Author's Note: I haven't got too much to say here (imagine that LOL). Just the usual disclaimer stuff. LO:CI and its characters belong to Dick Wolf and company; I'm just borrowing them for a while. Any and all mistakes made are my own. Read, review and enjoy! :o)
Tuesday, September 6, 1977
Hudson-Brooklyn High School
Gymnasium, After School
"All right, fellas! Hustle! Hustle!" Coach Harkins said to his basketball players as they ran laps around the gym. "Harper! Pick up your feet and get your butt in gear! Thompson! The same goes for you!" He shook his head at his co-captains. "This popularity is getting into their heads and inflating their egos. This has got to stop!" 2 short tweets erupted from his whistle. "If you guys don't pick up the pace, you'll spend the whole 2 hours running laps!" Coach Harkins said gruffly.
"Run, Derek! Run, Jake! Run!" a group of girls yelled from the bleachers. Coach Harkins turned around and glared at them. "Veronica Stewart! Would you and your friends keep quiet, please!? I need them focused!" "Sorry, Coach Harkins!" Veronica said with a giggle. Her friends, Debbie Smith and Anna Wallace, giggled along with her. Coach Harkins threw up his hands in defeat. "Females!" he muttered under his breath.
"Hi, Veronica," Sarah Gibbs, a petite, blonde haired and blue-eyed girl, said as she walked up the bleachers. She was followed by her friends, Jessica Newman and Wendy Orson. "Hey, Sarah," Veronica replied. Sarah and her friends sat down. "Have we missed anything exciting?" Wendy asked. "If you call watching the basketball team run laps around the gym exciting, then I'd have to say no," Anna answered.
"Watching boys run around and get all hot and sweaty IS exciting," Jessica said as she flipped her blonde hair out of her face. "Especially if one of those boys is Bobby Goren." She licked her lips as her eyes followed Bobby around the gym. Sarah patted her shoulder. "Easy there, Jess," she said. "Your heaving bosom is about to bust out of your blouse." All of the girls laughed. "Hmmph!" Jessica said.
Sarah said, "Go, Jake!" while Veronica said, "Go, Derek!" when both boys ran by them. They stopped and took a bow as both girls blew them kisses. "Harper! Thompson! If you two don't get back to running this instant, I'll make you run extra laps for a month!" Coach Harkins growled. Derek and Jake kicked it into high gear. "Sorry, Coach Harkins," the girls said as he glared at them.
Lewis, Mattie and Tricia walked into the gym from one end. They walked up the bleachers and sat down. Mattie reached into her purse and pulled out her camera. "Watch my stuff for me," she said as she stood up and started walking down the bleachers. "Okay," Tricia said. "Just make sure you stay outta the coach's way," Lewis said. "You know he doesn't like to be bothered during practice."
Mattie sighed, turned around and looked at Lewis. "You don't have to tell me that, dodo. I already know." He shrugged. "Okay. I just was trying to keep you from getting chewed out." She rolled her eyes, continuing to walk down the bleachers to the gym floor. Tricia laughed. "Why do you annoy Mattie like that?" she asked. "Because I can," Lewis replied. Tricia laughed again. She happened to glance over where Sarah, Veronica and their friends were sitting. She noticed that Wendy was staring at Lewis. "Don't look now, but you're being stared at," she said.
Lewis turned his head, seeing Wendy Orson looking at him. He smiled and waved at her; she returned the gesture. "Oh, brother," he muttered under his breath. "What's the matter?" Tricia asked. "I thought you liked having girls fall at your feet." "Of course I do," Lewis said. "It's just that…Aw, forget it. You wouldn't understand."
"Try me," Tricia said. Lewis sighed. "You know that Wendy dates only jocks, right?" he asked. Tricia nodded. "Well, I knew the last guy she dated before he transferred to another school. He wasn't the jock type. She kept pushing him to do something sports related. He kept telling her no, but she pestered him so much that he had to change schools."
"Sounds like she's trying to be like Sarah and Veronica," Tricia mused. Lewis said, "Yeah, that's what I think, too." "So, why doesn't she just chase after Dale Patterson? He doesn't have a steady girlfriend." Lewis grunted. "Dale won't give Wendy the time of day." "Oh."
"Wendy, stop staring," Sarah said. "I can't help it," she said. "Lewis is so darn cute." "Please," Debbie said. "He's not an athlete. He ain't even popular. Why would you even like him?" "He's Bobby's friend, isn't he?" Wendy asked. "That's enough to make him popular. Besides, when I get through with him, he will be an athlete." Sarah rolled her eyes and said, "Wendy, you can't make a non-jock into a jock. It's impossible." "I can," Wendy said confidently.
Veronica noticed Mattie was taking pictures of the basketball team. "Hey, Waltzing Matilda!" she yelled. "Get up here and take some pictures of us. Now!" Mattie sighed heavily as some of the boys and Veronica's little group laughed. She snapped one more picture of the team before turning around, heading towards Veronica. "God, I cannot stand people who are full of themselves," she thought as she climbed the bleachers.
"Hello, ladies," Mattie said with a feigned sweetness in her voice and a fake smile on her lips. "Cut the bullshit and the chitchat, Waltzing Matilda," Veronica said. "Hurry up and take some good pictures of us for the yearbook." The girls giggled again. "I really cannot stand pushy people," Mattie thought as she stared at Veronica for a few seconds. "Let me put a new roll of film in my camera," she said as she walked off. "Hurry up, Matilda," Sarah said. "We haven't got all day."
CeCe walked into the gym from the other end. She sat down on the first bleacher nearest the door. She was watching the boys practice. "Veronica, isn't that Derek's sister?" Sarah asked. Veronica looked down at where CeCe was sitting. "Yeah, that's her," she said wearily. "Did Derek tell you anything about her?" Veronica rolled her eyes. "All Derek told me was that when their daddy died, she didn't handle it too well. So, her mama sent her away to live with family in North Carolina."
"You mean she's crazy?" Anna asked. "Hell, I don't know!" Veronica said. "She could be. Or mentally retarded. Shoot, she probably killed her daddy and they sent her away to live in a loony bin." All the girls went "Oooh." "Well, if she's a killer, then somebody needs to rescue Bobby Goren from her," Jessica said.
"That's right," Anna said. "It gets better. When Miss Wells put everybody in alphabetical order, Bobby smiled at her as if he was interested in her." Jessica made a face. "You saw that, too?" she asked. "I thought I was the only one who caught her making goo-goo eyes at Bobby." Veronica laughed. "Bobby Goren made a pass at her? He'd better get some glasses. Don't he know she's black and not that pretty?" The girls laughed. "I have had a good laugh today," Sarah said. Veronica nodded in agreement.
CeCe swallowed hard. "I'm ugly?" she thought as she listened to Veronica and her friends voices carry toward her. She quietly wiped away a tear. "What did I do to them?" She picked up her purse, notebook and sketchbook and walked out as quickly as she could without making any noise. Once the gym door closed behind her, CeCe quickly walked out of the school with tears streaming down her face.
"I loved my daddy. I didn't kill him!" CeCe thought to herself as she walked home, hugging her books to her chest. "I want to go back to North Carolina. I don't belong here. I don't fit in." She reached into her purse and pulled out a hanky that her aunt Vivian had given her to wipe away her tears. "I hate this place!"
"Uh-oh," Tricia said. "The pacifist is pissed." Mattie walked up to her and Lewis, her face red and nostrils flared. "Let's go," Mattie hissed through her teeth as she picked up her purse and notebooks. "What's wrong with you?" Lewis asked. He got up and followed Tricia and Mattie down the bleachers.
"Hey, Waltzing Matilda!" Veronica called out. "You're suppose to be taking our picture." Tricia and Lewis almost ran into Mattie who had stopped and took a couple of deep breaths before turning around. "I'll have to take your picture some other time. I ran out of film," she replied. Mattie turned back around and headed out of the door with Tricia and Lewis in tow.
When they had got outside of the building, Mattie screamed at the top of her lungs. Lewis and Tricia winced, covering their ears. "What was that all about?!" Tricia asked. "Have you lost your mind?" Mattie glared at her cousin. "I'm screaming because I want to smack Veronica and Sarah upside their heads. Them and their little clique."
"You still haven't told us what set you off," Lewis said as they all started walking down the sidewalk. "You want to know what set me off?" Mattie asked. "I'll tell you what set me off. Veronica and Sarah and their friends saying mean things about the new girl." She told them some of things those girls had said about CeCe. "Oh, come on, Mattie. You can't be getting mad about anything they say," Lewis said. "You've got to ignore them."
Mattie stopped in her tracks and stared at Lewis as if he had grown an extra head on his shoulders. "Lewis, are you nuts?! You know that anything those girls say will be spread around as if it were the truth! CeCe's gonna be some kind of outcast freak when they get through spreading rumors about her!" "I gotta agree with Mattie on this one," Tricia said. "You remember when I got here last year and Sarah said to somebody that I must be into girls and not boys because I wouldn't go out with Chet Morgan or Dennis Perkins. Hell, I knew like everybody else does to stay away from those 2 perverts."
"Besides, if Bobby does like CeCe, then Jessica will try to make her miserable," Mattie said. Lewis threw up his hands. "Oh, come on. You're being silly. Bobby took Jessica out twice. That doesn't mean they're boyfriend and girlfriend," he said as he started walking off. Mattie and Tricia caught up with him. "You seem to forget, Jedidiah Lewis," Mattie said, "that the last steady girlfriend Bobby had barely lasted 6 months. You know why he and Camilla broke up."
Lewis sighed and rolled his eyes. "Because Jessica kept telling Camilla that she and Bobby had been secretly seeing each other behind her back," he said wearily. "I know the whole sorry story inside and out. And quit calling me Jedidiah." Mattie nodded her head in triumph. "I rest my case," she said. The 3 friends continued walking together in silence, each wondering what they could do to help the new kid fit in at their school.
Tuesday, September 6, 1977
Harpers' Apartment Building
The smell of freshly baked macaroni and cheese and the beginning notes of Marvin Gaye's 'Got To Give It Up' playing on the radio greeted CeCe when she entered her apartment. A small smile crossed her face as she laid down her purse and books. She went into the kitchen and found her mom, Rosalie, dancing. She opened the oven door and took out the dish, dancing it to the table. She closed the door with her foot.
Rosalie Harper was 5 foot 5, slim, had cocoa brown skin, brown eyes and straightened black hair that was pushed back by a headband. She was wearing a purple and gold printed dashiki and dark blue jeans. She smiled at her daughter as she continued to dance. "Come on, Pumpkin. Dance with your mama," she said with a laugh as she came around the table.
CeCe giggled as she walked further into the kitchen and started dancing. "Let's do 'The Bump,' Mama," CeCe said as she poked out her right hip. Rosalie bumped CeCe's hip with her left hip. They even got fancy in doing 'The Bump,' bumping right hip to right hip; left hip to left hip and humming along with the song.
When the song ended, CeCe and Rosalie collapsed in a couple of kitchen chairs, laughing. "Whew! That was a good dance," Rosalie said. CeCe nodded in agreement. She reached over and touched her daughter's hair. "Gayle did a good job on your hair. How much did she charge you?" "I gave her the whole 20 dollars just like you told me to. She gave me back 15," CeCe said. "Lord, Gayle is gonna go broke if she doesn't start charging for doing hair!" Rosalie exclaimed, shaking her head.
"How was your first day of school?" Rosalie asked. CeCe stared at the floor, shrugged and said, "It was okay." "Do you like your teachers? Did you make any new friends?" "My teachers are nice. I haven't made any new friends yet. I ate lunch with Derek and his girlfriend and their friends." A concerned look crossed Rosalie's face as she heard CeCe's voice crack. She reached over and placed her index finger under CeCe's chin to make her lift her head to look at her. "What's the matter, baby?"
A few tears rolled down CeCe's cheeks. "Do you think I'm ugly, Mama?" she asked. "Or retarded or caused Daddy to die?" "I do NOT think any of those things!" Rosalie said. "Who said that?!" CeCe told her mother what had happened in the gym. "Oh my goodness," Rosalie said quietly as she stood up and put her arms around CeCe, giving her a sideways hug. She rubbed CeCe's back, trying to comfort her as she cried.
"Cecelia Rose, look at me," Rosalie said softly when CeCe's crying subsided. She looked up at her mother. "Mean people say mean things to make themselves feel better. Don't you believe anything Miss Veronica or her spiteful little friends say. You are the most beautiful child, inside and out, in the entire world. I should know because I didn't birth no ugly babies!" CeCe chuckled a little. Rosalie smiled. "You have a good heart and a wonderful spirit," she continued. "And if this boy, Bobby, sees that, it just means he has good taste. You don't have to hang with Derek and his friends if you don't want to. It's okay if you make your own friends."
CeCe smiled. "Thanks, Mama." Rosalie gave her a big squeeze. "You're welcome, Pumpkin. So, tell me about this Bobby person," she said with a smile. CeCe got up and went into the living room. Rosalie followed right behind her. She picked up her sketchbook and flipped to a page. She handed it to Rosalie. "He's in my homeroom class. I sit behind him in 5th period English class. I drew this in class while the teacher wasn't looking," CeCe said.
Rosalie studied the sketch. "He looks kind of familiar," she said. "What's his last name?" "Goren," CeCe replied. "I thought so. He was at the hospital yesterday. His mother was admitted to the mental ward during my shift." CeCe's eyes widen in surprise. "Wow. Is it really serious?" she asked as she sat down on the couch. Rosalie nodded. "Serious enough to keep her in the hospital for a little while."
"My problems are nothing compared to his," CeCe said. "Should I say something to him? Tell him sorry about his mama?" Rosalie handed the sketchbook back to CeCe, kissing her forehead. "You can if you want to. Just be careful what you say. Bobby might be sensitive talking about his mother," she said. "Boys can't be sensitive, can they?" Rosalie chuckled. "Yes, CeCe. Believe it or not, men and boys are human, too. Therefore, they can be sensitive like us women sometimes."
"Go change out of your school clothes," Rosalie said. "I'm gonna finish making dinner." "Yes, Mama," CeCe said as she got up and headed towards her bedroom. "I think me and Mr. Derek Harper need to have us a serious talk," Rosalie thought to herself as she went into the kitchen and began to batter some chicken. "A real serious talk about Miss Veronica."
Tuesday, September 6, 1977
Saint Joseph Hospital
When basketball practice had ended, Bobby had showered, changed back into his school clothes and headed to the hospital to visit his mother. "Not that she would give a damn if I came by or not," he thought as he rode on the subway. "Why are people so mean?" He was thinking about how both of his parents preferred Frank over him. "I bet they both wish I hadn't been born." He thought about how mean it was of Veronica to call Mattie 'Waltzing Matilda.' "I'm surprised Mattie didn't haul off and hit her. I guess she has become a pacifist."
A small smile crossed Bobby's face as he thought about CeCe. He had been happy when he saw her walk into the gym and sit down. He had managed to give her a quick smile before he had to focus on practice. Bobby had hoped to talk to her after practice was over. He thought he saw her wiping away tears as she got up and left. "Maybe I'll ask her tomorrow why she was crying." He thought about how nice CeCe seemed to be and wondered if she would give him a chance to take her out on a date. A bigger smile crossed his face at that thought.
When Bobby arrived at the hospital, Lewis and his mom had pulled into the parking lot. "Hey, Bobby! Wait up!" Lewis called. He waited as they walked across the parking lot. Susannah Lewis immediately wrapped her arms around Bobby's waist to give him a hug. He leaned down as she stood up on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek. "You okay?" she asked as she stepped back to look up at him. Bobby nodded.
Normally, Bobby would have been embarrassed by this display of affection, but with the way things turned out yesterday, he was glad that somebody was happy to see him. Susannah smiled, patted his hand and said, "Good. Let's go see Frances." He stood aside to let her and Lewis enter the building before him. They got into the elevator and rode in silence on their way to the mental ward.
Bobby got off the elevator first when the doors opened. Lewis and his mother followed him down the hall. A tall, older man with gray hair, wearing glasses and a dark blue suit was talking to Doreen outside of Frances' room when the trio walked up. "Hey, Doreen," Bobby said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Hey, sweetie," she said. Doreen looked like Frances except her eyes were hazel and her hair was lighter.
"Mr. Graham," Doreen said, "this is Bobby, Frances' youngest child. Bobby, this is Mr. Thomas Graham. He's been assigned as your case worker." Graham extended his hand to Bobby. "Nice to meet you, Robert." Bobby looked him up and down a few times before shaking his hand. "Same here," he mumbled. Doreen then introduced Lewis and Susannah to Mr. Graham.
"The Lewises take Bobby in whenever Frances goes into the hospital," Doreen said. Mr. Graham nodded his head. "Mrs. Lewis, would you mind answering some questions for me?" he asked. "Certainly," she replied. Bobby sighed heavily. "Do you need me here, too or can I go see my mother?" he said harshly. "Bobby! Do not be rude," Doreen said sternly. "You can go see your mother, Robert," Mr. Graham said. "I'll talk to you later." Bobby walked off without saying a word.
Susannah reached into her purse and pulled out 4 quarters, giving them to Lewis. "Go to the cafeteria and wait for me there," she said. "Thanks, Mom," he said. He gave her quick kiss and practically ran down the hall to the elevators.
Bobby stood in the doorway of Frances' room. She was sitting in a chair, staring out the window. He just stared at her, wondering what she was thinking about. "Hi, Ma," he finally said. Frances turned around and looked at him. She frowned slightly. "Why didn't you come back to say good-bye yesterday!?" she snapped. "I waited up for you until midnight! That was very rude of you to leave without saying good-bye!"
"I didn't come back because you said not to come back without Frank!" Bobby screamed in his mind. Instead, he just stood there, looking at her. "Well, just don't stand there like a bump on a log, Bobby! Come and give your mother a hug." He sighed heavily as he moved like a mindless robot towards her. He leaned down and hugged her. Frances tried to hold on, but Bobby stood up and walked over to a chair that was at the foot of the bed.
"Oh, I see. You're mad at me!" Frances said. "You have no right to be mad at me! I taught you manners!" Bobby tensed up. "No, I'm not mad at you, Mom," he calmly said. He wanted to scream at her to shut up so badly. Instead, he took a few deep breaths and tuned her out. "I have every right to be mad you! But I'm not! I'm just gonna sit here and let you bitch at me like you always do." Frances huffed and turned her head to continue staring out the window. "Ungrateful bastard," she mumbled under her breath.
Bobby and Frances sat there in complete silence, not moving or saying anything. Their silence was broken when they heard Doreen say, "Richard, I really think you should leave." Bobby jumped out of his seat and walked out into the hallway. Doreen was blocking Richard Goren's path when he came out of the room. Behind Richard was Frank. Bobby's mouth dropped open. "What's he doing here, Frank?!" he asked. "Dad gave me a ride here," Frank replied. "Are you crazy, high or both?! Mom doesn't need to see him!"
Mr. Graham touched Bobby's arm, trying to calm him down. "I asked your father to come, Robert. I think it's best for you to stay with your father than with the Lewises. He is your legal guardian after all." Bobby jerked his arm away from Mr. Graham. "I'm not staying with him!" he yelled. "I'll sleep on the streets first before I go anywhere with him!" Bobby turned to Richard and said, "I don't want anything to do with you!"
Richard pushed Doreen aside and walked up to Bobby, who towered over him by 4 inches. "Nobody gives a damn what you want," he said. Bobby could smell the alcohol on his breath. "As long as I live and breathe on this Earth, you WILL do what I say!" Bobby flared his nostrils. "Margie must have told you to go to hell and kicked you out of her house! That's the only reason you come crawling back to Mom!"
Richard raised his right hand and backhanded Bobby across the face. Having been caught off guard, he fell to the floor. A thin line of blood instantly appeared on his cheek. He breathed heavily as he looked up at his father, fire burning in his eyes. "Stay down there, punk!" Richard spat. "It'll be worse if you get up." He yanked his belt off in a wild flourish to prove his point.
Bobby got up, ready to lunge at Richard. But hospital personnel and security stepped in between them. A couple of guards pinned Richard against the wall. 2 male nurses were trying to get a hold of Bobby, but he kept flailing his arms wildly. "Let go! Let go of me!" he said repeatedly. They finally backed off, holding up their hands.
Bobby's face was flush as he inhaled and exhaled heavily. He stared angrily at everyone around him like he was some kind of mad man. Susannah walked up to him cautiously. She placed her hand on his chest. "Bobby, it's alright. Calm down," she said soothingly. "Let's go find Lewis and get out of here. What do you say?" He looked down at her, still breathing heavily. Finally, he nodded. He turned on his heel and walked down the hall, Doreen and Susannah following him.
Richard laughed loudly. "That's right, punk! Run away! Let a woman fight your battles for you! You are nothing! Nothing!" he said tauntingly. Bobby angrily and repeatedly punched at the down button. Tears of anger stung his eyes as the elevator doors opened. He leaned against the back of the car and shook his head. "I don't care if he's my father. I HATE him!" Bobby thought to himself as the elevators doors closed.
