Author's Note: So what I'm going to do is flashbacks will be in first person to really tell the difference. The italics are the journal entries and the third person is just the regular parts that are outside of the flashbacks.
It was going to be a simple day as Claudia Kishi had dropped off her two children with the baby-sitter. She only laughed a little knowing that she used to babysit for Laura Perkins. Now Laura Perkins was babysitting her child.
Sighing she walked across the street smoothing her ponytail from the heat and her floral dress twirling around her ankles. The camera equipment in her hands before ringing the doorbell. Good thing NYC was just a train ride away. The dog barked inside before someone could make it to open up for her. It was straight out odd to be ringing the doorbell to her old house.
Then the door opened with a surprised Charlotte at the door. She had a navy and white stripped quarter sleeve shirt and a pair of light colored jeans on. The dog watching her at Charlotte's feet.
"Uhh Claudia what are you doing here?" she asked a bit surprised to see her.
Claudia held up her photography equipment and just smiled. "Well since we can't get your photographer back, I figured that I'd step up and help. I know I'm not a professional, but I did take a lot of photography classes in college and could have them printed by the following Monday. So, I'm here to discuss poses, where you want pictures taken, all that good stuff."
The new bride smiled brightly and let her inside. Twizzler sniffed at her lace up sandals before following them. They had some work to do.
Wedding's they are the best thing in the world. I remember my wedding (boy is it hard to forget too) right next to my college days in Chicago. Being in my old house brings back a lot of feelings though. Not wedding feelings but family feelings and all that jazz. I sat out on the front stoop with Charlotte and Byron telling me about their honeymoon to Cape Cod. My mind drifting off a little to a good memory I had at this house right with the confusing one just before it.
"Claudia Kishi," said a perky redhead as I shut the door behind me. "I'm Mrs. Murphy your guidance counselor here. Would you like a piece of candy?"
She gestured to a glass bowl and I took a Hershey kiss and then some m&ms for good measure. Mrs. Murphy just smiled at me and wrote down something on her legal pad, before taking a seat. I glanced around the room and smiled at an art piece hanging on the wall. It reminded me of what I'd draw when I was younger."
"Thanks, um, am I in trouble?"
Mrs. Murphy just shook her head no. "Not at all, you're just here because I like to get to know all of my students. Although I do have a reason for bringing you here Claudia," she said and tapped her pen against her pad. "And I will admit that there is a couple of ways that I can phrase so please bear with me."
She had pulled out a file with my name scrawled on it. My stomach dropped a little, was this the famed permanent record that I would hear about? Oh gosh I thought it was myth!
"So this is your school record that we keep on file. It's a mix of paperwork detailing what your teachers have to say, transcripts from middle school, and the like. I think yours is very unique," she said leaving me to perk up a little. That had to be good right? "We have comments from your teachers saying that you are bright but need to pay attention or could use some extra help."
Great which teachers, I thought, but there was probably something in their contracts about that.
"I can do better I swear," I said sweating a little.
"Hold on a second, I'm not done. Your art teachers are thrilled to have you in class. So much so that your intro to drawing teacher wants me to put you in drawing four. Only seniors are in that class. Your art history teacher thinks that you have a better grasp then most students."
That caused me to sit up straight and couldn't help but smile some. That's good right?
"What does that mean?" I asked curiously. I couldn't be put back in middle school, could I? Mrs. Murphy peered over her glasses and studied her for a minute.
"Claudia have you ever heard of a condition called ADHD?" she asked leaving me to think for a minute and then shook her head no.
Was that a bad thing? I could feel my heart racing even though she had no need to. I looked at Mrs. Murphy wondering if she could tell me.
"So, ADHD is attention deficient hyperactive disorder. It's different for everyone, some need medication and some don't. In boys, they tend to be more active, boys want to run or don't pay attention at all in class. It presents itself differently in girls then in boys and frequently misdiagnosed in girls. In girls they frequently daydream or have difficulty finishing assigned work. I'd like to have you tested for that if it's possible…"
Mrs. Murphy continued to talk while her mind just went far away. A learning condition? I remembered my fourth-grade teacher wanting to test me, but my parents had said no. What if there was something wrong with me? Would this affect my art!? Oh my gosh I really wished that Stacey or Erica was here.
I rubbed my cheeks feeling a little humiliated. Maybe there was no need to repeat some of eighth grade?
"What makes you think that I have this?" I asked a little on the defensive.
Mrs. Murphy pulled out a paper and showed me a paper with my handwriting on it. "At the end of last year your English teachers had all students write a short paper." I vaguely recalled that. "It was to determine if you go into honors English or remedial English or regular English. Now look at the word chocolate and remember. You miss spell both wrong but misspelled each one in a different way. It isn't your ability to spell so much as that you aren't paying enough attention to it. I think you are very bright and a great student to hear so many great things. It just might be a little difficult for you which is okay."
"If I do have it, that won't make me, I mean…" I said stumbling a bit on my words. Then took a deep breath like Janine had taught me. "What's going to change for me?"
Mrs. Murphy smiled at her reached over and patted my hand. "It all depends on the diagnoses. Sometimes it just means you'll go to another room and take your test a little longer. Your schedule is already changing, and we can adjust it accordingly. Claudia I have the upmost faith in you that you will do wonderful. I can't imagine that school will hold you back and that you will be very accomplished."
Phew I thought and then glanced at the door wondering if it was time to go. Then thought back to the schedule comment.
"Wait did you say my schedule was changing?"
"I feel like I'm doing more talking then you, but I have a feeling that you already know."
Puzzled, something clicked in my mind.
"Is this about my art classes?"
"Yes, you'll be placed in art classes that normally only seniors are in if that's okay with you?" she asked and I just nodded enthusiastically. "Until the next time I see you I want you to tell me where you think you might be in the future."
The test had come and gone without much of a fight from me. I just had to answer the questions honestly. At least it wasn't spelling or hard math questions. Just like a general assessment or something like that. Honestly, I didn't think much about it.
Until the results had come in the mail. The letter had come in the mail and sitting on the counter with my parents' names on it. Mom was making tacos so it wasn't like I could just take it and open it. Sulking a bit, I just grabbed my sketch book and sat on the front stoop looking for some inspiration. Janine was walking up the path and I just smiled at her.
"Claudia," said Janine walking up the front path. "Did you lock yourself out?"
"Hmm?" I said I was a bit distracted not hearing her. "Moms in the kitchen."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm just thinking."
"About an art project?"
"No school."
"School, really?"
She seemed a bit shocked and honestly so I was. When did I think about school on a Friday evening? Especially when I had plans after dinner to go to a movie with Stacey. Never the less I was and it wasn't as embarrassing.
"Yep. I'm just thinking that if I have this condition what changes and what doesn't. My counselor wants me to think about what I want after high school."
Janine looked at me before sitting next to me on the stoop. She had put her arm around me and hugged me a little awkwardly. Smiling I hugged her back and put the sketchbook down.
"Want to talk about it? It's okay if you tell me that you don't want to go to college," she said comfortingly. I just smiled thinly at her and shook my head.
"Actually I am thinking of going," I said. Janine looked a bit surprised but I just shrugged. "Like for design. I've heard computers are the way of the future so I think graphic design would be interesting. I could design packaging like for a box of cookies or do advertisements for some big company. I'd like to run a studio on the side for my own personal projects and sell them or something."
"That sounds like a great idea Claudia. I'll be your first customer, I'll need someone to help decorate my "boring" apartment," said Janine, smoothing her skirt and a teasing look on her face. I had sat back and looked at the house. I'm glad that we had this time together at home before things changed even more. "I wouldn't worry about if you're diagnosed or not. I'll be able to help you. In fact I think the ACT would be a lot better for you then the SAT."
Both of us laughed a little but knew how that was going to go. I felt lucky to have Janine as my sister knowing that she'd be right there to help.
"Thanks Janine. What about you? Where are going to go for college? I know you applied to a lot of places."
"I'm not going that far actually. I accepted a spot at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and starting my first nuclear physics class right away."
Smiling I just hugged my sister again. I really didn't need to know what that was before mom called us in for tacos one of my favorite meals.
I love that memory with my sister, Janine has been great even when I fail to notice it. What does that have to do with that house? Not much, just that I remembered having that conversation with Janine on that front stoop and it was nice to be able to connect with my sister.
Turns out I do have ADHD and the doctor told me that I didn't have to be put on medication right away, just rigid schedules. I guess I'm part of the reason why the BSC eventually just dissolved? Probably not but I was glad to have the help from my family. Although I did sit afterward. I mean I was invited to Jamie Newton's graduation party. Not only that but I do have a job in graphic design like I had told Janine what I thought I would do as my main job. I do sell some pieces on the side.
I'm glad that this wedding is bringing everyone back together. Although Stacey and I do have plans to go to England in a few weeks. I have a new commission and you won't believe who it's for.
Together they sat on the couch with a homemade pizza on the coffee table. Claudia had set the equipment in her old bedroom so she could find it later. A book of different poses and stuff opened and her laptop ready. She only smiled seeing Charlotte rest her head on Byron's shoulder flipping through a book, her slice of pizza half gone.
"You two are really cute together and I really want to capitalize on that," said Claudia smiling at them. "So maybe something outside? We could do something simple in the backyard as a preview. This is fun though I haven't really done this since my wedding."
Her voice faltered some before Byron curiously asked noticing the slight quiver. "Are you and your husband divorced?"
Great, she might as well come clean. "Actually, he died about a year ago. He was a fire fighter and the house just collapsed…"
He looked horrified at even bringing it up. "Claudia I am…"
"No, you don't have to apologize. It's been hard to talk about and the kids really miss their dad but we've come to peace with it. Now come on we're burning daylight."
Bryon just nodded before heading to the backyard. Twizzler following them watching curiously.
With that they headed outside to prove that she could still do this. Her favorite picture had to be where Charlotte was sitting on a wooden swing holding onto the rope. Sunlight hit them just right bringing out the slight reddish tint in their chestnut hair. Charlotte's face flushed pink and Byron's face soft, his blue shirt really bringing out the color in his eyes. Now this picture was going into her present for them.