A Million Ways Home Read online

  “I’ll tell you what,” Officer Kinsley said. “I think he’s got some real potential. I don’t see any reason why we can’t try him at the next level of training. Let me check the schedule, and I’ll get back with you.” He pumped my hand. “Great job, maybe a few years down the road we could use you at the academy.”

  Carol squealed, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It was the proudest moment of my life. I remembered Trey’s story, about how he’d beaten his dad at checkers on his thirteenth birthday, and I understood.

  Carol waited until the patrol car pulled away from the shelter before she started jumping around like a little kid. She grabbed my shoulders and gave me a shake. “You did it!” she cried. “Way to go, girl. I can’t believe you.”

  Marti came over and hugged me, and Lizzie gave me a high five.

  It would’ve been a perfect moment, if only Grandma Beth could’ve been there to see it. And the fact that she wasn’t was like a kick to the stomach. It was the first happy thing Grandma Beth had ever missed. She’d always been there to help me celebrate — my win in the junior art contest, my perfect-attendance award in second grade, my starring role in Little Red Riding Hood, my fifth-grade graduation.

  And later that night, when I was alone, I cried not only because Grandma had missed my exciting day, but for Gunner, too. Because as badly as I wanted him to move on to the next stage of training, I didn’t want to let him go. He’d been like my security blanket these past several weeks, and now he’d be leaving me, too. And it made me think of my conversation with Trey about my parents’ decision to go to Botswana.

  Grandma Beth had told me they’d struggled to make up their minds, that they’d spent a lot of time talking it over with her. But I’d never really believed her, never wanted to believe her. It felt safer and easier just to blame them. But now I knew Trey was right. They hadn’t planned to abandon me. All they’d wanted was to realize a dream. If they’d taught for the semester and then come home, it wouldn’t have affected my life at all. They didn’t have any more control over the way things turned out than I did over Grandma Beth dying. Sometimes things just happened. It was another one of those cold, hard-as-steel truths.

  I tugged my flannel blanket up to my chin. And for the first time, I felt my resentment start to loosen.

  Miss Austin came to my room the next day after school. She wore a flowing green skirt that actually looked nice on her. “Hey there, Poppy,” she said. “I need you to come along with me to an appointment.”

  I closed my sketch pad and rolled up from the bed. “What appointment?”

  “The lawyer’s finished looking over your grandma’s will, and he’d like to talk with you about it.”

  I knew Grandma Beth had a will, but I’d never asked her anything about it. All adults had wills, didn’t they? “Why does he need me?”

  “He has some things to tell you. He’ll explain when you get there. It shouldn’t take long. Bring your art pad if you like.”

  I followed Miss Austin to her car, and we rode downtown to a building that said SMITH & HURLEY — ASSOCIATES AT LAW. I could’ve drawn while we waited, but Miss Austin and I sat in red leather chairs only inches apart, and I didn’t like people watching me work. I studied the artwork on the walls instead, wondering why I felt nervous. I was sure Grandma Beth had left everything in the apartment to me — she didn’t have anyone else to leave it to. There were only a few things I really wanted. Grandma’s photo albums and her big cactus and our book of quotations, for sure. But would there be a safe place to keep them at the center? And what about everything else? Our furniture and beds, and my books and toys?

  I was about to ask Miss Austin about it when a short, balding man came into the room. He introduced himself as Franklin Hurley and showed us into his office.

  He rolled two chairs up to his black metal desk. “Have a seat, ladies. Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

  He opened a file folder and took out a sheet of paper along with a business-size envelope. “I assume you’re Priscilla Marie Parker?”

  “Poppy,” I said.

  “All right, Poppy. Your grandmother had a standard will, giving you the right to anything of value, including her jewelry and personal effects, as well as a bank account containing $16,342.”

  That caught my attention. “Sixteen thousand?”

  “Yes, but you won’t have access to the money right now. It will remain in a trust fund until you turn eighteen.” He paused long enough to fold his hands. “Of course, your grandma was most concerned with your welfare in the event of her death, and a few weeks ago she wrote some instructions with the help of Miss Austin here.” He held out the envelope. “I’ll excuse myself for a few minutes and give you a chance to read it over.”

  I stared at the envelope before slowly reaching out and taking it. Instructions about my welfare? What was that supposed to mean? I glanced at Miss Austin and then back at the envelope. The flap was open. I slowly took out the letter and unfolded it. I felt a pang in my heart when I thought about the effort it would have taken Grandma Beth to write me a letter.

  My dearest Poppy,

  You’ve been nothing but a joy to me over the years, and I thank you so much for enriching my life in a million different ways. I regret that I can’t be with you now, but I have complete faith and confidence in your ability to make a success of yourself. I love you so much.

  Tears jumped to my eyes, and I had to squeeze them hard for a minute before I could keep reading. Miss Austin held out a tissue, and I grabbed it from her.

  Marti Brannigan and I have had many opportunities to speak over these past days, and I have come to regard her as a dear friend. I feel blessed that you came into contact with her and her son, and I have no doubt they have your best interests at heart. I can’t stand the thought of you spending the rest of your childhood at the center, or worse yet, with strangers in foster care, and the Brannigans agreed. So I’ve arranged to sign over custody of you to Trey, who has offered to take over legal guardianship.

  I sucked in a breath. I knew I’d read the words right, but still…. I reread the last sentence to see if it still said the same thing. It did.

  I know that no one could ever love you as much as your parents and me. But I feel in my heart that this is the best decision. I hope you understand and accept it, and that you do your very best to make your new circumstances work. I have no doubt that you will.

  I sagged back in the chair as a strange heat tingled through my chest.

  Miss Austin raised her eyebrows. “Did you finish?” she asked gently.

  I looked back at the letter. There was still a paragraph left.

  Now I want to ask just one final favor of you, Poppy. When things are tough, look up to the stars and remember all those wonderful times we looked at them together, and know that I’ll love you for as long as they shine. Right now it may seem that all the world has changed, but if you’re strong, and take one day at a time, I promise that things will fall into place.

  All my love,

  Grandma Beth

  I dropped the letter in my lap and covered my face with my hands, too scared to accept what I’d just read. A light pressure on my shoulder made me look up a minute later. “Well?” Miss Austin asked with a smile.

  I took the tissue and blew my nose. “Do you know what the letter says?”

  “I do. I was there when it was notarized. What do you think?”

  My mind felt thick and foggy. I raised my hands and then let them drop. “I don’t know,” I said.

  “What’s not to know?”

  I started to laugh, an uncontrollable giggle that made it hard to talk. “Who would I actually live with?”

  “Trey would be your legal guardian. That means he’d be responsible for you. But I think you’d get to spend a lot of time with Marti, which was what your grandma was banking on.”

  I took a deep breath and tried to stop laughing. “I thought Marti didn’t want to take in any more foster kids.”

 
; “You’re not a foster child, Poppy. You were just temporarily in the care of the state, since your grandma couldn’t take care of you. But she had the legal right to assign someone of her choice as your legal guardian. In fact, once we have a brief hearing before a judge and it becomes official, you won’t have to bother with me ever again.”

  I fingered the letter and made Miss Austin wait while I reread it. “My grandma’s still trying to take care of me, isn’t she?”

  “Yes,” Miss Austin said, “of course she is.”

  “Marti and Trey have already agreed to this?”

  “Marti was more than willing to become your legal guardian. But after we all talked it over, she agreed that in view of her age, it might be the wisest course to make Trey the guardian.”

  “So … he just got dragged into the deal?”

  She chuckled. “Well, I’m not claiming to know Detective Brannigan that well. But from what I do know, I can’t quite picture him being dragged into anything. Can you?”

  I thought about it and another grin slipped out. “No,” I said, “not really.”

  She winked at me. “I’m going to tell Mr. Hurley we’re ready to finish up here.”

  The lawyer came back in. I sat in a daze and listened to him explain that it would take several weeks until we’d have the hearing before a judge, but that Child Services had agreed there wasn’t any reason I couldn’t stay with Trey and Marti in the meantime.

  Marti was waiting for us in the lobby. She jumped up, and the magazine she’d been reading fell off her lap. She clenched her hands, looking like she was afraid maybe things hadn’t gone well. But then Miss Austin said, “Congratulations,” and Marti’s face relaxed into a big grin.

  She came over and put her fingertips on my cheek. “So what do you think? Are you willing to consider living with an old lady and her bossy son?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me, Marti?”

  “She didn’t tell you,” Miss Austin answered, “because I asked her not to. There was too much chance of disappointing you if things didn’t pan out.” She gave my shoulder a pat and looked at Marti. “Why don’t you follow me back to the center. I’ll need you to fill out some paperwork, and then Poppy can get her things.”

  I followed Marti out to her car, clutching Grandma Beth’s letter in my hand. I wondered if this past hour had really happened, or if it was some weird dream. But then I slipped into the front seat and reached out to touch the little vanilla-scented tree dangling from Marti’s radio, and I knew it was real. Unbelievable, but real.

  Trey worked late again that night, but once he got home he called me over to his half of the duplex. “Can we sit out on the steps?” I asked. “The stars are out.”

  He brought out a beer and a couple of Twinkies, and sat beside me on the cold cement. We looked up at the night sky, but neither of us spoke. I wondered what he was thinking. I was thinking how good it felt to be sitting beside him again.

  “So, there’s gonna be chores,” he said, “and rules.”

  “Yeah? Like what?”

  “No skipping school, that’s for sure. And no pink hair, either.”

  I giggled. “Lizzie offered to give me some sun streaks. Would that be okay?”

  “Sun streaks?”

  “Yeah, you know, like lighter highlights.”

  Trey furrowed his brow like he didn’t know what to say, and I giggled again. “Any more rules?”

  “No more than two Twinkies a week.”

  “What!” I gasped. “Oh, man. You saved the worst for last.”

  “Yeah, well, there’ll be more once I’ve had a chance to think. You have any questions?”

  “Yeah. Can I have my bike back now?”

  “Yep. But no taking off without permission.”

  “Okay.” I let out a slow, even breath. “I just have one more question. Why did you agree to this, Trey?”

  He gave the beer bottle a thoughtful look and rubbed his thumb over its top. “Because once I had a chance to help a really great kid, and I didn’t. And I try never to make the same mistake twice.”

  “Virginia?”

  “She used to be my next-door neighbor. I guess I told you that. Sweet little kid. She had these big eyes like yours. Sometimes she’d see me outside and come over to talk.”

  He smiled sadly, but not at me.

  “She had this hamster named Ralph. She was convinced the little rodent could do everything but talk. She’d help me wash the car or clean up the garage and tell me all about Ralph.”

  I stayed completely still, afraid the slightest movement might break the spell and make him stop talking.

  “Her folks worked late most nights, left the older step-brother to babysit. He picked on her a lot. One night I heard Virginia crying, and I went over to find out what was going on. Her brother had sprained her wrist because she wouldn’t listen to him. I called the parents and told them they better get home because I was gonna arrest their son for assault. But the mom, she started to cry, gave me some song and dance about what a rough time the family had been going through and begged me to let them handle it on their own.”

  Trey waved his hand in disgust and glanced at me. “I agreed to give him one more chance. Can you believe it? I actually agreed. Worst decision I’ve ever made.”

  I gave a slight nod.

  “Things were okay for a couple weeks,” he said. “I saw Virginia several times and she seemed good. Then one night — a Friday night — the brother invited a bunch of his buddies over to get high and … and then …”

  He stopped. His hands curled into fists. “Nobody’s sure exactly what happened then. She probably threatened to tattle and her brother freaked out. All I know is we had a dead little girl, five teenage boys, and five different stories. The whole department put their all into that case, but there was never enough hard evidence to prove who’d done what. The case went to trial, but nobody was ever convicted.”

  He shook his head. “God, how I wish I’d followed my gut and arrested the kid that first night.”

  I looked down at my shoes as a shiver passed through me. It creeped me out a little to know that I reminded him of a dead girl. But I was really touched that he trusted me enough to tell me the story. I wondered what had happened to the little hamster, Ralph. “You know,” I said, “her brother might have still hurt her later.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Well,” I said, “I guess it’s like you told me not long ago — some choices turn out good, and some … blindside you.”

  “Yeah.”

  The glowing half moon slowly rose until it peeked its way above the house across the street. It cast a soft shine on the pavement. Soon after, the chirping of a lone cricket filled the air.

  “Well,” Trey said, “guess he thinks it’s officially nighttime.”

  “Guess he does.”

  “That means you better head for bed.”

  “Okay.” I stood and stretched and looked up at the sky once more. “Will you go with me to Manito Park sometime? The stars are so much brighter there.”

  “Sure,” he said. Then he reached for my hand and gave it a firm shake. “Welcome to the Brannigan family, Tiger.”

  I was too overcome to say anything. I think he understood. He took another sip of beer and then said, “Go on now. Good night.”

  Marti and I spent the next morning at the shelter. I let Gunner run around in the fenced area while Lizzie and I cleaned up dog poop and laughed at Garfield’s efforts to box with a dandelion.

  “I’m taking him with me tomorrow,” Lizzie said.

  “Home you mean?”

  She puffed out a sigh and shook her head. “No, I’m going to visit Dad tomorrow.”

  I sucked in a breath. “Really? Good for you.”

  “Yeah, well, we’ll see. But I figure Garfield will give us something to talk about. I’m not sure what else we’ll do.”

  “You could always go for a walk through Manito Park.”

  She made big eyes. “Not so sure I�
�m ready to go back there yet. So what do you think will happen to him?”

  “Who?”

  “William Eugene Frank.”

  “Oh.” I shook my head. “Trey says he’ll stay in prison until his trial, which probably won’t be till next year. And then he should get sent away for a long time after that.”

  “I hope so. Hey, speaking of next year, guess what?”

  “You’ll be a year older?”

  “Funny. No, Mom says if I finish my community service and promise to stay out of trouble, she might let me go back to middle school.”

  I grinned. “To Whitmore? We’d be together.”

  “I know. How cool is that?”

  “As cool as ice cream in November,” Marti said.

  And both of us whirled around to see that she’d come up behind us. “I’m serious,” she said. “I think we need to take a lunch break and go celebrate.”

  “Really?” I said. “Ice cream for lunch?”

  “Why not?” Marti said.

  Lizzie let her shovel clang to the ground and scooped up Garfield before making a beeline for the gate. “Only an idiot would turn that down. Race you to the car, Poppy.”

  “Hold up there,” Marti called. “In view of what you girls were just doing, don’t you think you should wash your hands first?”

  It was after I’d dried my hands and reached into my pocket for my ChapStick that I felt Grandma Beth’s letter. I’d kept it with me ever since the other day in the lawyer’s office, and it was already worn soft from all the folding and unfolding. I knew if I didn’t put it in a safe place soon, it would end up falling apart. But I wasn’t quite ready to put it away. There was something I needed to do first, and as Marti and Lizzie and I headed across town, I knew it was time.

  “Marti,” I asked, “could we make a quick stop by the cemetery before we go for ice cream?”

  She met my eyes with a warm smile. “Of course we can,” she said.

  I took Grandma Beth’s letter out of my pocket and read it again, until the car slowed and we came to a stop. I looked out my window. Across the street, a tall white church hovered, its steeple reaching for the sky. Spread out behind it was a huge green lawn, surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. “Where’s the little Japanese building?” I asked.