Page 29 of The Art of Us

“I don’t want to owe anybody anything.” Ireland’s dad owed everyone. She would not be like him. He was in jail now. She didn’t know why that made her feel so ridiculously sad.

“You won’t owe the Washingtons anything. They have the means to do this without it putting them out in any way. They’ve only got Mara and their youngest daughter, Jade, at home now, so there’s plenty of room for you and plenty of resources to provide for you. They only require that you stay the course. Keep doing what you’re doing. Go to school. Get good grades. Be the person you already are. They’re excited to take you in. Once I told Grace about you, she about knocked me over because she wanted to go get you right that minute.”

“Who all knows?” she asked.

“I told the principal, and I gave her your name. Other than that, the only people we talked to were the Washingtons.”

“How long have you known? You couldn’t have arranged all of this and found out about my dad in an afternoon.”

“It’s been a few days,” he confessed.

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

Mr. Wasden’s shoulders twitched. He didn’t love what he was about to say, but he said it anyway. “Honestly, we worried if we tipped our hand before we had things arranged, you might disappear on us.”

“So, you’re saying you thought I was a flight risk?”

He cringed but nodded.

“Huh. Well ... that’s fair, I guess.”

“So ... who do you want to help you get your stuff together?”

No one. She didn’t want anyone to help her. She didn’t want anyone to know she was living in a bathroom—especially not Mara, who would tell her friends, who would then tell everyone else. The jokes would be nonstop. “Does Mara know where I live?”

“No. Right now, the Washingtons don’t even know your name. And I didn’t tell them where you were living exactly, only that you were on your own.”

Ireland’s breathing felt like the oxygen wasn’t making it to her lungs. “You won’t tell them, will you?”

“Not if you don’t want me to.”

She leaned forward and rubbed her hand down her face. “There’s a Lutheran church on Sixteenth and Bayview. I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”

“Mrs. Parker can take you to get your things, and I’ll meet you at your new house.”

He looked at something behind Ireland, and she turned her head to see what it was. The principal had come in sometime during the conversation.

Right. Flight risk. They weren’t going to let her go anywhere on her own until she was settled. She shook her head so slowly that she felt like maybe she wasn’t moving at all. Her thoughts felt like they were swimming through mud. How had she let herself get caught like this? How had she become the charity flavor of the month? Wasn’t she doing okay on her own? Why was any of this necessary?

“I’m sorry you’re taking this so hard, Ireland. I wouldn’t strong-arm you into this if I wasn’t truly concerned for your safety. It’s just until you graduate; then you can make your own choices without my meddling. And though I’m sorry thisis stressing you out, I am not sorry to get involved because you matter, Ireland. You’re too important to let circumstances cause you harm.”

Her head shot up as she met his eye.

She mattered? She was important?

Ireland wasn’t sure why his saying those words struck her so forcefully, but it brought the burn and sting of tears behind her eyes. She blinked hard.

She nodded and stood. “I ... kind of have a date tonight. With Kal at Geppetto’s. I can still go out tonight, right?”

“Of course. I’ll let the Washingtons know. Their daughter has a social life too, you know. So it’s not like you’re going to be under house arrest. You might have a curfew, and they’ll want to know where you’re going and who you’re with, but it’s normal parent stuff.”

Normal parent stuff. He said that like she had any idea what it meant. “Right. Okay. I better go get my stuff.”

She started to go with Mrs. Parker but turned back to him. “Mr. Wasden? Can you not tell Kal? I don’t want him to know.” She didn’t wait for Mr. Wasden to agree. She turned and left with the principal. She had packing to do.

Chapter Ten

Kal

---