“Sorry that took so long, honey.” Mom was back.
Kelsey glanced up to tell her it was okay, and saw that Don had come back in, too.
“Let’s all three sit down and talk for a few minutes, shall we?” Mom said like someone from a TV show and not like her mom at all.
Kelsey took the chair that didn’t have a big brown spot in the middle of it. Mom and Don sat on the couch and Kelsey looked away when he put his arm around her. It was just too…weird.
They asked her about school. Or Don did. Mom already knew most of that stuff, anyway. Kelsey always told her about school.
“So you’re pretty popular, I’ll bet,” Don said. His voice was nice. He still gave her the creeps.
“I dunno,” she said.
“Of course she is!” Mom said kind of excitedly. “Look at her. She’s beautiful. And she’s smart. And besides, she’s my kid!”
And her dad was the principal.
“How many friends you think you have?”
“I dunno.” Her stomach was starting to hurt. Probably because it was close to dinnertime. She had to leave soon to get to Josie’s before her dad got there.
Mom laughed kind of funny. “He’s asking because we wanted to have a little party for you,” she said. “It’s to celebrate, when I get to have partial custody of you again, and we need to know how many people will be here so we have enough food.”
“Uh, I don’t really have parties,” Kelsey said. The backs of her legs were itching through her jeans.
“We don’t have to wait to have a party,” Don said. “We’d like you to feel free to invite your friends over anytime you want. Treat this place like your own.”
She nodded. And tried to picture this being her home.
“Why don’t we arrange something soon?” he said. “Like next week? You could bring a friend with you when you come.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?” Don’s eyes looked kind of like her dad’s when he was talking to someone who broke a school rule.
“My dad would find out.”
And she didn’t want her friends to come there. The thought made Kelsey feel ashamed. But it was still true. She had to get used to loving her mom here first. Besides, all her things were at her house.
“Well, as soon as your mom has everything worked out with the lawyer…”
Kelsey didn’t say anything.
“You can bring over all your girlfriends for a pizza party.”
She wondered what she and Dad were having for dinner. And if Susan was coming over.
“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it,” Mom said, rubbing her hand on Don’s leg.
Mom saved her, just like moms were supposed to. Meredith had done that before, too, when Susan was asking dumb questions. But her friendship with Meredith was messed up now.
Thank goodness she was getting her mom for real.
“We’d better be going,” Mom said then, standing up. Don put a hand on her butt and she leaned down and gave him a kiss. “I don’t want Kelsey to get in trouble.”
“Hey,” Don said, “I just thought of something.” Mom and Don looked at each other. “Your mother says you go to Lincoln Elementary.”
“Uh-huh.” Kelsey was at the door already.