5th grade
She didn't come back for fifth grade.
Her parents stayed away from the neighborhood for the most part. But, I thought you were on your dad's side. I thought you were gonna get rich off the whole deal. They were in a big Legal battle with Scheck and Big Bob's old assistant Nick who had sold him out to Scheck. Money isn't everything. It's my civic duty. It was all over the news. Her parents playing the part of sweet middle class victims like the rest of the neighborhood. I guess he forgot he was going to put a new Beeper Emporium right where the boarding house sits. Olga came down for the trial, and cried her big beautiful tears on the stand. The jury ate it up.
I tried bringing the subject up with Phoebe about where she was... and about the summer. Helga?! You? You're Deep Voice? Everyone had asked the first few weeks of school about where she was, but Phoebe had thought she would be there. I found her in the library one day, crying quietly behind a big book. Helga wasn't coming back. She would be at boarding school at least until the trial was over. Phoebe and I sat and stared at each other a very long time. She knew. She would tell me if she heard anything, but she hardly spoke to me the whole year.
I didn't come back for the fifth grade.
My parents sent me to a French-Canadian boarding school. They thought I would mess up their trial against Scheck and that nasty slimeball Nick. But, I thought you were on your dad's side. I thought you were gonna get rich off the whole deal. I saw the whole thing on TV though. My parents acting sweet and playing as victims, holding hands and touching each other, going in and out of the courthouse. Miriam even looked sober. And Olga with her tears, criminy! The jury ate it up.
Bob had sent me away without anything. They took away my phone. They couldn't actually afford the boarding school, not unless they actually managed to win the trial. Money isn't everything. It's my civic duty. They didn't know if they would get to keep the house either. I was told to throw out all my 'junk' that I couldn't take in my two small suitcases I was allowed to bring. I put all my journals in a box after I copied my favorite poems and anecdotes from all my volumes into one book I could take. Helga?! You? You're Deep Voice? Another box held a few pieces of my shrine, pictures, and my shoe from when I pretended to be his French pen-pal Cecile, and a few other special things. I gave them to Phoebe. I told her to tell people she didn't know where I was. That she thought I was supposed to go to school with everyone.
I really wish this trial was over and I could come home.
