That last word came out as a high-pitched squeal, and the girl’s hazel eyes were so huge Vanessa could see white all around the pupils.
“How would you feel if that happens?”
“I’m not going back there.” Her head moved forcefully from side to side. “No one can make me do that.”
“Then it behooves you and Jana to shape up.”
“I mean it. I won’t go back.” Barb never looked well, as skinny as she was and often, like now, her head and shoulders were bent forward as though carrying a tremendous burden. “I’ll run away first—or kill myself.”
She’s seldom this forceful, this dramatic, Vanessa thought. “Was it that bad?”
“Worse!” Barb’s hands were wringing one another there on the table. “Mom picks such awful guys!”
Vanessa couldn’t remember the reports going deeply into the lifestyle of her mother, but as she was trying to decide how to ask the question, Jana burst out with it, “Is he the guy who got you pregnant?”
A shudder ran through Barb. “I don’t even want to talk about him. He’s evil!”
What would Gram do? Vanessa wondered. Would she keep the girl talking, hoping that, once out in the open, it could be dealt with?
Jana was already asking, “Did your mom know about it?”
“She didn’t do anything. She’s as bad as he is!”
“Worse, if you ask me! My mom didn’t give a hoot about me, but I can hardly believe yours would let her boyfriend do whatever he wanted! Both of them should rot in jail.”
It’s amazing—Jana’s utterly appalled by the wickedness done to this girl she herself harasses! But what Vanessa said was, “At least you’re safe here, Barb.”
“I’m—not sure. Mom had to sign for me to come, since I’m just seventeen, so she knows where I am.” She fidgeted as she cleared her throat. “Two days ago a red car went past here that looked like his. But I ducked down, so I can’t say absolutely, positively it was him driving, but the car had a replacement fender on the right front, just like his. And it was going real slow.”
Vanessa tried to keep from showing her horror at this development. “Have you told anyone?”
Barb’s long, straight blond hair whipped from side to side with her vigorous head shake. “I thought I’d tell Gram yesterday, but am sure glad I didn’t!”
“Glad?” Jana challenged, eyes still large.
“If she’d fallen right after I told her, I’d never have forgiven myself!” Her hair swung forward, partially concealing the tear-smudged, downward-tilted face.
Vanessa went to her, reassuring, “We understand your being frightened, dear, but I’m glad you told us. We can help you.”
“Nobody can—not forever.” It was a wail of hopelessness. “He could grab me on my way to school. Or come here…”
“I don’t think he’d try that—not with all of us here with you.”
Jana chimed in with her own encouragement, “Sure, we’ll tell the others and—”
“Don’t tell anyone. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t plan to.”
“We had to know, Barb. From now on I’ll drive you to school each morning, and you two can make a point of coming home together.” Aware of Jana’s apprehension, she asked, “You often walk back with other girls, don’t you?”
“Just sometimes.” Barb looked toward Jana. “And I don’t want you or anyone else hurt.”
Vanessa needed to ask, “You honestly think there could be danger to others?”
“I don’t know. But I’ve been so scared….”
Vanessa worked hard at helping with homework, but they had difficulty concentrating. It was after the girls had gone upstairs, and after she’d spent another hour working with the older girls’ studies that she checked a second time to make sure all first-floor doors and windows were locked. She considered pulling the opaque shades at the kitchen windows, but couldn’t recall Gram’s doing that except when midsummer’s late-afternoon sunshine streamed in.
She did, however, deliberately leave on both back and front porch lights, and was going back to the kitchen when Rob phoned to tell her of his mother’s prayers. He added, “Honestly, Van, I don’t know how you’re doing everything!”
“The question isn’t so much how I’m doing, as how well.” She’d tried to say that lightly, but surprised herself with, “I wish Gram were here!”
There was a split second’s pause. “What’s wrong, Vanessa? Is it something I can help with?”
His voice sounded worried, and she wanted nothing more than to share this with him. “I shouldn’t….”
“Van?”
“It’s, not something I can talk about on the phone.” Actually, I shouldn’t talk about it at all.
He must have sensed her turmoil. “I’ll be there within three minutes.”
She felt guilty involving him in this, and told herself she should be calling her lawyer-mother for advice. Instead, she went out on the front porch and sat on the swing for what proved to be no more than the short time he’d predicted.
She’d told herself she had no right to trouble him, but as he parked along the curb, hurried up the walk and steps and then across the porch to sit beside her, she knew she needed his input and suggestions, and felt heartened by his presence.
He held her hand as she filled him in on Barb’s situation, and how worried she was. He asked questions, most of which she couldn’t answer, and talked about what-ifs and maybes—and it did help immeasurably just having him there.
They eventually went together into the house, Vanessa having decided to call her mother for advice. Rob used the phone in the front room; Vanessa sat near him using the portable phone, what Gram referred to as her “walk-around.”
“Gram’s not worse, is she?” Mother’s concern was evident.
“She seems to be doing fine, but we have another problem….”
Paula McHenry said almost nothing as her daughter told what she’d just learned, but then she stated, “I’m calling the authorities tonight.”
“Is there any other way? Barb’s going to be terribly upset if this becomes public knowledge.”
“We have no choice.” There seemed to be sadness, at least resignation, in that voice. “Barb’s a minor, and what’s been perpetrated is a major crime which, by law, you and I must report.”
“I doubt she’ll be willing to repeat any of this.”
“There are people specially trained to work with these situations. I think she’ll open up once she finds this to be the only way she can ever feel safe.” She cleared her throat. “The girls adore Gram…she’ll be able to get Barb’s cooperation.”
Rob, too, asked Paula questions and discussed the situation with her and, later, with Vanessa, leaving only when she insisted she must get to bed if she was to be even functional the next day.
Vanessa had trouble sleeping, however, and awoke early. She must talk to Gram about Barb, and the sooner the better. She would have to find time today to run over to the hospital.
And then she stopped short, sitting there on the side of her bed, asking herself why she’d involved Rob with something that had nothing to do with him. It was my own weakness, my own need. It’s not his problem, and yet I dragged him into what could become very messy.