Thursday 9th October
I woke up and had almost forgot where I was. I got up and had a quick shower, dressing in jeans and a long sleeve white t-shirt. I brushed my long brown hair out and tied it into a high ponytail.
I went downstairs and Arthur and Joan were standing in the living room,both fully dressed. Arthur in a suit for work and Joan in black jeans,a cobalt blue cashmere sweater and black leather Michael Kors high heeled boots with the an MK logo on the buckle.
"What are you having?" Joan asked.
"Nothing I don't eat until dinner usually" I answered.
"Don't be crazy. You need to break your fast. Eat a banana and a yoghurt" Joan said and her tone told me that it was a demand not a request.
I reluctantly ate while Joan and Arthur chatted about their schedule. Arthur was going to work and coming home around six and Joan had an important "thing" she had to "handle" with an "operative" so she'd leave the home around five and go to work but before that me and Joan were going shopping for some other stuff I'd need and also some clothes for all different occasions.
Joan took the Range Rover and Arthur took the BMW and we headed in opposite directions.
"Jordan some of the books in your room are from my niece Alexis collection. So if there's any you don't like give them to me and I'll give them back to her" Joan said.
"I can give you back the Twilight series,I don't want to seem rude but I've already read the series and I'm not a fan" I said.
"Oh that's fine I'm sure Alexis will be fine with that. Alexis and you will probably be good friends since you're both the same age. You'll get to meet her and Arthur's family on Sunday at church and then dinner at Arthur's mom Caroline's house" she said and I immediately felt nervous.
"Church?" I asked.
"Yeah,Arthur and his family are Catholics. Religion isn't my thing but if it makes Arthur happy for me to sit in church for an hour then I'll do it" Joan answered.
"Sure I'm not really religious though" I was testing Joan to see if she was actually religious and whether or not she'd be forceful when it comes to church.
"Go and see. If you hate it I won't make you go" she said and I relaxed.
"So anything else I need to know about?".
"Not really. Our lives are pretty boring. Listen we'll go shopping for a while,grab lunch at my country club and then we can start shopping again. Sorry I have to work tonight but it's unavoidable although it'll be good for you and Arthur to spend some time together" Joan reassured.
"I'm sure it will be fine. Maybe we could play pool".
We chatted for a few more moments before Joan pulled up outside of a shop.
"Neiman Marcus?" I asked.
"Come on. You'll love it" Joan jumped out.
Neiman Marcus was a gorgeous store with clothes on every rack. Joan literally started pulling clothes of racks.
"I'm getting everything in a size 2 because I think that's what will fit you best" she told me and I didn't dare argue.
"Can I help with anything?" the overly perky blonde store assistant asked.
"I'm looking for my niece and I want to get some clothes she can wear can you help me? I'm looking for size 2" Joan asked.
Joan and I waited in a changing room and the girl came back with an armful of clothes and placed another rack. I was just about to remark about how much clothes there were when three girls showed up behind each carrying armfuls.
"Joan this is crazy-" I started to say when Joan cut me off.
"Money's no object so try everything on" she instructed.
Three hours later and we emerged with four bags of clothes. I was now the proud owner of five pairs of over-priced jeans,four skirts,a black leather jacket,six everyday t-shirts and four fancy tops,a Burberry trench coat and three pairs of different heels,one nude pair of stiletto's, one black pair of Manolo Blahniks and a pair of black high heel ankle boots. My favourite purchase was the two dresses,one of which was a gorgeous cobalt blue plunge neck Diane von Furstenberg ¾ length wrap dress and the other a black velvet halter neck that was cut short in the front and a few inches longer in the back. The price overall was astronomical,and it took almost twenty minutes before Joan managed to convince me to allow her to buy everything. Part of me knew I should feel guilty but I was too busy loving it to stop.
"Right it's just after one so do you want to go grab some lunch?" Joan asked.
"Sure" I responded and we took the short drive to Arlington,to the Washington Golf & Country Club.
It was a beautiful place and it had everything. There were tennis courts,a gym and small spa,a swimming pool and golfing. There were different dining rooms but Joan and I were going to the main everyday restraunt. In ten minutes we were seated and had placed our orders and Joan was chatting about the rest of the afternoon.
"After this I'll take you to Nordstrom's and we can get you some make-up and other everyday clothes there. They have a Bobbi Brown counter which I know you teenagers love" Joan smiled and was about to continue when we were interrupted.
"Eileen! How are you!" Joan stood up and kissed this woman's cheek twice.
"I'm good. How are you?" she asked.
"I'm great. Eileen this is my niece Jordan MacKenzie. Jordan this is my friend Eileen Beaumont" Joan said to me.
"Nice to meet you Jordan" she said before turning back to Jordan "will you and Arthur be attending the celebration for George's twenty-first on Saturday? Of course you can bring Jordan" she smiled at me.
"We wouldn't miss it for the world. You must be so proud of him" Joan kissed Eileen's cheeks and sat down as Eileen left.
"Who's party am I going to on Saturday?" I asked.
"George Beaumont,Eileen's second son. He's coming home to celebrate his twenty-first birthday. Right now he's attending Yale Law" Joan said this so casually. Yale! Like the Ivy league school that is almost impossible to get into.
"Wow no wonder they're so proud" I said .
"The kid didn't exactly get in on his own merit. Eileen's father is on the board of directors and considering Eileen's husband William made a very generation donation to the school in the amount of fifty thousand dollars the year George was admitted,nobody was to shocked" Joan answered.
"One law for the rich,one for the poor" I said a little to bitterly.
"Don't be so harsh. George is a nice enough kid,just not nearly as smart as his parents make him out to be. Parents in DC expect a lot from their kids" Joan said.
"What are you and Arthur expecting? I warn you now I'm a far cry from what Harvard and Yale are looking for" I said to Joan.
"Arthur and I just want you to be happy here. Personally I think you should take advantage of University, but you might plans of your own" Joan answered.
"I don't really know what I want to do with myself. I'm not even sure who I am,far less who I will be in 10 years".
"That's okay. You're fifteenth years old you don't need to worry yet. If you do decide to go to University we will help you however we can,and if not then we will still be there for you. Arthur and I aren't just planning on keeping you until you're eighteen then toss you onto the street. We're in it for the long haul".
"Thank you. I know you went to Penn State but did Arthur go to Uni?" I asked.
"He went to Annapolis,the same as all his siblings excluding Rayanne" Joan said.
"Oh okay. So can I wear the black dress to George's party?" I asked Joan.
"That would be perfect. Do you want me to book an appointment at our salon for a Mani pedis and a hair appointment?" Joan asked.
"Yeah! That would be great,we'll have so much fun" I gushed.
"Okay I'll book our appointment for three in the afternoon on Saturday because I have to work in the morning".
We chatted a little more,with Joan filing me in on her life right now. Joan wasn't the most forthcoming but I found out that she spoke 9 languages,being fluent in four,that she loved dogs and cats and that her favourite movie was "The Bodyguard".
Nordstrom's was another huge store,but Joan was more specific this time with what was bought. She got a pair of turquoise blue running sneakers,a pair of yoga pants,calf length running trousers,a black criss cross sports bra,three different workout tops,in purple,light blue and pink. A countless amount of everyday t-shirts and tank tops. She bought me four pairs of flat shoes for everyday use,five pairs of pyjamas and a peach Juicy Couture velour tracksuit. She bought me a Michael Kors black leather bag for school. Then we both went to the Bobbi Brown make-up counter.
Even though Joan said she didn't want her make-up done the woman there insisted we both get our make-up done.
"So do you know when I have to go to school?" I asked while the woman rubbed foundation into my face.
"Well your Uncle and I were going to surprise you but tomorrow you have an interview at Sidwell" she said and my jaw almost hit the floor.
"The school the president's daughter goes to!" she must be joking.
"Yeah,you'll love it there,our nieces and nephews,Alexis,Bradley and Elise go there" Joan told me.
"Joan do you think I would fit in? I'm so normal and I you know,I snort,I burp I even drop the F bomb" I was aware that I sounded like a moron but I was trying to stress that I belonged in a public school.
"So do they. You'll be just fine. I know you can do this. You made it through everything with your mom. Trust me,Sidwell will be lucky to have you" Joan patted my shoulder.
"Plus Alexis goes there so you'll get a chance to have met somebody before you attend. If you go and hate it we will consider changing school but promise me you'll give it a try" Joan said,blinking back tears although I think that's because the assistant had just lined her eyes.
"Joan you've brought me into your beautiful home,bought me a mountain's worth of clothes the least I can do is try at a school for you and Arthur" I said and she smiled. Such simple things made Joan happy.
"Okay ladies you are done" the assistants said and showed us our faces.
I was amazed at what they had done with my face. My blue eyes had been lined with soft Gray eye-liner,my lips were a pouty pink with sparkles and my lashes looked shockingly full. My few freckles had been concealed perfectly and my cheekbones were sculpted with bronzer and foundation.
"You look beautiful" Joan said in admiration.
"You don't look half bad yourself" I checked Joan out. Joan's eyes were lined with white eye-liner which made her blue eyes look huge,she had on light grey eye-shadow,her cheekbones looked so sharp and her lips were a peach lip gloss.
"Do you want us to take a picture of you two?" the assistant asked.
"Here use my phone and take one of both of us and one of Jordan on her own please" Joan handed the girl her white I-phone 5.
Me and Joan took a great picture,Joan and I wrapped our arms around each other like best friends and done matching cheesy grins. My solo picture was less than cute but Joan insisted it was lovely and kept it on her phone.
We piled the Nordstrom bags in our car and drove home laughing and joking. I have to say Joan seemed very relaxed and cool for being filthy rich,I was kind of expecting her to be a pampered princess that was to uptight for words. However she seemed quite modest about her wealth and she wasn't rude to anyone. You can tell who someone is by how they treat people who serve them. And Joan was equally as polite to the waiter and the shop assistants as she was to her friend Eileen. Then again Joan had a modest upbringing so maybe it wasn't all that unusual.
"Home sweet home" Joan threw open the front door and stepped through it.
I carried my shopping bags through to the living room and sat them on the couch.
Joan came through into the living room,her arms full of the rest of the bags.
"Come on and I'll help you put your clothes into you're room" she said and we stumbled upstairs.
Joan went into her room to change her top and I returned to mine and was shrieked to find a huge latina woman standing in my room fiddling with my bed sheets.
"Ahh! Who are you?" I asked and she burst into panicked Spanish and some broken English. In the panic I had dropped my bags so Joan came bursting into my room, obviously anticipating an intruder and instantly relaxed.
"Oh Rosia!" Joan paused as if thinking then broke into fluent Spanish. "Esta es mi sobrina Jordan olvide menicionar que estaria aqui hoy" she turned to me.
"I was just telling her who you were and that I forgot she'd be here. Rosia is our maid,she comes in most days. Say hello" Joan instructed.
I do know some Spanish so I was able to communicate that I was pleased to meet her and apologised for shouting at her. I actually felt terrible because the minute I shouted she started speaking in Spanish and you could tell she was worried. By the end of the exchange Rosia explained that she was changing my sheets (which I didn't get because I only slept in them once but whatever) and that was all she was doing in my room. She quickly done that while Joan and I hung up my clothes in the closet and then spritzed air freshener around and then left my bedroom.
"I'm sorry if I freaked Rosia out" I said apologetically.
"That's fine. I'm sure Rosia will understand you were surprised and she's a sweetheart she'll have forgotten about it already" Joan reassured me.
"So tomorrow you should wear the pencil black skirt with the sleeveless red wrap top. You will look great,and wear the Manolo's" Joan said hanging my clothes outside my wardrobe.
"I have to head out but Arthur should be home in an hour with food. Hang out for a while and try not to be scared if Rosia wanders in and out of the room your in" Joan said and gave me a quick goodbye hug before running off. Immediately I kicked off my red converse shoes and headed downstairs to channel surf.
When Arthur came in two hours later I was still sitting on the sofa,engrossed in The Big Bang Theory. "Is pizza okay?" Arthur asked picking up the phone.
"Yeah can I have a Hawaii please?" I asked.
"Sure thing. Hello can I have two Hawaiian pizza and one Meat Lovers Special delivered" Arthur said and then after reciting the address hung up.
"How was your day?" Arthur asked.
"Great. Me and Joan had so much fun shopping. She got me a ton of make-up and clothes. We had so much fun" I told Arthur.
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Do you want to play some pool before dinner?" Arthur asked.
"Great" I jumped up and we headed to the games room.
"Who's red?" I asked.
"I'll be red and I'll break okay?" Arthur asked.
Arthur leaned up his cue and broke with so much force it sent two of his red balls into the pockets and one of my yellows.
"My turn" I jumped over and angling my cue,shot one yellow ball into the far left corner.
Arthur was silent,watching every move I made.
I shot my second ball into the middle right pocket.
"You've played before" Arthur realised.
"My mom was a barmaid for a while. Sometimes she'd bring me to work and I'd play pool" I said.
"I learned to play when I was little. My brother taught me" in listening to Arthur I screwed up the shot completely.
"Geoffrey or Michael?" I asked.
"Geoffrey. Michael and I were born only two years apart. Geoffrey was five years older. He kind of taught me everything. How to ride a bike,how to swim,how to play pool. Brotherly stuff you know" Arthur said and missed one of his shots.
"Unfortunately I don't. The curse of an only child" I shrugged my shoulders as I took my shot and sunk it into the lower left corner.
"That sucks. I know because I had four of them and while life was never quiet,it was definitely fun. But cousins can be just as good. Me and my cousin Richard are still close now because we hung out all the time as kids" Arthur was obviously referring to me being friends with his nieces and nephews.
"So Joan told me we were going to family dinner at your mother's on Sunday but who will be there?" I asked and potted my next yellow ball.
"Uhh,let me catch you up. My mom Caroline obviously will be there. Offer to help cook and she'll love you. Even if you only chop vegetables. My brother Michael's kids will be there. James will be there with his wife Rebekah and their two sons Jonah and Elijah,Jonah is four and Elijah will be three next month. James has a sister Carolina who is a twenty year old Sophmore at Georgetown University. Carolina is a lesbian and is going out with Carmen De La Costa who's twenty four and owns a tattoo shop in DC. Carolina is studying linguistics right now and wants to join the agency one she's finished her bachelor's degree" Arthur explained and paused letting me remember that.
"My sister Jennifer is out of the country right now in Egypt,she'll be home early in December. My other sister Rayanne will be there,her husband Jared is doing a six month tour right now in South Korea. He's home in two weeks. Jared and Rayanne have Alexis,Bradley and Elise,who are sixteen,twelve and six. You and Alexis are born eleven months apart so you'll probably get along well. Bradley and Elise are great to" Arthur told me.
Dinner with eleven strangers. Sounds like a party to me.
"I'm sure we'll get along fine. My biggest worry is tomorrow's interview" Arthur threw a look at me "Joan told me" I explained.
"Jordan I don't know that much about you. But from what you've been through to be here,holding it together,tells me you're a very special person. Your old school sent your last test results over and they're very impressive. Beyond that,you are charming and articulate. Sidwell will be lucky to have someone like you" Arthur's words washed over me and completely soothed me. Arthur was very calming,I had all these thoughts running round my brain and in a few short sentences he managed to completely soothe me.
Thankfully I was saved from answering by the doorbell ringing. Arthur answered it and coming back put Joan's pizza on a plate in the microwave.
"Let's eat in the living-room. We could watch more Big Bang Theory. Just don't tell Joan,she gets a little crazy about grease stains on the sofa" I could tell Arthur was the fun parent. The one who didn't believe in a curfew and thought being a teenager was all about making mistakes.
Dinner went by comfortably,Arthur and I were laughing,chatting about TV shows and movies. Who would have thought a fifty year old and a fourteen year old had so much in common?
After dinner I was watching Friends re-runs with Arthur when I felt my phone vibrate. I pulled it out and looked at my recent messages.
Yesterday I had text them pictures of my new house and told them about Joan and Arthur's house. Today Naomi had sent a not so pleasant response.
Jo,you are aware that your mom died? I wanted to know a little bit more than what colour this woman's sofa was! Did you forget that they abandoned you and your mom? Wtf I thought you were all about morals-not money! Already you're acting like a spoiled DC brat. Give me a call when your willing to be the real you.
"I'm going to the bathroom" I stood up and walked away to the guest room bathroom upstairs.
My head was spinning and I felt ill. My stomach was churning. Was Ni right? Was I being superficial? Joan and Arthur were giving me everything I could ever need... want. Was it wrong to want to have a mac book? Or a dress that cost almost sixteen hundred dollars. Was it right that millions of people were suffering in poverty and I spent thirty dollars on blusher. The tears started streaming down my cheeks and I felt a rush in my throat. It was all to much. My Mom's death,Ni's message,the house,the pizza,the guilt. I couldn't handle it and next thing I knew I had sprayed throw up all over the white sinks and the marble counter tops.
"Jordan! All you all right?" Arthur shouted from outside the bathroom door.
"Leave me alone! Please! Just for a little bit" I shouted back.
"What happened? Everything will be okay but let me in I can help you" Arthur shouted and started hitting on the bathroom door.
"Please just leave me alone!" I begged and backed up against the wall away from the sink and sunk to the floor,my back against the wall. Tears were streaming down my face.
"Jordan are you okay? Are you still being sick. I'll leave you alone as long as I know you're safe".
Safe. That was the feeling I had felt for almost two days that was unknown to me before that.
"I'm fine,but can you please leave me alone" I shouted.
"If that's what you need but if you need anything just give me a shout" Arthur said.
I shut my eyes and tried to focus on my breathing. It felt like all the air had left my throat and I couldn't breathe. I hadn't grieved my mother's death because it hadn't felt like it really happened. Now it felt like a train was barrelling straight into me,bringing all the loss and the pain and the loneliness. I curled up on the floor in a little ball and cried until I felt sleep take over.
When I opened my eyes there was somebody hovering over me rubbing my back. I saw Joan in the same position I was in earlier with her back against the wall and her hand was rubbing my back in circles.
"Jordan are you awake?".
"Yeah,Joan. How did you get in here?".
"I picked the lock. Arthur didn't want to kick the door in but I have no problem ignoring your wishes. Come on sit up and we'll get you washed" Joan helped me into a semi sitting position. She shouted on Arthur and he brought in a cold face cloth and Joan delicately wipes my face while poor Arthur wipes up the sink as best he can. I realised that sometime during my nap the sick had got on not only the sink and the marble counter top,there's also some puke on the tiled floor.
After washing me Joan guides me to my room and helps me change into pyjamas, and helps me set an alarm for seven tomorrow. It's just after nine right now but I am so emotionally exhausted that it's easy to just fall into bed. Joan sits next to me stroking my hair. I feel as though I'm drunk,I'm in a total fog and can't think of doing anything more complicated the snoring.
"Jordan what happened?" she asks.
"My friend Naomi was horrible to me on facebook to me,trying to say that I don't care about my mom dying because I was talking about liking the house" I started hysterically crying. I was so embarrassed usually I don't cry at anything but in the past two days I've been like a fucking waterfall.
"Just ignore it for now. Tomorrow we'll go over it in the afternoon but tonight you just focus on sleeping and your interview. Don't let some idiot ruin this for you. Give me a little minute" she jumped up and left the room.
Joan returned two minutes later wearing blue pyjama trousers and a white tank top. She literally comes to the other side of me bed and climbs in.
"What are you doing?" I whisper.
"Keeping you company. I'll stay in here tonight,Arthur can survive without me for one night" Joan said and cuddled into me wrapping her arm across and we had a total spooning session. Ni was totally wrong. I am fucking devastated about my mom and just because I am trying to be happy doesn't mean I didn't care. And I like Joan and Arthur more than just the two of them having a fancy house and great cars. They were both good people,who had been nothing but nice to me. They had given me so much and not to win me over,to try and give me a stable life and help me feel comfortable in totally new surroundings. And if Ni were really my friend she would understand that and she certainly wouldn't have been the jealous callous bitch she had been tonight.
Joan and I never spoke but true to her word she stayed with me,knowing that tonight I really needed to know I wasn't alone.