A red BMW convertible with the radio playing full blast screeched to a halt in front of Celeste who was sitting on the curb. “Hey chickie, whatcha doin sitting on the road?”
“Waiting for you,” answered Celeste. “I feel like the beach today, Tawny. How about it?”
“I’ve got a geometry test,” answered Tawny, a tanned bleach-blond girl with too much money thrown at her at a young age.
“So?”
“So, I’m not doing great in geometry,” Tawny said blowing bubbles in between words. She raced down the street, ignoring the street signs. “If I fail this test my daddy will take away my car.”
“At least you have a car,” groaned Celeste.
“You’re in a foul mood today. We will have to change your name to go with your sourpuss attitude,” she giggled with a twinkle in her eye. “You will not be Miss Celestial Star today!” Tawny rolled through a stop sign barely missing a truck. “Today you will be sullen Sally!” she said with a laugh. “Come on, I’m kidding.”
“Not funny. He’s back and they’re at it again.”
“What is it this time?”
“Who knows. My dad was out of town for work and apparently he has go again. Mom is tired of him being gone all the time. She wants to get a job, but he won’t let her. It’s the same thing every time. I’m so sick of it.”
“Bummer. Hey, my geo test is 3rd period. Beach after?”
“Definitely!” Celeste managed a smile. “Really not into school today.”
Celeste climbed out of the BMW over the door, put her headphones in her ears and slowly made her way to class. She zoned out during her first class, American Literature, which at one time was her favorite. All she could think about was how often her parents had been arguing over the last six months and how she felt like an orphan, an unwanted, unloved orphan. Her parents barely acknowledged her presence. Her mom pretended to be happy and free, glad to have some time to herself when her father first started traveling. Celeste, however, often heard her crying at night.
“Miss Gallagher!”
Celeste jumped in her seat. It was second period and her teacher was handing out test papers.
“Take your headphones off and put them away this instant,” the pigeon-faced teacher said, shaking a bony finger in her face.
Celeste looked at the U.S. History test and groaned. She had forgotten all about the test. Staring at the questions, the words became fuzzy as she tried to hold back tears. Facts and dates were impossible to remember. Names of important people and what they did in the past were unimportant to Celeste. Especially on this day. She thought about what Tawny said about failing her geometry test and wondered what her father would do if she failed a test.
Mustering up all the courage she had, Celeste began making herself gag. First she coughed just a little. The next cough she conjured up a dry heave.
“Are you alright Miss Gallagher?” asked the teacher.
“Oh, I’m fine,” Celeste answered feigning a pained smile, “just a little indigestion.” Several kids snickered as she began to cough again, this time with a little more gusto and another dry heave.
“I think you should go to the nurse,” suggested her teacher while writing out a pass. “Brent, please escort her.”
Halfway down the hallway Celeste stopped. “I’ll take it from here Brent.” She then turned and made a bee-line for Tawny’s car. After tossing her backpack onto the front floorboard, Celeste laid down on the back seat, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.
The sounds of the ocean with its waves crashing and seagulls cawing brought Celeste drowsily out of her slumber. The warm sun was invigorating. “Are we where I think we are?” she asked no one in particular.
“Right where you want to be, chickie,” answered Tawny from the front hood of the car. “Get up and get out here. You have no idea how hard it was to sneak you off campus.”
“Don’t even want to know,” answered Celeste as she joined Tawny, “but thanks.”
“You okay?” Tawny gave Celeste a concerned look.
“Parents. They really bite. Ever since my dad started traveling for work my mom has gone a little nuts. She looks like the perfect housewife. Dresses all high fashion. She says she goes to the country club to play tennis and hang out with her friends and she has this fake smile plastered on her face all the time. Except at home. At home she is moody. When dad is home they fight. Or they ignore each other.”
“You think one of them is having an affair?”
“I don’t know, maybe. I know she is not going where she says she is because I saw her best friend at the mall the other day and she asked about mom. She said she had not seen her in a while.”
“That’s not good.”
“I found booze in the trash can the other day, too.”
“Yours?” Tawny nudge Celeste trying to lighten the mood.
“Uh, no. I don’t know who it belonged to. My parents don’t drink, at least my dad doesn’t. Maybe that’s why...I don’t want to talk about them anymore. Let’s go for a walk.”
The girls tossed their shoes into the car and ran towards the surf. It was a typical sunny California day. The water was cool and the sun was warm. The beauty of the ocean momentarily washed all problems away. Tawny splashed and chased the waves giggling like a little girl while Celeste watched and laughed, then fought back tears as she remembered the good times she used to have with her brother on the beach. Most weekends were spent in just this spot when they were in elementary school. Even her parents were happy then.
Janet and George Gallagher had met on the beach, so Celeste was told by her mother. Janet’s parents lived on a large farm with several other families. They had a large organic garden, a vineyard, milked their own cows and goats, raised chickens and made their own clothes from natural fibers. They had not been a religious group, simply believed in living off the land free from outside influences. Celeste remembered her father recently called them “hippies living in a commune” because all the children were taught by their parents at home instead of going to traditional schools. George came from a similar but less radical background. His parents owned a health food store at the beach catering to athletes, actors, and surfers. George was a surfer. He had aspirations of going pro ever since he was old enough to stand on a long board. Janet met George on a family outing when she was 16 and he was 18. She had been admiring George as he surfed and when he crashed she helped him out of the water and bandaged his wounds. It was love at first sight.
“I’m in serious need of a change.” Celeste panted after running to catch up to Tawny. She wondered what happened to the love her parents claimed to have had for each other.
“Such as?”
“A radical haircut for starts, maybe change the color.”
“Ooh, ooh, I know just the place chickie. You know who Cara is right? Did you see her cool new haircut? Well I know where she got it done. Let’s go. I’m sure I can get you in and I just happen to have my credit cards on me.”
“Is that you mom?” Tawny pointed to the SUV driving slowly in front of them just a few blocks from Celeste’s house.
“Looks like it. Slow down and follow her. I thought she told me she was going to the club to play tennis all afternoon and then have dinner with a friend.”
Tawny slowed her car staying just far enough behind to see but not be seen. She stopped her car behind a tree as the SUV pulled into the driveway. Mrs. Gallagher parked the car in the garage, opened the back and pulled out several large shopping bags.
“Looks like she’s been doing a little shopping,” whispered Celeste.
“A little, there’s like 6 bags.”
Celeste and Tawny watched as her mother closed the hatch and went inside leaving the garage door open.
“I’m getting out here. Call you later.”
Celeste quietly slipped into the her house tracing her mother’s footsteps. She did not hear or see anything. No arguing. No TV. No crying. Silently, she tiptoed up the back staircase all the while listening for sounds of either of her parents. She hadn’t noticed if her father’s car was in the garage. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Celeste noticed the door to her brother’s room was slightly open.
“That’s weird,” she whispered to herself. Celeste had not been in that room since her brother left over 3 years ago. Looking around and hearing nothing, she silently tiptoed toward the room. She pushed the door open just a little with her pinky finger. The light was on. She pushed it open a little further. Clasping her hands over her mouth she thought, “Holy cow! What the hell is all this?” All around the room and crammed into the open closet were shopping bags. Full shopping bags. Celeste tried to count them. She got to 57 and stopped, amazed and in disbelief. Was this what her mother did every day? Shop? Could this be what her parents were fighting about? Was this how her mother was handling her feelings? Celeste’s mother was sitting in the middle of the room, cross-legged. She was mumbling something. Celeste strained to hear.
