anything different. I hope no one looks at me.
“Gloria will never come to this house for a visit,” my Forever Mom says. “Not over my dead body.”
“All right, then,” says Rick. “I see how it is. I’m a little more open than you, that’s all. Maybe a little more forgiving.”
“We just want everyone to be safe,” says my Forever Dad.
“I know, I know,” says Rick. “But sometimes it’s safer to get people together than it is to keep them apart. I sure appreciate what you’re doing here, though. With me and Ginny. Just being able to see and talk with her after all these years has sort of filled me up. And if everything works out...”
He stops talking and smiles at me. I don’t know why but I smile back.
56
EXACTLY 11:56 AT NIGHT,
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24TH—CHRISTMAS EVE
At exactly seven o’clock I took my shower at Grammy’s house and then I put on my jammies even though I wasn’t in my bedroom at the Blue House. Everyone knows that the true meaning of Christmas is Jesus the Crisis Savior of the World but what it’s really about is presents. There were lots of people at Grammy’s house and all of them had presents for me. I got a new Michael Jackson T-shirt and a book about Michael Jackson and some clothes and some coloring books. Plus a Michael Jackson puzzle and a Michael Jackson mug.
After opening the presents I ate fish and broccoli and sauerkraut and something called pierogi with meat and cheese in them and mashed potatoes and salad for supper and then after supper at exactly 9:07 we had little hot dogs on toothpicks and little kielbasas and I threw up in the sink. I wanted to go have some more but my Forever Mom said no, that was quite enough.
Now I am sitting in the car and we are on our way home. The clock in the car says 11:56. It is past my bedtime but all week we talked about how it’s all right to stay up late on Christmas Eve because Christmas Eve is a special occasion. My Forever Sister is asleep in its car seat and my Forever Dad is driving.
At the Blue House we pull into the driveway. It is all snowy because there was more snow this afternoon at approximately four o’clock when we were at Grammy’s but now there are new tire tracks in it. From the car I can see that there is a big present on the front porch next to the door.
We all get out. I have all my presents in a big bag with two handles on it. I look at the big present on the porch. I’m guessing it’s for me because I like presents. I would like to open it. I see an envelope sticking out of the door. Then my Forever Dad stops. “Ginny,” he says, “get back in the car with your mom and sister for a minute.”
Everyone gets back in the car. My Forever Dad walks to the porch and taps the present with his foot and opens the envelope and takes out a piece of paper and reads it.
It is dark and starting to get cold sitting in the backseat.
After my Forever Dad finishes with the envelope he opens the door to the house. He opens it fast. Then he goes inside and turns on all the lights. Then he comes back to the car and opens the car door and says, “Everything is fine. Let’s go inside and I’ll make some quick phone calls.” He holds the door for everyone and tells me not to touch the present, to just go straight in and to wait.
I stop and look at the present. It has candy canes all over the wrapping paper.
“What did the letter say?” I ask.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you. Just come inside as quickly as you can. This is important, Ginny.”
In the house I put my other presents from Grammy’s house in my bedroom and my Forever Mom says to go upstairs with her while she gets my Forever Sister ready for bed. She tells me to go into the bathroom to get washed up. Downstairs I hear my Forever Dad on the phone. He says something about a letter and trespassing which is a word from the Our Father which is a prayer which is something you say at church. But I don’t think he’s talking to a priest. I brush my teeth and wash my face. I want to go back downstairs to get my hairbrush from my bedroom so I can look out the window but my Forever Mom says to just stay where I am until my Forever Dad is off the phone.
When I’m done flossing my teeth my Forever Dad is already upstairs in the bedroom. He talks with my Forever Mom and they say good-night to Baby Wendy. Then they tell me to go downstairs to get ready for bed.
“Now can I ask about the present on the porch?” I say.
“I’m sorry, no,” says my Forever Dad. “We can talk about it in the morning when you wake up. Do you remember what time you should wake up tomorrow?”