Misty (Wildflowers 1)

The others waited for me and we started to walk out together.

"Misty, do you want to wait for your mother inside?" Dr. Marlowe asked.

"No, it's too nice out. I'm fine," I said.

"Okay. Bye," she said and we all stepped out.

We paused outside the door. I saw Cathy's mother studying us. She was a small woman who wore thick glasses and her dark brown hair cut very short. Jade's chauffeur looked bored and nearly asleep. Star's grandmother waved. Her modest older car with its dents and scrapes looked so out of place between the limousine and Cat's mother's late-model Taurus.

"That took a lot of guts today," Jade told me. "I hope we're all as honest and forthcoming," she added her eyes fixed on Star.

"Maybe all our stories aren't as interesting," Star said. "What about you?" she asked Cathy. "Are you going to be as honest and forthcoming?"

Cathy looked very frightened, shook her head, and hurried toward her mother and their car.

"See you tomorrow, Cat," I called.

She looked back, surprised at the use of a nickname, but a small smile on her lips.

"Cat?" Jade said and I explained why I called her that.

"Yes, that fits," she said.

"It doesn't matter. She's probably not even coming back," Star said.

"Well, it would help if you didn't try to scare the hell out of her," Jade muttered.

"Scare the hell out of her? How did I scare the hell out of her?"

"You just have that look," Jade said.

"What look is that?"

"Like you're going to eat her alive," Jade said. Star looked angry for a moment and then smiled.

"Well, from now on, I'll try to be sweet and prissy like you Beverlys," she said and sauntered off.

I had to laugh.

"She's not funny," Jade said.

"Yes she is. And I don't think she's as bad as you make her out to be."

"Oh, really?" Jade demanded sounding annoyed that I had disagreed with her.

"And I wonder what her story will be like tomorrow." Jade was quiet for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, I wonder," she said.

We watched Cathy and her mother drive off. Cathy had her head down and her mother was talking at her. She looked like she was lecturing her. Then Star and her grandmother drove past us. Star looked out and pulled her shoulders back, her head up, pretending to be a snob. Even Jade laughed.

She continued to stand there, waiting with me.

"Don't you have to go? Your chauffeur's been here awhile."

"He can wait. He gets paid enough," she said.

"My mother will be here any minute," I said. "It's all right."

She nodded, but still hesitated as though she didn't want the conversation to end. She held on to the moment as if it was a raft in a treacherous sea.