Chapter Nineteen
Charlotte
Charlotte pulled up to the front of Tommy’s school and waited for the bell to ring. Before she left the Black’s house, she’d cut up a green apple and filled a small Tupperware container with peanut butter, putting it all into a cooler along with a thermos of water. The notebook, which included things on Viv and Tommy since a few of Charlotte’s responsibilities included them, said nothing about bringing a snack or drink to the pick-up. It was something Charlotte had thought of on her own. Both times she had seen Tommy this week that was what he had been eating, so she figured the surprise would be well received.
When Charlotte was in the back of the taxi this morning on her way to the airport in Boston, she’d gotten a text from Emery, asking if she would stay the night. Charlotte replied that she would be happy to, but minutes later, she began to worry about the overnight. She’d only seen Tommy and Viv twice before, both instances extremely short. She didn’t want her presence to make them feel uncomfortable or seem like she was invading their space.
Charlotte knew a little something about having someone new in your home, spending a lot of time there, having to adjust to it. That happened every time her family was evicted. Before she even had her toothbrush unpacked in their new place, her mom would be inviting the neighbors over to drink.
Charlotte and her sister learned to tolerate them. But for as long as they lived in their mother’s home, they felt uncomfortable. She didn’t want Viv or Tommy to ever feel that way about her.
She’d only been waiting a few minutes when she saw Tommy exiting the school and heading toward Jesse’s car, which she’d been instructed to take. As he got closer, she wondered what she would talk to him about during the drive. Since she only had nieces, she knew the language of girls and how to keep the conversation going. But had very little experience with boys, therefore she had no idea what to talk to them about.
“Hi, Tommy,” she said as he opened the door.
“Hey, Charlotte.” He got in and reached for the seatbelt, missing the buckle several times before finally locking it into place.
He was awkward, at the age where he hadn’t yet grown into his body. He was still an adorable kid with blue eyes that were as piercing as his Dad’s and beautiful olive skin like his Mom.
“Are you hungry?” Charlotte asked as she put on her blinker.
“Kinda.”
Charlotte pointed to the small cooler on the floor of the passenger seat. “Open it.”
She pulled into the road as Tommy opened the lid and peeked inside. “Oh, sweet.” He immediately popped a slice into his mouth with a gob of peanut butter.
Charlotte smiled as she saw how pleased he was. “I’m sure your mom told you I’ll be staying with you guys tonight?”
He nodded. “She texted me during lunch.”
She approached the red light and looked at him. Tommy was on the quieter side. If a conversation was going to happen, Charlotte would have to initiate it. “Luz didn’t have time to cook anything for dinner,” she said. “Is there something you’re in the mood for?”
He was balancing his phone on one knee and the snack on the other. And while he was eating, he was swiping his screen and typing, getting peanut butter all over it. She laughed inwardly as she thought about her nieces and how they did the same thing and that she’d need to wipe down the seat tomorrow.
Tommy shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Charlotte’s nieces were notorious for not being able to decide what they wanted to eat, so Charlotte had come up with a plan ahead of time just in case he was the same way. “I have an idea,” she said, “but you have to do your homework and finish by four.”
He glanced up from his phone. “Why?”
Charlotte turned onto the Black’s street and said, “I have a feeling your sister’s home from school. I’m going to wait and tell you both at the same time.”
“Oh, come on,” he groaned. “Viv always hears things before I do. Let this one time be my chance.”
She laughed, remembering the competition she’d had with her own sister when she was his age. “Nope, I’m not budging.”
“Ugh.”
“How about this, I’ll give you a hint.” She grinned at Tommy as she turned to go up their long driveway. “It’s something artsy.”
“Really? Like—”
“No more clues,” she said. “You’re going to have to wait just a few more minutes for your sister, but at least you know more than she does, right?”
“True.”
Charlotte parked behind the garage and turned off the engine, walking up to the side door and entering her code. Since Viv’s car was in the driveway, Charlotte knew she was home and found her in the kitchen when she entered with Tommy.
“Hey,” Charlotte said to her.
Viv was sitting at the island, working on her laptop, with two books open in front of her. She glanced up briefly and said, “Hey, guys.”
“Viv, hurry up and finish, Charlotte has something fun planned for us.” Tommy sat on the other side of the counter, circling an apple around in the peanut butter.
“You planned something?” Viv asked Charlotte.
Charlotte didn’t know how to read her. She wasn’t an easy going seventeen-year-old. She was strong headed and opinionated and complex. Charlotte knew that had a lot to do with her age, but that didn’t make her job any easier.
“A friend of mine owns a pottery studio,” Charlotte started, “and she invited us to come in tonight and make something.”
“No way!” Tommy cheered.