Page 81 of In Her Own Way
“I should leave,” she said out loud. “This is stupid. She needs privacy for her meeting with Bernadette.”She doesn’t need the distraction of…me.
Jessica was frozen, though. Her feet simply wouldn’t move. She watched as Victoria made her way over to Miss Rikki, Bernadette, and Seamus. Yes! That was his name. A small bit of dopamine hit her upon remembering the man’s name. It helped calm the nerves she had about Victoria’s very big, but very private, moment.
“I shouldn’t be watching this,” Jessica muttered, but couldn’t look away.
A grin burst on Miss Rikki’s face as she flung herself to hug Victoria. Bernadette’s smile looked genuine, too. She also hugged Victoria, put a hand on her arm, and said something thatmade everyone chuckle. Victoria looked nervous but also relaxed at the same time. These were people she knew. They had been her friends. And it looked like they remained her friends.
“So good to have you home,” Miss Rikki said. Jessica didn’t hear the words but lipread them. It was a teacher skill she had developed over the years to communicate with soft-spoken students.
The reunion continued for a few more minutes, and then Victoria excused herself and headed back to the table.
Jessica’s feet, all on their own, decided to move toward the table as well. When she got close, she stopped when she heard Victoria say, “No, Rowena, I told you I don’t want to be set up with anyone. I’m seeing someone I met recently.”
Rowena put both hands up as if acquiescing. Oh, shit. Were the aunties trying to set up Victoria with someone, like they’d been trying to do to her? Wow. They really did meddle.
“Look,” Victoria continued, “I’m going to drive to see her after my visit here. I don’t want to have to needlessly hurt someone else’s feelings.”
“Daddy Vic’s got feels for someone,” Madison singsonged and then immediately apologized.
Victoria pulled Madison into a side hug and said, “I do. I really do.”
Jessica turned away, not knowing what to do. She couldn’t text or call Victoria and pretend to be at another party. That wouldn’t be fair. And, besides, Victoria wouldn’t have her phone on her, anyway since phones weren’t allowed at the event. Jessica couldn’t exactly sneak out of the venue. She’d have to face these people another day, even if she claimed sickness or whatever.
Mortified, she realized she had been staring at Victoria while internally panicking. Victoria must have sensed it because she looked up straight at Jessica and smiled. It was a genuine,easy smile. Jessica smiled back. Victoria looked away when Madison started telling her about the community service project initiative she and the otherlittleshad started.
“Impressive, Squirt,” Victoria said.
“That’s very noble,” the woman Victoria had been introducing to people said to Madison and the otherlittleswho were, of course, crowding around Victoria, their long-lost friend.
Jessica backed away. She had to do it. If she got rejected, it would hurt, but it would be okay because she would be asserting herself and going for what she wanted. Victoria had counseled her about advocating for herself. Okay, that had been about the lit mag project, but still, it applied here, right?
And maybe, just maybe, Victoria wouldn’t reject her.
Jessica caught Pammy’s eye and motioned for her to come over.
“I need more community service, Pammy,” Jessica said. “Can you quietly and secretly round up the other two?”
“Be back in a flash, Miss Jessica.” And with that, Pammy bolted for her friends and made quick work of the clandestine operation.
Once they were gathered around Jessica, she leaned in low and said, “Ladies, we have a secret mission.”
“Really?” Madison said and started bouncing.
Shanice put a hand on Madison’s arm, and the bouncing stopped. That seemed like a common occurrence.
“I need your best arts and crafts skills. We need to make green carnations. Two of them. But we can’t let anyone see.”
“Green streamers,” Pammy said, pointing. “And there’s tape on the DJ’s table. I saw it.”
Jessica assigned Pammy to get the tape and Shanice and Madison to secretly snag some green streamers. They were to meet her in the darkened display area in the back.
“How do you make a carnation?” Madison asked.
“Oh, child, please,” Shanice said. “They’d drag us poor foster kids to the rec center once a year and do arts and crafts with us. Carnations are easy.” She showed them how to do the accordion folds and secure the crinkly crepe paper into carnations. When they were done, they’d made five of them.
“We only needed two,” Jessica said with a laugh.
“Pick the best two,” Shanice said.
