A Place To Call Home

  ***

  School was boring that day and seemed to drag on. Math was first thing in the morning and there was a test. The teacher assured her that she would only mark the questions Sarah elected to do - since she'd missed the first two months. That was little consolation though because the test turned out to be impossibly difficult and Sarah could only answer two of the fifteen questions.

  Math was followed by a biology class where they watched a grainy, eighties video about the eating habits of the Snowy Owl. She'd been really looking forward to going to the cafeteria and buying a chocolate muffin at break, but just before the video ended Mr. Stephens (her Biology teacher) tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to stay after class for a few minutes to go over her microscope assignment. A few minutes turned into ten minutes and not only was there no time left to get a chocolate muffin, she was late for her next class.

  Mr. Gray, her history teacher, wrote her up for being late. He was in an unusually bad mood that morning because their essays had been "absolutely disgraceful." As punishment, he had them silently read their textbooks for the duration of the class and anyone caught talking was docked a grade point.

  Lunch was lunch. Sarah still hadn't made any friends - acquaintances - but no friends. Friends were people that you could sit with at lunch - acquaintances were people you waved to, but didn't dare sit with because you hadn't yet earned the right to be a member of whatever clique he or she happened to a part of. And so, as she'd done every other day, Sarah sat by herself under the stairwell with a book and her brown bag Canterbury lunch, waiting for the bell to ring.

  Three hours and two periods later, Sarah boarded the bus that would return her to Canterbury House. She was frustrated at how long it was taking to make friends. She was tired of all the homework.

  I don't care if I never go back to school again.

  No one sat beside her - and for once she was glad. Stretching out on the brown, vinyl seat, she stared out the window for the entire ride. The bus dropped her at Canterbury and she slowly made her way up the front walk.

  Wait a second.

  She turned around and what she saw made her heart skip a beat. A red mini-van - just like the Nielsen's - was parked beside the curb.

  It can't be.

  Sarah raced up the walkway, pounded up the front steps, and flung the door open.

  "Rachel!"

  "Jessica! I mean...Sarah! It seems strange to call you Sarah."

  The girls hugged like nothing had happened.

  "Oh my God - I missed you!"

  "Me too! How've you been?"

  Standing beside them and watching their happy reunion were Gail and Maria.

  "Mrs. Nielsen."

  "Sarah."

  "I missed you guys so much."

  Maria smiled. "And we missed you so much!"

  Rachel cut in. "I told mom that if she didn't bring me to visit, I wouldn't volunteer at Anthony's anymore."

  "How did you find me?"

  "Amy told us. She told us everything. Oh Sarah - (If Rachel had found it strange to say her real name, Sarah was finding it even more strange to hear her real name from the girl she'd introduced herself to as Jessica) I was so stupid. I understand now why you pretended to be Jessica Myers."

  "I felt really guilty lying to you, you know..."

  "I know...I know!"

  Rachel wrapped her arms around Sarah a second time.

  "I'm sorry," she said, squeezing Sarah tightly. "Can you forgive me?"

  Sarah grinned. "Of course. What are friends for?"

  Over the next few weeks Rachel visited several times. The girls would relax in the den, exchanging stories and talking about all the cute guys at their schools.

  When the den was full of kids they would go to Sarah's (and Little Sue's) room and hang out there. One night Rachel even stayed for supper and Sarah loved the sour look on Crystal's face.

  It was the night after this that Sarah noticed her necklace was missing. She always took great care to keep it safe and the only time she ever took it off for any extended period of time was when she showered. She couldn't remember whether she'd left it in the bathroom or in her bedroom when she'd showered earlier that evening. Both Angie and Tracy helped her search for it - but it was in vain and Sarah could only assume that it had been stolen. And even though she had a pretty good idea who had stolen it - she couldn't prove it and Gail wasn't in the mood to hear her "speculations".

  Crystal seemed to be in good spirits that week - and Sarah watched her like a hawk. Unfortunately, she gave no obvious signs that she'd taken the necklace.

  One evening, while lying in bed and feeling particularly upset that she no longer had her mother's necklace - and her mother's picture - she felt a tap on her shoulder. She rolled over and saw herself staring into the big, round eyes of Little Sue. Sue smiled and her brown eyes shone as she held out a fist.

  Was she giving her something?

  Sarah sat up. "What is it Little Sue?"

  "Take."

  Sarah extended an outstretched hand and Sue dropped something warm and thread-like into it.

  "My necklace! Sue! Where did you get this!?"

  The girl's smile vanished and she suddenly looked very scared.

  "Sue...you can tell me. Was it Crystal? It was Crystal, wasn't it?"

  Sue nodded slowly.

  "I knew it."

  "Crystal said not tell Sarah. Crystal said if Sue tell Sarah, Crystal hurt Sue. But Sue like Sarah. Sarah nice to Sue. So Sue tell Sarah," Sue finished, her smile fully restored.

  "Aww, thanks."

  Sarah would have hugged her, but Angie had explained that because of the abuse she'd suffered, Sue still didn't take well to physical contact. At the very least, she could reassure Sue that no harm would come to her.

  "Don't you worry about Crystal, okay? I'll talk to Gail tomorrow and Crystal won't be able to put a finger on you. Okay?"

  Sue nodded.

  "Okay. Let's try and get some sleep now, eh? It's getting late."

  But before the little girl could respond, the door to their bedroom burst open and in came Crystal, red-faced and practically frothing at the mouth.

  "You! You took my necklace!"

  She grabbed Sue roughly by the shoulders and began to shake her violently.

  "Let her go!" yelled Sarah, leaping out of the bed and taking hold of Crystal's hair. She pulled as hard as she could - as though her life depended on it. Crystal screamed and turned around, releasing Sue.

  "You bitch!" Crystal screeched, lashing out at Sarah with her nails and catching her on the side of the neck.

  Sarah ignored the pain and wrapped an arm around Crystal's neck before throwing her to the floor as hard as she could. Crystal hit the floor with a smack and she began to cry. Angry tears streaming down her face, Crystal got to her feet and lunged at Sarah. Sarah sidestepped deftly and pushed on Crystal's back as she passed by. The enraged girl flew face first into the wall.

  Thwack.

  Angie appeared in the doorway. "JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON IN HERE!?"

  "It's her!" yelled Sarah, pointing at Crystal who was still facing the wall. "She stole my necklace - then she came in here and attacked Little Sue!"

  Crystal turned to face them. Blood poured from her nose.

  Upon seeing the condition she was in, Angie took a step backwards. "Okay. That's it. Sarah. Sue. Get into bed. Now. Crystal, come with me."

  Angie took a crying, bloodied Crystal and lead her out of the room. She closed the door behind them and Sarah listened to their footsteps as they went down the stairs.

  "Are you okay, Sue?"

  The little girl nodded. She looked frightened. I'm sorry if you got scared from that. She's a nasty piece of work," said Sarah, looking at the door and rubbing at the scratches on her neck. "She needed to be taught a lesson. You're safe now though. Alright?"

  Sue nodded, her big, brown eyes sad and mournful.

  "Okay," said Sarah, crawling back into her bed. "Let's try
and actually get some sleep now that crazy Crystal is done with for the night."

  Sue didn't move, but pointed to Sarah's bed.

  "You want to sleep with me?"

  She nodded eagerly.

  Sarah smiled. "Sure...why not. Here," said Sarah, sliding over and pulling back the covers. The little girl scampered forwards and dove in. With one arm wound tightly around her teddy bear and the other arm tucked under her head, she fell asleep instantly.

  Cute.

  Sarah opened the locket of her mother's necklace. Her mother's picture was still intact.

  Good night, mom.

  She kissed the locket, closed it, and put the necklace around her neck. It felt good to have her mom their again. Finally, she switched off the light and went to sleep with Little Sue snoring softly beside her.

  - 17 -

  A HOME FOR RON AND SARAH

  There was a buzz in the air the next morning and Sarah didn't have to wait long to learn why. Crystal - the "Canterbury Terror" - sat by herself at the breakfast table, eating her cornflakes, her nose swaddled in gauze. The other kids, long bullied by Crystal, bounced excitedly around the house as they got ready for school. She only looked at Crystal for a second before walking to the refrigerator to pour herself a glass of orange juice. Before she could open it however, Chandra stopped her.

  "I'll get that for you, Sarah. You go and relax in the den. Would you like some toast?"

  Not used to being waited upon, Sarah politely refused the help. Chandra wasn't taking no for an answer though - neither was her sister Cassandra - and Sarah was politely coerced into leaving the kitchen.

  "Go. We've got it. Don't worry. Go and sit down."

  She went to the den where Ron was already sitting and playing cards with Trevor on the couch.

  "Everyone's talking about you," Ron said as soon as she sat down.

  "What are they saying?"

  "Only that you single-handedly whooped Crystal's butt," said Ron proudly.

  "Well they'd be lying then," said Sarah, picking up a magazine and crossing one leg over the other. She'd never liked gossip.

  Ron and Trevor looked equally perplexed. "Why...what happened?"

  Sarah flipped open the magazine. "She ran into a wall."

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw the boys exchange a look.

  "Well, then the wall whooped her butt. I've never seen her look like she does now. And, for the first time since I've been here, she hasn't stolen or spilled anyone's breakfast."

  "Well, let's just hope it lasts then, eh?"

  Chandra and Cassandra arrived with her toast and orange juice a minute later.

  "If you need anything else, Sarah, just let us know."

  I will. Thanks girls."

  "No, thank you, Sarah."

  "You're welcome...I guess."

  Gail arrived a few minutes later and as Sarah was finishing her breakfast, she came into the den and asked the other kids to leave them alone.

  Ron and Trevor padded out of the room, but Sarah could tell by their curious expressions that they'd be stopping around the corner to listen.

  "Now Sarah...before I come up with a punishment for your for last night - I want to hear what happened. Crystal won't tell me - all she says is that you did it.

  "I did do it."

  "Why? You could have broken her nose. Do you realize how serious this is?"

  "She stole my mom's necklace - and she attacked Sue. She was angry that Sue took it from her and gave it back to me. She came into our room and shook Sue like a rag doll - so I did what I had to do."

  Gail wasn't sure how to respond. "Well...I suppose that she's equally to blame then."

  In the end, Sarah was given supper dish duty for two weeks, and Gail told the other caregivers that Crystal was not allowed to be alone with either Sarah or Sue. Sarah wasn't upset about her punishment - she knew Gail had to give her some sort of consequence and two weeks of supper dishes was, in her opinion, getting off easy.