Rene Gutteridge - Listen

“Are what?” Kay asked.

“Well, damaging. You two haven’t heard about this?”

“No,” Kay said. She looked at Jenna. “Have you?”

Jenna continued eating one lima bean at a time.

Kay watched her daughter for a moment, trying to read that mind of hers. When she was little, she’d worn every emotion on her sleeve. She became glassy-eyed at a moment’s notice if something didn’t go her way, or anyone else’s way for that matter. She had the biggest heart, always concerned for other people, including her little brother, who often made her life difficult if not embarrassing.

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the emotions were gone and in their place, nothing more than sulky, disapproving expressions that went no deeper than the gobs of makeup she smothered her face in. She had the most beautiful freckles sprinkled across her nose, but they hadn’t seen the light of day since she’d discovered a high-priced foundation that promised to cover up all flaws. So what once had been a bright sign that summer was here was now like a shameful secret that was not allowed out.

Kay really missed those freckles. And so much more. Jenna was like a whisper of who she used to be. Friends told Kay not to worry. Jenna would come out of it one day. It was what you were to expect with a teenage girl. But Kay had never expected it to be like this.

And then there was the way she’d suddenly started dressing. Sleazy. That was the only word for it. She hated to say it, but it was true. Cleavage when at all possible. Jeans tight and low. Shirts flimsy and revealing. Damien didn’t seemed concerned, but Kay knew what it meant.

Kay cleared her throat and focused her attention on Jenna. “Hey, so who are you hanging out with this year? I haven’t heard you talk about anybody in particular. What about the girls on the cheer club? Zoey. Caydance. What about Madison?”

“Just because I cheer with them doesn’t mean I have to hang out with them,” Jenna said.

Damien added, “What about Natalie? She used to be a good friend.”

Jenna’s gaze darted from Kay to Damien as she stopped chewing. “What is this, twenty questions?”

“We just like to know who your friends are,” Damien said, his voice kind in tone like it always was with Jenna. Kay, for some reason, could never quite find the right tone.

Jenna sighed, picking at her dinner roll. “Yeah, fine. Natalie. We still hang out some.”

Kay lowered her fork. “You do?”

“What? You don’t approve of Natalie now?”

Damien frowned. “Nobody said that. Natalie’s a perfectly fine-”

“She’s not.”

Everyone stopped and looked at Kay.

“What I’m trying to say,” she said, forcing a calm tone on top of a tight smile, “is that Natalie seems troubled.”

Jenna placed her fork onto her plate and put her elbows on the table just like Kay hated. “What are you talking about? No, she’s not.”

“I’m just hearing some things-”

“What things?”

“Her mother is… well, there’s some trouble at home and-”

“So what? That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with Nat. Her parents are screwups. But it’s not fair to say she is.”

Damien held up a hand to each of them. “We’re not saying that. Not at all. I think you’re reading what your mom is saying wrong; isn’t she, Kay?”

Kay bit down hard on her lip, casting a measured look at Damien. “I think that she should be careful when choosing friends. Sometimes kids can act out when their parents are going through something and can be bad influences on other kids.”

Jenna gripped the edge of the table. “So you think Caydance and Zoey are good examples?”

“They seem like nice girls.”

“Do they. Hmm.”

“And Madison in particular. She’s a straight-A student.”

“So let me get this straight. You want me to hang out with Caydance and Zoey and Madison because they’re popular and straight-A students, and you don’t want me to hang out with Natalie because her parents are weird.”

“That’s not what your mother is saying,” Damien said, shooting Kay a look that said stop talking. “You’ve always chosen your friends wisely. We don’t question that at all. I think what your mother is trying to say is that if Natalie becomes a bad influence, think twice about hanging out with her.”

Jenna took in a deep breath, looking the slightest bit relieved. “May I be excused now?”

Kay started to stop her but Damien said, “Of course. I’ll get the ice cream out later.”

“Yum. Ice cream. That’s all I need, more fat on my hips,” Jenna growled, throwing her napkin onto the table. She disappeared up the stairs.

“Can I have her pork chop?” Hunter asked.

Damien scooted the plate toward him but stared at Kay. “What was that all about?”

“What? I’m just trying to figure out who she’s hanging out with.”

“It seemed like you already had an opinion about whom that should be.”

“Don’t give me the third degree on this. I happen to know the mothers of those girls, and it’s better for us if we know the parents of the girls she’s hanging out with.”

“She doesn’t seem to be a big fan,” Damien said, continuing with his meal.

“Well, sometimes at this age they don’t know what’s best. Can’t you see what’s happening with her? Didn’t you see her shirt tonight? Papier-mâché thin.”

“You know Jenna. She’s never been drawn to the most popular girls. Even when she was younger, she was able to choose quality over quantity. I think we should trust her on this one.”

Kay looked down, everything on her plate suddenly unappetizing. “She just can’t see…”

“See what?”

The doorbell rang and Damien scooted his chair back. “I’ll get it.”

Kay watched him go around the corner to the door, then looked at Hunter.

But Hunter didn’t look back. “May I be excused?” he asked and didn’t wait for an answer. Before she knew it, she was totally alone.

The table, overcrowded with dishes and plates of uneaten food, caused her to push away and leave the room. She wandered to the office, where a bright screen saver of a rolling hillside greeted her. With one click she was on the Internet. Ten seconds later, she was immersed in a dark world of insinuation and accusation, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

She searched for anything that could be about her.

Damien smelled her before he even opened the door. That was some kind of dousing to be able to instantly kill the smell of pan-seared pork chops. He braced himself for the overwhelming scent of jasmine and the intrusive eyes that would undoubtedly focus on him.

He’d once complained to Frank that Angela wore too much perfume. He made that mistake only once.

Swinging open the door, he feigned surprise while managing to say, “Angela!” and hold his breath. “What are you doing here?” He stepped out onto the porch for some fresh air and privacy. He didn’t want Kay involved in this conversation, whatever conversation it might be. When Angela dumped Frank, Kay remained friends with her but not for long. They got into a fight and hadn’t spoken since. To this day, Kay wouldn’t talk about it or her again. Damien never even knew what the fight was about.

His nose twitched, fighting off a sneeze. He turned a little toward the breeze.

“I want to talk to you.” Her voice was low, breathy.

“I’m here. What can I do for you?”

“It’s about Frank.”

“I figured it was.”

“You know he filed a missing person report on me, don’t you?”

“I haven’t talked to Frank today.”

“Surprising. I thought you two were attached at the hip. And also, you went with him.”