I'm not one to get into the latest trends. I didn't go to Walgreen's and buy a million SillyBandz because they were in style. I don't shop at Hot Topic or Hollister. I don't even wear name brands. If you want to find me, look in the nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army, or that one soup kitchen downtown that everyone's afraid of, because most likely, that's where I'll be. If not, call my cell phone, which looks about 30 years old, just in case you were wondering. I probably won't answer, because when I'm not shopping at thrift stores or helping the homeless, I'm at home sleeping or doing homework. That's just the way I live my life. Or, at least, how I used to live it. I thought it was pretty good life too. Full and happy, most of the time.
My little sister, on the other hand, thought I was insane. Bonkers. Completely mental. But she was just 14, and didn't know what I knew. She hadn't seen what I'd seen. But I didn't blame her for that. By the time she was born we had already moved out of the projects. Yeah, that's right, I used to live in the projects. Run, hide, and cower in fear from the poverty that is everywhere! Not. It's not like the projects are some place for alien mutants. It's not a place you go because you've been a bad person. It was where you went when you needed help. When you had nothing left. For us, it was a last ditch effort to keep the family together, and that ultimately failed when my Dad took off in 1994. I was still a baby, but that didn't stop him from taking everything we had. I've never met him really, and I have no memories of his face. My mom burned all his pictures.
A year later my mom met Kyle. He's a great guy, and he makes her happy, so he is okay in my book. He got us out of the projects, and moved us into a nice, quiet suburb, where about a year later, Mindy was born. She was the spitting image of my mother: dark hair, green eyes, and Spanish complexion. They were the prettiest people I knew. I, unfortunately, took more after my dad, or so my mom said; dark hair, but dark eyes, and light skin - the kind of skin that burns way too easily. We all settled in together just fine, and it was like my dad had never even existed. We were as complete as any family, and I loved them to death.
Which is why when Mindy's 15 birthday was just around the corner, I was planning to go all out. Why? Well, for one I wanted to show her how much I cared about her. Second, we had just completed a whole month of bicker-free conversation, and, best of all, I had just been moved up from minimum wage at the local department store I worked at. I was unstoppable.
"So, Callie, what do you think I should get Mindy this year?" My mom asked from beside me in the car. She had taken to letting me drive her to the café after a long day of work, which, of course, I didn't complain about. I loved driving. I rolled my eyes playfully, smiling over at her.
"Money. What else?" I asked. Sometimes I was sure my mom forgot how old Mindy was getting. And I was right there with her. It seemed only a few years ago we were celebrating her fifth birthday with a Wizard of OZ cake and a day at Chucky Cheese. Those were the days.
"You're probably right." She nodded, reaching over to adjust the heat. In California, the temperature was always comfortable, but my mother seemed to be constantly freezing.
"Mom, it's like, 70 degrees outside, turn your heat down. "I laughed, reaching my own hand over and flicking off the vents. I was burning up! I pulled my shirt away from my body, making a face at the black asphalt in front of me when I felt it stick to my skin with sweat. So gross.
"Well what are you going to get her? I could just cover your gift if you want me too, it's no problem." She said. That's what I loved about my mom the most. She was always willing to help others no matter what. If a neighbor called a midnight and asked if she could baby-sit for a couple hours, she would be out of bed and dressed in two minutes flat. If there was a party going on, my mom always got there early to help set up, and was the last out as she finished cleaning. I liked to think I took after her in that respect.
"I've actually been meaning to talk to you about that." I said, shifting my body slightly so it was angled more towards her, but my foot was still firmly placed on the gas pedal.
"What is it sweetie?" She asked, turning her own body to look at me.
"I was thinking…well, it's kind of sudden I know, but I wanted to take her on a road-trip." I said, waiting for her inevitable reply.
"Oh Callie I don't know…you just got your license-"
"A year ago." I finished. "I know. But you know how much she's wanted to go to Forks to visit Uncle Charlie and Bella, and I know that she needs some pictures of the woods. There aren't many woods here, unless you count the trails and those aren't the kind of woods she needs. Having those pictures in her portfolio could really help her get into California Arts…" I trailed off, trying to win her over. Everyone in the family knew Mindy had an eye for photography, and she'd been practically dying to get some pictures of the rainy, dense woods that were all over Forks.
"Well honey I know but…she's so young. You're both girls and I know that there are people out there who would take advantage of you two in a second." She said. I saw her open her mouth to continue but hurried on. I knew that would be another one of her reasons.
"Mom that was an excuse you used when I was 12. It doesn't exactly work anymore. I know how to shoot a gun, Kyle has armed me with a tazer and more pepper spray than I can handle and I have my own pistol that I keep in the glove-compartment." I said, motioning to the small door in front of her knees.
"You what?" My mom shouted, already fumbling to open it.
"It's locked, so that no one can get to it but me. Kyle signed for the gun permit. I told you mom, I'm safe. Mindy will be safe. Just trust me." I whispered, knowing that was her Achilles heel. I always pushed the trust issue with her, and it nearly always worked considering I had never done anything in my whole life to betray her trust.
"I don't know…" She sighed again, and I decided it was now or never to throw in my last bit of persuasive information. Too bad it might get my step-dad in a little trouble.
"Kyle – er, Dad already said yes." I said calmly, watching as her mouth widened in shock and she looked over at me.
"He did what?" She asked, enunciating each word. I internally cringed for the tongue-lashing I knew he would be receiving when we got home.
"He said yes if you agreed." I quickly added, as she fell back in her seat and ran a hand through her hair. The car filled with silence, and I felt my heart steadily sink. I had the bad feeling in my stomach that she wanted to say no, just to spite him. Please just say yes. I thought, resisting the urge to say it out loud. The one thing about my mom was, if you begged, she would most definitely not give you what you wanted. That tactic never, ever worked.
"Okay." She finally said, letting out a long breath and looking at me. I stiffened in my seat and looked over at her, my face breaking out into a wide smile. Had she really, truly just agreed? No. Freaking. Way.
"Seriously?" I practically shouted, my head snapping back to the road. I was a very safe driver, and I couldn't have my mom thinking any differently if I was taking my 14-year-old sister on a road trip across two states.
"Yes, seriously, but there are some conditions." She said, raising her finger at me. I internally groaned. I hated conditions. "You are going to stay with Uncle Charlie, you will be with Mindy at all times, you will call in once a day – twice when you're driving – and-"
"Mom I already knew all that." I said, smiling to myself. I wasn't five. I knew what would be expected of me if she was going to let me do this.
"I wasn't finished." She warned, smiling to herself. Great. What was next? Something terrible? Something cruel? Something that would completely ruin the entire trip and turn Mindy's birthday present into a disaster so that she would hate me forever and I would lose my only sister and my life would go down the drain and – "No boys." My mom said. I stared out the windshield for a second.
Oh. That wasn't so bad. I shrugged at her and nodded my head in agreement. What did she think? I was taking my little sister to Forks so she could get laid? Please. She was 14. I was 17. That was pretty much disgusting in my book.
For the rest of the drive we discussed driving arrangements, gas money, and when exactly we would be leaving. It was all settled by the time we got to the café, and I was practically jumping up and down in my seat. I was so excited!
We walked in, the cool air wafting over us and making my mom shiver beside me. I glanced back and saw her pull her jacket closer to her. I resisted the urge to make fun of her, and instead turned back to the register.
I ordered us the usual, avoiding eye contact with the creepy middle-aged man that seemed to have some fascination with my chest, and we sat down at the table furthest from anyone else. This was mommy and Callie time.
"So, how's school?" She asked, sipping her coffee and flinching away from the burn.
"Boring." I answered, hardly even needing to think about it. That was my answer every time she asked the question because, in all honesty, school wasn't exactly riveting.
"Thomas?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at me. I rolled my own eyes and flipped a piece of my hair behind my shoulder.
"I broke up with him. He was a major douche bag." I said, whispering the last part to myself, but apparently she heard anyways.
"Callie!" she shouted, reaching over to slap my hand, I just kept my eyes on my cup and giggled, knowing she really wasn't that mad. "You know you don't use that type of language around me." She scolded, and when I looked up and met her eyes I saw the spark of amusement behind them that I knew would be there. She was one Hell of a mom.
"You know I can't lie, and that's what he was." I shrugged, stirring my coffee with the little red straw I'd grabbed from the counter. She grunted in approval and moved on to the next question.
"How's the soup kitchen been lately?"
"Very busy." I said sadly, gazing down into the swirl of brown liquid and white foam that rested on the top. It seemed to me that more and more people were shuffling into the small building everyday, their clothes thin and worn, but not nearly as old and tired looking as their faces.
"That's unfortunate." My mom whispered, knowing as well as I did that at some point that had been us. We may not have been homeless, but we sure looked it, and my mom wouldn't pass up an opportunity for free food. I shivered at the thought and shook away the images of my mother, frail and hopeless, shuffling through the line, her tray held out for the small portion of food we gave.
We sat at the table for a while, before we knew we had to get home to start dinner. Mindy would be getting home from lacrosse practice soon, and Kyle would be back from the office.
"Come on sweetie." My mom said, getting up and patting my hand. "Let's go home."