Chapter 28

Suspension was not a vacation. Mom saw to that. She had a long list of chores around the house, and as that petered out she loaned me out to the neighbors.

I really should schedule these things better. My suspension was for twelve days. Twelve school days, which should have meant sixteen calendar days. But because spring vacation fell in the middle of it, it was actually twenty-three days.

Mom and Dad had a long talk before sentence was pronounced. It was about what I expected. Completely grounded until I went back to school. No television. No computer or internet except for school work. My long list of chores, which included Traci's usual jobs. No friends.

I think the looks I got from Dad were the worst. He was disappointed. I think that was the worst punishment.

Traci could have lorded it over me, but instead went out of her way to be nice. I don't know if she's growing up or Mom warned her that I could explode.

The first night I was paroled for half-an-hour for a walk in the warm night air.

"Hi," Tami said breathlessly and she hurried to catch up. I was just turning onto Annette Funicello in the front of the park. "I heard what happened."

"I can't talk," I told her.

"Look, I know you're upset about what happened..."

I stopped. "Tami, I'm not mad. I'm not upset. I just can't talk. I'm grounded from all human contact. Mom was nice enough to let me take a walk." I gave her a small smile and continued down Annette. She went back the way she came.

Tami was sitting on my porch as I came around again. She got up and fell into step with me.

"Tami, I..."

"Your mom said I could walk with you and we could talk. She also said you couldn't enjoy yourself, but I'm not sure what she meant."

"No physical contact."

"Like that's going to happen," she said with a laugh. They say you really told Parker and Reed off."

"Not Mr. Reed, he's not so bad. And not much Mr. Parker. I just said he'd never had a love life."

"And never will," Tami added.

I grinned. I always felt better just talking to Tami. "At least he can fantasize about the cheerleaders and the girl's basketball team."

"You think he does?"

"I would, if I was him."

"You do anyway."

I grinned again. "Of course. Have you seen the way her skirt flips up and down when Allie's cheering?"

"Anyway, you missed an interesting day."

"What happened?"

"Mr. Calloway and Ricky came to help Mr. Hallowell with try-outs."

"Fuck! I forgot about try-outs. I won't make the team."

"Oh."

Now I was having second thoughts about Mom's question of whether it was worth it. By the time we passed my house again, I'd decided it still was.

"Did Robbie try out?"

"Yeah. I watched. She made the team."

"How?"

"They picked six today, and will pick the second six tomorrow. Mr. Calloway said that will make the ones who are left try harder tomorrow."

"You talked to him?"

"He came over to talk to me after try-outs. He said he missed having you there. He also said you were right about Robbie being a natural."

"Good." I was happy for Robbie. I could go to the games and cheer her on.

"He had a message for you." Tami grinned. "He said learning to control your temper is as important as learning to hit a curveball."

"I didn't lose my... well, not much."

Tami kept grinning.

"Robbie had a long talk with Mr. Hallowell after practice, then her dad drove us home."

"What about?"

Tami shrugged.

We were in front of my house again. "I'd better go in, or I won't get out again till I graduate." I started to toss off a wave, then reached forward and pulled Tami into a hug. "Thanks," I whispered. "You helped."

"As long as you didn't enjoy yourself."

Tami became my life-line. Every night, Mom would let me out for a walk about seven, and every night Tami was waiting. She kept me sane during my long captivity. Damn, now I'm starting to sound like the Count of Monte Cristo, or the Man in the Iron Mask.

She'd bring me homework and take what I'd done back to school. Technically, I wasn't supposed to have homework. Any assignments that were due during a suspension were supposed to be failures or incompletes, but she'd bring back my assignments and they'd be corrected though the number grade at the top was missing.

And she kept me up with the latest at school. Tabitha had a boyfriend. Carl Hunter. I knew who he was, but didn't know him. Mentally I wished him luck. Allie was going out with a freshman on the high school baseball team.

Our baseball team, she said was a joke. Mr. Hallowell was trying, but didn't have a clue. And, unfortunately, this year there was no Ricky to help him.

Friday of my first week, I was mowing the park's front lawn. Mom had volunteered me to the manager, Mrs. Timmers. She'd also volunteered that I'd use a power mower instead of the park's riding mower.

I'd just finished and was sitting, taking a breather, when the school bus came by. I waved to the group as a whole, then watched as they splintered and went their separate ways. Mikee and Kelly rushed by, obviously trying not to catch my eye. Tami gave me a smile and a wave, but headed home. She knew that I didn't want to break my mom's rules and risk my walks.

Alana and Paula weren't on the bus, but they rarely were anymore. But Kenny was.

"So Mr. Goody-Goody isn't so high and mighty anymore."

"Hi, Kenny," I said as pleasantly as I could.

"I guess being a football hero wasn't enough to keep you from getting busted."

"I guess not."

"They say Mr. Parker's going to be watching you like a hawk. One foot out of line and you'll be gone for good."

"It'll give Parker something to do," I agreed. I figured being pleasant and agreeing would drive him nuts.

"Like a hawk," he repeated.

I smiled.

"Or maybe, like an owl."

I stopped smiling. Then I smiled again. "You know Kenny. I'm in more trouble now than I've ever been in before. I'm in so much trouble, that breaking somebody's jaw couldn't make it worse.

Kenny took three steps back. "You and what army?"

What were we, in second grade? I shrugged.

"You wouldn't."

"Probably not," I agreed.

Kenny started to walk away, then changed his mind. "Maybe now that you're the punk and I'm the good kid, Tami will get friendly with me."

I imagined Kenny's intestines after I'd trimmed them up with the power mower. Then I had a better idea. "Maybe," I agreed.

Kenny looked stunned.

"By the way, good kid." I started pushing the mower toward the storage shed where it was kept. "The word is, the sheriff is bringing the drug dogs thru the school tomorrow." Kenny went white. I'd made it up, but maybe I could call the sheriff and suggest it.

The next week was spring vacation. Tuesday I'd been loaned out to Mrs. Timmers again and was painting the fence that runs along Patty Duke Way. Traci ran up. "Mom wants you home."

"What for?"

"She didn't say." I could tell from her grin that Traci knew more than she was telling, but let it go. I cleaned my brushes and put everything away as fast as I could.

"Took you long enough," was all that Mom had to say when I got home.

"I had to clean up. I couldn't just leave everything out."

Mom nodded. "Get in the car."

"What for?" I asked casually.

"Aren't you in enough trouble without making me repeat myself?" I headed for the car. I saw Traci looking around a corner, but I guess I couldn't fault her for watching her big brother get his.

I got in the car and put my seatbelt on and waited.

Mom came out about seven minutes later. Having more than one brain cell, I didn't say a word. Mom started the car and we drove to the school.

"What are... ?" A look from Mom and the question died.