Bellamy's Redemption

“You don’t have to tell us,” I said.

“Just tell us,” said Vanessa.

“Tell us, Debbie,” said Alanna. She patted the sofa cushion beside her.

“Alright,” Deb said, settling in beside Alanna. “When I was nine my dad went away. I don’t know where he went. My mom said he was going to be gone for two to five years. I still don’t know what that was all about. Anyway, on my eleventh birthday I woke up and my mom wasn’t home either. My sister said my mom went to have a baby. The neighbor came and stayed with us. A few days later my mom came home with my little brother Soupie. Soupie doesn’t look anything like us and everyone got really, really mad. All our relatives. Everybody. I didn’t get why everyone would be mad about a baby. I thought people loved babies. When I got older, I figured out Soupie is not really my brother. But he is, but, I mean, he has a different dad from the rest of us.” Deb sighed.

“Let me get this straight. You didn’t know your mom was pregnant? Really?” asked Vanessa.

There was a long moment of silence. Finally Deb said, “I was eleven.”

“Exactly,” said Vanessa.

“Well, she’s kind of a husky lady. I never noticed she was getting bigger, and I don’t remember anyone saying anything about it…”

“Go on with the rest of your story,” said Alanna.

“You see, I realized one day, and I’m pretty sure I’m right about this, my mom had an affair when my dad was gone! It’s obvious, right?”

“Yes. Clearly,” said Alanna. “Let’s get some cigarettes. They’re so much better in France.”

“Ugh. An affair. Really? Ugh! Yep, I thought so,” said Deb.

“Is your dad back?” asked Vanessa.

“Yeah.”

“Do you know where he went?” asked Vanessa.

“I’m not really sure. On a trip, I guess.”

There was another long moment of silence. Alanna opened her mouth but I cut her off. “That’s great that your dad’s back from his trip. Are your parents still together?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s some secret,” said Alanna. She picked up the French Vogue and started thumbing through it. “Hey Bob,” she said to her favorite cameraman, “Do you like this perfume better, or this one?” She pressed the magazine into his face. He pointed to the first page she’d shown him. “Me too. Would you grab me another glass of champagne?” He happily obliged.

“I heard you can see the Eiffel Tower from here?” asked Klassie, skating out to us. Her hair was practically glowing.

“Klassie, that is intense,” said Vanessa.

“I nearly went blind from it,” said Klassie. “I got a little in my eye. I think I’m going to be fine though. I’ve been splashing water in my eye for fifteen minutes and I can see out of it again.”

“You can see it if you lean way to the left and look over your shoulder,” said Alanna.

“Cool,” said Klassie.

The next part happened in slow motion. I heard the scraping of skates across the floor, the sound of the balcony doors opening, Klassie saying, “Ooh! Now I see it,” a moment later, followed by a gasp and a scream.

We all rushed over, expecting to see her crumpled and oozing on the sidewalk. Instead, down below us, emerging from a heap of garbage in the back of a truck, was Klassie.

“I’m fine, I’m okay. Just got the wind knocked out of me,” she called up to us. She leaned over, huffing and puffing, holding her back.

“Oh my God,” said Alanna, sinking down to her knees.

“Don’t move, I’m coming down,” yelled Vanessa, springing into doctor mode. She expertly pulled back her hair and affixed it in place with a pencil, and ran out the door.

“No, stay there. All of you. Really, I’m okay. That awning broke my fall,” said Klassie, pointing up. “I bounced right off it. It could have been much worse. Really, I’m not even sore.”