My eyes darted toward the hall as my mother came around the corner, tightening her belt on her baby blue robe around her waist. “I won’t?” This was the first I heard about it.
She shook her head. “You have plans.”
We never had plans; especially plans for my birthday. “We do?”
“Yes.” Her tone was short, so I wasn’t going to question her again.
“Well, then I will let you get to your plans,” Mrs. McKenna remarked, reaching for the front door.
“Thank you again.” I gave her a quick hug. She nodded to my mother then left.
“What was that all about?” Mother asked, a cigarette between her lips as she flicked her lighter. I watched as the flame burned the tip.
“Seth called to wish me a happy birthday.”
She blew a puff of smoke from her mouth. “That’s nice. Go shower, Joselyn. When you come out, there will be a dress on your bed for you to wear.”
“Where are we going? What are we doing?” I asked, not taking a breath. I didn’t care that she hadn’t wished me a happy birthday. She had bought me a dress and was taking me out.
“Just go take a shower, dammit!” she spat, causing me to jump.
I paused, glaring at her for a beat, then turned my head to look at Bryce. He was watching cartoons without a care in the world. I tried hard—really hard not to roll my eyes as I brushed past her. I was used to her yelling, but for one day—just one—I wished she would take into account that it was my birthday and act sweet.
Before I went to the bathroom to shower, I folded Bryce’s picture and put it in my purse to take with me. I didn’t want Mother to do something with it. I didn’t trust her. I never kept anything I didn’t want her not to throw away. Granted I didn’t have much to begin with. I didn’t have jewelry. I didn’t have nice clothes. I didn’t have CDs. I didn’t have books. I didn’t have DVDs. I didn’t have anything except a photo of me and Bryce, one of me, Cat, and Seth from three summers ago that we took during Seth’s last summer visit, and a few pictures Bryce had drawn for me at school. I kept Bryce’s pictures he colored for me under my mattress and my photos in my purse.
Tonight I was going out for my birthday, and I was dressed up—something I’d never done.
When I returned to my room, there was a dress lying on my twin bed. I held it up in front of me; it barely came to my mid-thigh. It was a simple, sleeveless black dress. I didn’t have a strapless bra, but I could go one night without one—depending on what we did. I didn’t care. I was happy for once. It was getting to be dinner time, so hopefully we’d have a nice meal because I could go for something other than soup or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Still smiling, I slipped the dress on. Before I could slide into the sky-high, black heels my mother had placed by my bed, she came into my room without knocking. “You need to do your hair and makeup, too.”
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“No.” There was the short, snappy answer again.
Whatever.
I went back into the bathroom and found Mother’s makeup. I didn’t have money to buy my own and she’d never bought me any, so I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t wear makeup. Hell, I didn’t even know what she meant by I needed to do my hair. I covered my entire face with foundation, brushed a light beige across my eyelids, and then put on a little mascara. After I quickly dried my hair, I returned to my room.
Mother was sitting on my bed, still dressed in her robe. “You need more makeup.”
“I do?”
She huffed and then stood. “Let me show you.” She grabbed my wrist and tugged me behind her toward the bathroom.
“Ow! You’re hurting me,” I whined.
“Oh shut up, Joselyn. Stop acting like a baby.”
I could feel my blood start to boil. She was such a bitch. It was my birthday. The one day that was supposed to be your day; a day when you got whatever you wanted. Before Seth became an adult, I’d had him and Cat to watch movies with, make me lunch, cake—whatever. This year Cat was off on a family vacation in Hawaii. They’d wanted one last family trip before she graduated and left for college. I wanted a first one.
Again—whatever.
I leaned against the olive green pedestal sink while my mother painted my face. When I turned to face the mirror, I didn’t recognize myself. The freckles that lightly dusted my upper cheeks and nose were covered up completely with foundation. My eyelids were caked with pink eye shadow and black eyeliner circled each eye completely.
“Wow,” I whispered.
“You look beautiful, Joss.”
My gaze flicked to hers. I’d never heard her compliment me before. “Now will you tell me where we’re going?”
“We’re not going anywhere. You are.”
“Huh?” Thoughts of Seth and Cat surprising me for my birthday flashed in my head, but I knew they were both out of town.
“Get your shoes on and let’s go.”
I didn’t want to argue with her—I knew the consequences. I went to my room, slipped on the heels, grabbed my black clutch purse that had nothing in it but my pictures and lip gloss, and stumbled my way to the living room where she was waiting for me.
“There’s a limo waiting for you outside,” she affirmed, puffing on another cigarette. She really needed to stop that nasty shit. I was tired of smelling like stale smoke all the time.
“There’s a limo waiting for me outside?” I motioned between my chest and the door.
“Yes. Now go.” She urged me to take a step and I caught myself before I fell flat on my face. I wasn’t used to wearing heels.
“Bye, B.” I waved to Bryce as he continued to watch 101 Dalmatians. He didn’t look away or say goodbye as he recited every line.
As I stepped out of the trailer, excitement flowing through my veins. I had no idea what was going on, but finally my mother had remembered my birthday. This was going to be the best birthday ever! I turned to give her a hug. I wanted to show her how thankful I was that she’d finally remembered my birthday, but something flashed in her eyes. Instead, I stopped and only said, “Thank you.” I thanked her for the dress, the limo, but most of all, I thanked her for finally remembering it was my birthday.
“No, thank you.” She smirked.
“What?” The humid Florida air caused my long hair to cling to my neck and chin as I whipped around to see what she meant.
“Just go, Joselyn.”
When I turned toward the dirt road, there was a black limo with a man in a suit waiting outside the open door. Fancy. A smile spread across my face as I walked to the car. “Hi,” I greeted the mystery man as he gestured to the open door. I slid into the car, the cool, black leather kissing my bare legs. A moment later, the door closed and I looked straight ahead at an unfamiliar face.
“You look just like your mother did when she was your age,” he mused.
My heart stopped and my palms became clammy. “Um … okay?”
“We’ve met, you know.” His Latino accent laced his words.
“Um, okay?”
“You were just a baby.”
“Um, okay?” I had no other words. I was in a moving car with an unfamiliar man who apparently knew me—a man who my mother had sent me to.
“I’m Tony, sweetheart.”
Chapter Two
Paul
Two years prior …
The bell rang, so I hurried to my locker to grab my history book for fourth period. When I opened it, a familiar piece of paper was sticking out of the top of the book and I smiled. Vanessa knew my schedule inside out. I had just kissed her during out fifteen minute break before third period, but it didn’t matter; we’d sent each other notes between periods every school day since we started dating a year and half ago.