Page 50 of Behind the Bars

“Mom, forget it. I want to go,” Katie whispered, tugging at her arm. “This isstupid.”

“No,” Mom stated sternly, still looking at Mrs. Clause. “What is that supposed tomean?”

“It means that your daughter was the girl of the year last year for screwing multiple boys at a house party. The video went viral. I’m surprised you didn’t seeit.”

“I beg your pardon?” Momasked.

“I just think it’s ridiculous. My son wouldn’t want to go anywhere near a girl like her,” Mrs. Clausebarked.

“A girl like her?” Mom was red in the face and seconds away fromexploding.

“You know—easy.”

“How dare you!” Mom shouted. “Your son’s a little shithead who deserves punishment for hisactions.”

“Even if he said it, they’re just words, not actions,” Mr. Clausecorrected.

“Really,” Mom hissed, flabbergasted. “Is that how you raise yourson?”

Principal Williams tried to cut in to stop the arguing, but that ship hadsailed.

“It’s better than how you raise yours! One child is running around the school as a little slut, and the other can’t even articulate a whole sentence. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t have a father figure for them to take after,” Mrs. Clause said withrevulsion.

Mom leaped from her chair and marched toward Mrs. Clause, and I was quick to grab her arm to stop her. When she looked at me, her eyes were wild, as if she were moments away from killing for hercubs.

“It’s o-okay, Mom,” I toldher.

“Yeah, Mom. Let’s go,” Katiebegged.

Mom’s eyes watered. She looked at Principal Williams and harshly said, “I don’t know how much they are paying you, or giving to this school in order to control your damn mind, but these are my children. This is your job.Do something,” before she turned and marched out of the office, ordering Katie and me to followher.

We hurried our way to the car. She flung the driver’s door open and quickly sat inside, slamming it shut behind her. I slid into the back seat, and Katie took shotgun. Mom’s hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel, and her breaths wereuneven.

“I’m so sorry, Mom,” Katie finally choked out, tears falling down her face. “I…”

“Is that why you stopped hanging out with those friends?” Momasked.

Katie nodded. “It was a stupid party, and, and I was too scared to tell you and embarrassed and…I’m sorry,” Katiecried.

Mom turned to her and locked eyes with my sister. She placed her hands on her shoulders. “Katlyn Rae Adams, you never, ever have to be ashamed of yourself or too embarrassed to talk to me. Do youunderstand?”

Katie nodded. “Yes,Mom.”

“We are going to talk about this at some point, okay? But right now, I just need to know you’re okay. Are youokay?”

“Yes.”

“And those, those—monstersin that office today? Those adults who talked so disgustingly about a child like that? They are the problem. This world is the problem, notyou.”

Mom pulled Katie into a hug, and they both cried against one another for a long time. We stayed in the school parking lot until both could catch their breath. Mom wiped Katie’s eyes, and Katie wipedMom’s.

“Let’s get home for dinner,” Mom declared, putting the car into drive. “And then we are going to look into transferringschools.”

“Mom?” I calledout.

“Yes,Elliott?”

“Did you, um, d-did you call Todd a sh-shithead?”

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