Most Precious Blood

  “When I’m ready,” Val said.

  “I’ll continue to pray for you,” Sister Gina Marie said.

  Val managed a smile. “Pray for my English grades while you’re at it,” she said. “How did I do on that quiz anyway?”

  “You flunked it,” Sister Gina Marie replied. “Along with just about everybody else.”

  “Even Kit?” Val asked.

  “Kit’s essay said nothing,” Sister Gina Marie declared. “But she said it so beautifully, I couldn’t bear to fail her.”

  “I’m glad,” Val said. “Kit doesn’t have much going for her right now, except for school.”

  “You’re a good girl, Val,” Sister Gina Marie said. “I know you’re angry now, but basically you’re sound. That’s why I have so much faith you’ll come through this crisis with your heart and your soul intact.”

  “I’m glad you think so, Sister,” Val said. “Because you’re the only one at this table who does.”

  Chapter 8

  “May I come home with you after school?” Val asked Kit at lunch on Thursday.

  “Still avoiding Rick?” Kit asked.

  Val nodded. She’d done fairly well the night before, mostly because Rick didn’t get back until nine-thirty. But there was no reason to expect he’d be late that night, and that could mean a long evening of evasion.

  “You can come over,” Kit said. “But I’d better warn you. Pop’s planning on coming home early and working in. He even said something about helping me make supper.”

  “Jamey?” Val said. Jamey once claimed he could burn water.

  Kit laughed. “I think we’ll end up ordering out,” she said. “You’re welcome to join us if you want.”

  Val thought about it. She was no more ready to socialize with Jamey than she was to confront her father. “Daddy wouldn’t like it if I didn’t have supper with him,” she said. “We haven’t really eaten together in days. But I’d still like to visit a little bit this afternoon.”

  “Fine,” Kit said. “We can talk about my bedroom.”

  “What about your bedroom?” Val asked.

  “Pop and I were talking about it last night,” Kit replied. “And he said if I had to buy a new mattress, maybe I should get a new bed to go with it. And I kind of mentioned having outgrown the wallpaper, you know how Mother likes that little girly stuff for me, and Pop just laughed and said if I wanted, I could have my whole room redone while Mother was at the clinic. She’s going to be there for at least a month, so there’s plenty of time. I’d really like your help.”

  “What do I know about decorating?” Val asked, but she was pleased to be included.

  “At least as much as Pop and I do,” Kit said. “I thought you might want to ask Rick if you could redo your room too. We’re sixteen now. It’s about time our bedrooms looked it.”

  “I like my room,” Val said. “I don’t want to change it. Besides …”

  “Besides what?” Kit asked.

  Val wasn’t sure how to put it. “I don’t know where I’m going to end up,” she finally said.

  “Where do you think you’re going to end up?” Kit asked. “At the orphan home? Rick’s your father no matter how you started out. And he’s going to stay your father for the rest of your life.”

  “Has Jamey said something to you?” Val asked. “About the adoption?”

  “Not a word,” Kit said. “But I’ve known you and Rick both long enough to know nothing bad’s going to happen to you. Just talk to him, Val, and get it over with. I’m sure he has a perfectly reasonable explanation.”

  Val looked down at her lasagne. “What does Jamey say about him?” she asked. “When Daddy has a legal problem, I mean. What does Jamey tell you?”

  “Nothing,” Kit said. “He just works later hours.”

  “What does he tell Amanda then?” Val said. “When he thinks you aren’t listening.”

  “Pop doesn’t talk about his work,” Kit replied. “Sometimes he’ll say he had a hard day, or he’ll mention having to deal with someone he doesn’t like, but that’s it. You want to find out about Rick’s business, you’re going to have to ask him directly.”

  “Do you remember when Sister Anne made us all say ‘Mr. Castaladi is a respectable businessman’?” Val asked.

  “Back in second grade?” Kit said. “Yeah, I remember.”

  “I thought about that yesterday,” Val said. “About how Shannon O’Roarke left school so suddenly.”

  “Her father got transferred to Detroit,” Kit said. “Kevin told me all about it when it happened. There were three or four O’Rourke kids, and Kevin was in the same grade as one of them. Kevin said Mr. O’Roarke got transferred to Detroit, and his wife didn’t want to go, but Mr. O’Roarke said someone put a lot of pressure on his boss to see to it he got transferred someplace far away. And Kevin asked the O’Roarke kid why he was telling him that, and the kid said because Pop always did the dirty work …”

  “For Rick Castaladi,” Val said.

  Kit nodded. “Kevin hates Pop,” she said. “He has for as long as I can remember. He probably made the whole story up just so I’d hate Pop too.”

  “Kevin doesn’t have that much imagination,” Val said.

  Kit looked around the lunchroom. “You don’t want to talk about this here,” she said. “Let’s wait until we get to my house.”

  “Okay,” Val said. Not that it mattered. Every girl at Most Precious Blood probably had a similar story to tell. No wonder there were so many houses she was excluded from. She felt so dirty right then, she agreed with all those righteous mothers.

  She made it through the rest of the school day, and was glad when the final bell rang, and she could escape to Kit’s. Bruno met them in front of the school grounds, and Val told him where to drive them.

  “When you want to go home, be sure to call,” Bruno said. “No more little walks, okay?”

  “I’ll call,” Val said.

  Kit laughed. Val was too peeved to ask what was so funny. Besides, she was sure she didn’t want to hear the answer.

  Kit unlocked the door, called to Bruno that everything was fine, and let Val in. Val noticed right away that the slashed paintings were gone.

  “Pop took them to see if they could be repaired,” Kit said, taking Val’s jacket. “Sometimes canvas can be sewn.”

  “That would be great,” Val said. “I miss those paintings.”

  “So does Pop,” Kit replied. “But I’m not going to miss the wallpaper in my bedroom. Come on up. Let’s analyze.”

  Val followed her friend upstairs. Kit’s room was familiar and dear to her, but she knew she couldn’t keep Kit from growing up. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to the bedroom door.

  Kit blushed. “It’s a lock,” she said. “Pop had a locksmith come over yesterday to put it in. He was afraid if he postponed it, he’d forget.”

  “What do you need a lock for?” Val asked.

  “In case Mother really goes crazy next time,” Kit said. “Mistakes me for a mattress. You know.”

  Val sank onto the soon-to-be-replaced bed. “Amanda wouldn’t do that,” she said.

  “I don’t think so either,” Kit replied. “But I wasn’t about to argue with Pop. Not when he was offering to redo my whole room. What do you think about yellow?”

  “I like it,” Val said. “Nice and cheerful.”

  “You don’t think it’s too cheerful, do you?” Kit asked. “I just haven’t been feeling somber the past couple of days. But I might once Mother comes back. Maybe I should pick a lower-keyed color, just to be prepared.”

  “I’m glad one of us is happy,” Val said.

  “Hey, look,” Kit said. “You want to play ‘I suffer more than you do,’ I’m ready.”

  “No,” Val said, although it was a temptation. “I’m glad you’re happy. I really am. How about a very soft yellow?”

  “I like the sound of it,” Kit said. “But what about the woodwork? And what color should my new bedspread be, and the curtai
ns?”

  The doorbell rang before Val could come up with an answer. “You expecting someone?” she asked.

  Kit shook her head. “Want to come with me?”

  “Okay,” Val said. The two girls went downstairs, and Kit opened the door. When the doorbell rang at Val’s house, Bruno or Connie always answered. Now that Val thought about it, she wasn’t allowed to open the door by herself.

  It was Malcolm. “Do you mind a surprise visitor?” he asked. “I thought since we didn’t have that long to visit on Tuesday, I’d come on over today.”

  “I’m glad you did,” Kit said. “Come on in. Val’s here.”

  “I see,” Malcolm said. “Hi, Val. How’re things?”

  “They’re the same,” Val said.

  “Going with the status quo then,” Malcolm said. “I don’t blame you. Have you heard anything about your mother, Kit?”

  “Pop talked to her doctors yesterday,” Kit replied. “They say she’s a very sick woman.” She smiled, but the joy was gone. “This is not a major revelation.”

  “Maybe this clinic is the answer,” Malcolm said.

  “Oh, Malcolm,” Kit said. “It’s the fifth rehab center in three years.”

  Val had a strong and unpleasant feeling of being excluded. It wasn’t right. She’d known Amanda a lot longer than Malcolm had, even if they were related. And before Malcolm came, she and Kit were managing just fine, actually having a good time. Kit must know it was a fool’s paradise, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy it while it lasted.

  “How about something to drink?” Kit asked. “This time I have ginger ale and everything.”

  “Sounds good,” Malcolm said.

  “I don’t think so,” Val said. “I should probably be going home now.”

  “So soon?” Kit asked.

  Val nodded. “I have a lot of homework to do,” she said. “And a French test tomorrow. I’ll call Bruno and ask him to pick me up.”

  “All right,” Kit said.

  Val walked over to the telephone and dialed her home number. She got a busy signal. “Busy,” she told them. “I don’t feel like waiting. I’ll just walk home.”

  “You know you can’t do that,” Kit said.

  “Why not?” Malcolm asked. “Is it too far?”

  “She isn’t allowed,” Kit replied. “And if she does, then Rick’ll get mad at me for not making her wait.”

  “Do you think something bad’ll happen?” Val asked. “Do you think Jamey’ll suddenly be transferred to Detroit?”

  “All I think is you should wait a few minutes, and try calling again,” Kit said.

  “No,” Val said. “I want to go home now.”

  “I’ll drive you,” Malcolm said.

  “Malcolm,” Kit said. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “No, it’s all right,” he said. “I’ll come back here, once I see Val’s safely home.”

  Kit was silent for a moment. “All right,” she said. “But don’t take too long, okay?”

  It angered Val that Kit was so eager to have Malcolm to herself. She obviously wanted him around because he was a relative, he was blood. In years past, that wouldn’t have bothered her nearly so much. She could always go to Michelle, or some other Castaladi. But now she had no one, and Kit didn’t even seem to care.

  She barely said goodbye to Kit, and didn’t open her mouth again until Malcolm had begun driving away. She wouldn’t have spoken then, if he hadn’t asked her a question.

  “You and Kit have a fight?” he asked.

  “No,” she said. “I just think she could be a little more sensitive to my needs.”

  “Kit has a lot on her mind right now,” Malcolm said.

  “I know that,” Val said. “She reminds me all the time. But I’m the one who just found out she was adopted. You’d think that would count for something.”

  “Kit’s worried about you,” Malcolm said. “I called her yesterday to see how things were going, and she told me what was happening with you. But right now, she’s trying to get her own life in order.”

  “She’s trying to pretend her mother’s dead,” Val said. “She and Jamey are acting like Amanda doesn’t exist anymore. It makes me sick. My mother is dead, well I thought she was my mother, and I miss her all the time.” She fell silent for a moment, as she realized that was true. She thought she’d stopped missing her mother long ago, but ever since she’d opened her mother’s secret shoe-box, she’d found herself longing for her mother’s touch, the sound of her voice, the way she knew how to comfort when it seemed that nothing could lessen the pain.

  But Malcolm didn’t know Val well enough to understand her silence. “I know you’re going through a very rough time,” he said. “But Kit seems sure things are going to work out for you. And she needs this time away from Amanda. The second time I was over there for dinner, Amanda got stinking drunk, and it was terrifying. I’ve seen people drunk before, but never like that.”

  “Kit’s used to it,” Val said.

  Malcolm shook his head. “You don’t ever get used to that kind of anger,” he said. “Even Jamey was scared.”

  I’m scared too, Val thought, but she didn’t say it. “My house is the next block down,” she said instead. “The one in the middle with the fence.”

  “I see it,” Malcolm said. He drove in front of it and parked.

  “Thank you,” Val said. “Goodbye.”

  “I’ll come in with you,” Malcolm said.

  “You don’t have to,” Val said.

  “I think I’d better,” Malcolm replied. “In case Kit asks.” He got out of the car and watched as Val unlatched the gate.

  “Connie’ll probably ask you to stay,” Val said. “But I know you want to get back to Kit.”

  “That’s all right,” Malcolm said. “I’m just making sure you get home safely.”

  Val unlocked the front door. But before she had the chance to open it completely, her father did it for her.

  “Valentina,” he said. “How did you get home?”

  “I got a ride,” Val said. Did he have to call her that stupid name? And in front of Malcolm, who had probably thought she was named Valerie or something else equally as sensible.

  “From who?” Rick asked.

  “From me,” Malcolm said. “I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m Malcolm Scott.”

  “Malcolm Scott,” Rick said. “What kind of a name is that?”

  “Make a wild guess,” Malcolm said. “Well, Val, I’ve left you safely in the arms of your bodyguard. I might as well get going.”

  “Bodyguard!” Rick said. “I’m no bodyguard. I’m her father.”

  “Whoops,” Malcolm said. “Sorry. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Castaladi, but I really have to go now.”

  “Wait one second, young man,” Rick said.

  “Daddy,” Val said.

  Rick ignored her. “How do you know my daughter?” he asked. “Do you go to Sacred Heart?”

  “I’m not even Catholic,” Malcolm said.

  “You’re not?” Rick said. “Val, go to your room at once.”

  “Daddy, stop it,” Val said. “Malcolm’s Kit’s cousin. That’s all.”

  “Her cousin?” Rick asked.

  Malcolm nodded. “My mother and Amanda are sisters,” he said. “I was over at Kit’s, and Val wanted to go home, and she called here and got a busy signal, so I offered to drive her. I didn’t realize I had to be a Catholic to give a girl a lift.”

  “I don’t care for funny business,” Rick said. “Not if my daughter’s involved.”

  “I understand, and I don’t blame you,” Malcolm said. “And I truly am sorry about that bodyguard crack. It’s just where I come from, Indiana, sixteen-year-old girls walk home by themselves all the time. I guess customs are different here.”

  “I’m sorry too,” Rick said, and he no longer looked like he wanted to take a swing at Malcolm. “It was very nice of you to give my daughter a lift. But I’m sure you understand my concer
n when I see her coming home with a strange boy.”

  “Not really,” Malcolm said. “That’s another thing sixteen-year-old girls do in Indiana.”

  Rick smiled. “I think we’ve established that we’re not in Indiana,” he declared. “Now I’m sure you want to get back to Kit.”

  “Very much so,” Malcolm said. “Goodbye, Val. I think I understand now.”

  “Goodbye, Malcolm,” Val said, not sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry. Malcolm didn’t wait to see what she would do, and her father slammed the door the minute Malcolm began walking away.

  “Valentina Castaladi, I think we have some talking to do,” her father said.

  “Don’t call me that,” Val said. She hung her jacket up in the hall closet, then flung her schoolbooks down.

  “And don’t use that tone of voice with me,” Rick said. “Do you care to tell me what’s going on?”

  “Nothing’s going on,” Val said. “Everything’s just fine.”

  “I’ve never laid a hand on you,” Rick said. “But you’re not too old for me to start.”

  “Sure,” Val said. “That’s your answer for everything, isn’t it, Daddy. When you don’t know how else to handle something, there’s always brute force.”

  “Is it your hormones?” Rick asked. “Your mother sometimes got like this, angry and raw, at her time of month.”

  “Leave my mother out of it!” Val cried. “And this has nothing to do with my hormones. I don’t even have my period. I lied to you about that.”

  “You lied?” Rick said. “Since when have I ever been so cruel to you, you had to lie?”

  “There are lots of different ways of being cruel,” Val declared. “You’d be surprised how many of them you know.” She turned her back to her father, and began walking up the stairs.

  “Stop, right now!” Rick shouted, and Val was too scared not to. “You come back here and tell me what’s going on. Something’s been wrong since Monday, and I demand an explanation.”

  Val laughed. “You want an explanation?” she said. “Not half as much as I do, Daddy.” The word sounded poisonous to her.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rick said. “I don’t owe you any explanations.”