Chapter 53

I sat with Wanda during lunch. As soon as I sat down, she started.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with that kid. She's driving me nuts."

"Why? What did she do?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's just that she wants to try everything everybody else does. It's bad enough coming up with meals for her to eat and then she finds out you had something different and wants to try that."

"Well, the first thing you need to know is that Laurie has no concept of sarcasm or what's involved in getting something done. When you told her this morning that she might as well eat breakfast with me all the time, she was totally fine with it. You need to think before you open your mouth or she's going to put you in a corner using your own words."

"I know. That was a stupid thing for me to say. I can't keep her away from you but it's frustrating that as soon as you tell her something, that's what she wants."

"She seemed pretty excited about spending time with Mary today."

"She gets excited by everything. I do laundry, she wants to help. I try to cook something and she has constant questions. No matter what I do, she wants to be in the middle of it."

"Aww. You poor baby. Do you realize what she could be like? The poor kid just lost her only parent. All of a sudden she gets deserted, thrown away to live with people she's never known and you're bothered because she's curious or she wants to help? You're lucky she's not stuck in some corner, bawling her eyes out. Or moody, not talking to anybody. Or tearing things apart in frustration or wetting the bed and refusing to eat. You've got an adorable little girl and all she wants to do is love. And to be loved back. I think you made out pretty good."

"Yeah, but John and I are just getting to know each other and now she's in the middle of everything."

"OK, now that I understand. But you already told me you know how he is. You and I both know you're stuck with Laurie if you want to stay with my father. You know her mother had her own private time with men. Laurie will be fine with you and Daddy spending some time together as long as you don't cut her off. She needs both of you. It doesn't have to be anything special. Reading to her, giving her a bath, letting her pick out what she wants to wear and letting her wear it, not matter how bad you think it looks. Take her down to the shopping center and let her ride her bike or roller blade for an hour. She'll be asleep before you know it and you'll get your time. Instead of pushing her away when she wants to help, find something she can do and let her do it. Let her fold her own clothes and put them in her dresser. If they get a few wrinkles, who cares? For God's sake, don't make her spend her life in front of the TV. Make sure you communicate that to whoever takes care of her. Has Daddy said anything about the fence to block off the pool?

"Yeah. Alex was supposed to send somebody over to do it today. John already marked it off in chalk."

"Good. She'll be able to go out there and work off excess energy without a lot of supervision. Just make sure you do spend a little time out there and praise her for what she's doing."

"I never thought of that."

"Wanda, that's all she wants. What she lives for. Everything she does is so the people who matter to her think she's OK; that they accept her. She's probably scared shitless that she's going to screw up and get sent away. And that's what happens when she comes to you and offers to help with the laundry. If you ask her, I bet some of her happiest times were spent with her mother in laundromats. There was an hour or two every week or so when they were both pretty much stuck in the same place and I'll be willing to bet she helped her mother a lot. You get her a step stool and I bet she can show you how much laundry detergent to put in the washer and when to add softener. I'll bet she can even show you how to divide the clothes for washing."

"I never thought ... I mean, she's just three."

"Talk to her. You'll be amazed how smart she is. She can name off the person who gave her every one of her DVDs. She pays attention to what's going on around her and I'll tell you, she doesn't miss much. I know you didn't plan on her but if you let her, she can enrich your life so much."

"You're right. It's just kind of a shock."

"You don't have to convince me. I had almost nothing to do with her when you brought her over on Sunday. I'm just glad Jack was there to pick up the slack. I wasn't totally out of it. About the time they started feeding Bozo, I was watching what was going on. The same at the restaurant. I spent most of yesterday taking care of her and got to know her. It's like her whole purpose in life is to give and receive love. A lot like Bozo only she can answer. Which is something you ought to think about."

"What?"

"Getting her a dog."

"Oh, God. Just what I need."

"Yes, it is. Someone for her to play with and love. Someone to love her back and watch over her. I'll bet you five bucks she asks about getting a dog when she gets home today."

"Why do you think that?"

"Sunday with Bozo and today with Dino? I wouldn't be surprised if Mary brings Bozo down and lets the three of them play in the yard. She'll want one for herself. I betcha."

"I don't think John would go for a dog."

"Don't kid yourself. He was fine with Bozo. He talked gruff but I caught him sneaking him something to eat a couple of times when he thought I wouldn't see."

"Aren't they a lot of work?"

"Nah. Especially not for what you get back from them. Make Laurie take care of it. I know you'll have to help her, but it will give her something to be proud of. Plus, she'll have a companion that gives her love that she doesn't continually think she need to earn."

"Bozo came from that pet store in the mall, didn't he?"

"Yes, but there's no reason for you to go there. Jack bought Bozo and paid way too much for him because I had fallen in love with him. I wouldn't give him up for the world, but Dino's just as good a dog as Bozo. Find someone who has a litter of puppies and the three of you go check them out. Laurie will find the one for her."

"Maybe we'll get something small."

"Not unless you want to keep replacing dogs. That little girl is going to hang onto whatever you get. You want something that can defend itself and squirm away when it's a pup and can handle her wrapped around its neck when it's grown. Spend some time in the kitchen when you go to pick her up today. I bet she's hanging all over Dino."

"OK. I'll check the newspaper."

"Ask around at school. Check the notice boards. Keep your eyes open as you're driving around for kids with free puppies in front of stores. The newspapers are mostly for dogs with pedigrees and you want a mutt that will be her best friend."

"Would you come with us?"

"Sure, if you want me to."

The bell rang and we went our separate ways.

The morning's meeting had somehow made it real that I was going to finally do this thing, that I was going to cram three years of education into one. It had been a vague idea, sort of a pipe dream. Now it was all coming together. After today, I'd have six more days of classes and then I'd be on my own.

I sat in my classes and really looked at what was going on. Both of them consisted of the teacher regurgitating materials had been assigned as reading for homework. If there were some examples, some participation by the class, maybe it would have made some sense. It wasn't quite reading but it certainly wasn't exciting, either. Just about everyone there was bored, whether they'd bothered to do the homework or not. I'd spent a half hour on one class and forty five minutes on the other reading my assignments. Now I had to waste two hours of my day going over the material again in class. Two hours that would be better spent learning another day and a half's worth of material.