“I bought you this teddy bear today,” Mrs. Gallagher said as she pulled a small brown bear out of one of the bags. “This shirt will look so nice on you, it’s the same color as your eyes.” Mrs. Gallagher held up the shirt then crumpled it up against her chest and began to sob. She rocked back and forth crying and mumbling to herself.
Celeste was in shock. She had no idea how to react. Had her mother gone insane? Should she go in and talk to her mother? Should she call her father? Instead, she turned and ran down the stairs, grabbed a soda and a handful of what little food there was from the fridge and ran back up the stairs and locked herself in her room. She anticipated a fight and did not want to be a part of it. The shock of the new haircut would have to wait for another time. The rest of the day and well into the night was spent texting Tawny and trying to do the homework she managed to get from her friends. Much to Celeste’s relief, the anticipated fight did not happen. She was also relieved and at the same time saddened because no one knocked on her door. She was alone, very alone.
During the second class after lunch the following day, Celeste got a text. “Ur ‘rents R here.” Celeste was puzzled. “Why?” she texted back to the girl who worked in the office. The bell rang before she got a chance to find out.
Celeste got the answer as soon as she got home and walked in the front door.
“In my office now, Celestial,” said her father in a booming, commanding voice.
Celeste dropped her backpack on the bottom stair and slowly made her way to the office door where she stopped dead in her tracks. Her father sat behind his enormous, custom-made mahogany desk in his black leather chair with his arms folded over his chest. He wore the suit he used for important meetings, black Armani, white shirt, red tie. Standing next to him, with red eyes and smudged mascara, was Celeste’s mother in a designer navy blue suit, heavy gold necklace, and diamond earrings. Her toe was tapping and a Kleenex was in her right hand. Both hands were clinched in a fist. Celeste thought her parents looked like they had just returned from a funeral.
George Gallagher took one look at his daughter with her newly spiked blond hair and let out a groan. “I was forced to leave a very important meeting today,” stated Claire’s father in an accusatory tone. “Your principal called insisting that your mother and I meet with her immediately.” He paused for affect. “Do you know why we were called in?”
Celeste leaned against the doorframe and shook her head slightly. She wondered if her haircut was against school policy.
“Of course you do!” He bellowed. “Skipping class! No daughter of mine skips class! You have 7 unexcused absences this school year, 7! She also said your teachers have been catching you zoning out in class, not paying attention, and you failed your History exam.” He paused and glared at her with his brows furrowed angrily.
Celeste wondered how she could fail a test she did not take.
“How could you?” Celeste’s mother chimed in. “Oh, Celeste, your hair,” she whined.
“Let me handle this, Janet,” he said in a demeaning manner. “I work hard to put you in a good school. How dare you waste this opportunity?! How dare you waste my money. This is why you cannot have a car. You are irresponsible.”
That was the last straw. All he cared about was money. He did not care why she left school, why she was unhappy. He did not even want to know why. Celeste put her right foot behind her, ready for a quick retreat. “Well at least I’m not a shopaholic hoarder like Mom!” she screamed at them and ran not waiting for the look on their faces at the revelation.
Celeste ran to her room and locked her door safely behind her. She turned on the radio as the yelling commenced. The buzzing of her cell phone distracted her.
“What happened?” texted Tawny.
“W/ what?”
“Parents.”
“Busted.”
“Skpg?”
“& flunking Hx test.”
“Bmr.”
Celeste hit dial. “Do you know what he said?” she stated as soon as Tawny answered. The two girls talked about their parents and school. Tawny then took over the conversation and talked about a boy she liked. All during this time Celeste could hear and feel doors slamming and feet running up and down the stairs. Celeste broke in on Tawny’s monologue. “I gotta go. Something’s up. Call me in the morning.”
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