What She Left Us Read online

  “Who knows, who cares,” Courtney said, and she leaned down again to kiss him some more.

  And by the end of the week, there was the beginning of some buzz of their relationship among the students. Mitch and Courtney weren’t going around the halls making out and holding hands, but they weren’t exactly inconspicuous when it came to leaving each others’ rooms or chatting up close in the hallway. Bren and Angie actually came up to Courtney and asked for the scoop, and Courtney just smiled, while Remy blatantly said to Mitch, “Hey dude, you bagged the RA!”

  Courtney tried to be cool about the whole thing. She hoped it would die down and everyone would find something else to focus on, something important, like their studies. She just wanted to be in the moment and finally have a boyfriend for once and not have to worry about anybody or anything else for a while. Didn’t she deserve that much after all that she’d recently been through? She had all but forgotten about the blood test she had taken when she was with her sister.

  Chapter 30

  Jenna grabbed the mail and closed the mailbox at her mother’s house. She had no idea how to stop junk mail from coming. Fliers for Hobby Lobby, discount cards for Kohl’s, and grocery papers were filling the box. Jenna continued to pick up the mail as if there was nothing wrong. As if her mother was simply on a vacation. A world cruise maybe.

  She and Court had to get the house cleared out and on the market so then the junk mail could be someone else’s problem. Let some other family open up the Val-Pak, pluck out the pizza coupon and toss the rest.

  They were going to have to do this soon too, and it wasn't likely that it would happen over Thanksgiving break. Probably over Courtney’s winter break, and despite the pain she felt about the loss over Darren, she finally felt relief knowing she had the next phase of her life figured out. Her mind was made up – she was definitely going to go be with Courtney.

  They had plenty of money – their mom had a will, and had left everything to them, not that it was much, but enough for them to get by. Since Jenna was still enrolled in college, she had remained on her mother's health insurance plan, and Courtney was covered too, which was Jenna's main concern now – impending health bills. With a sale of the house at the first of the year, they both would be okay. Everything was going to work out fine.

  She was back at her mom’s to check on the house and then the next day she was heading to Courtney’s. When she got there, she’d sit Courtney down and tell her they would fight this disease together. Now that Jenna had a few days to let it sink in, she felt better about the diagnosis. She scoured the Internet, found some survivor sites and some FAQs that helped a lot. She read about some people her own age that had hemochromatosis and were living with the disease. Doing this kind of research put Jenna's mind at ease for the moment – to know that there were people out there who could survive and live healthy lives, it made her feel better about the future.

  As for Darren, well, it had seemed that Darren had made up his own mind about the two of them and what their future would be. She hadn't heard a word from him.

  As Jenna turned to walk back up to her mom’s house, she cringed. There was no escaping it. Mrs. Crand walked toward her. She had never really cared for the woman, not since she had to stay with her when she was little. Mrs. Crand had made Jenna clean out her cat box that whole summer, and forced her to brush out the knots of fur in those mangy cats she owned, and practically force-fed her nasty cookies that tasted like they were made with cat litter.

  Mrs. Crand had told her horrible stories that summer about her sister and what they were probably doing to her when she was in the hospital too, so much so that Jenna was traumatized as a child and was afraid to go near Courtney when she was a baby, for fear she would get sick too, or worse, that she would maybe kill her sister. And the worst was Mrs. Crand had haunted her with stories about what happened to little girls who didn’t do what they’re told. She even told Jenna that she had a basement full of little girls who hadn’t done exactly what she said once when Jenna had mouthed off to her.

  It had been the worst summer of her childhood, adjusting to a new sister, then having her taken away to the hospital. She had missed her parents, was scared for her baby sister, and then Jenna had to stay with that horrible woman every single day, and she remembered it with a fierce bitterness. After that, Jenna never liked Mrs. Crand.

  Growing up next door to the wretched woman, Jenna did her best to avoid her, although her mother always demanded she was polite to Mrs. Crand when they ran into her. Before her mom died, she told her Mrs. Crand was suffering from dementia. Jenna thought of this as the old woman, flanked by some cats, made her way up to greet Jenna by the mailbox.

  “Mrs. Crand, how are you?” Jenna forced a smile.

  “Veronica! How many times have I told you, it’s Gertie. Call me Gertie.”

  Jenna stilled at the mention of her mother’s name, and a lump caught in her throat. Of course she would mistake her for her mother. The dementia.

  “Oh, but no, Mrs. Cra—”

  “Gertie, please.”

  Jenna took a deep breath and searched the old woman’s faded blue eyes. Her hair was cloud white and sparse, and there were faint white eyelashes wisping around her eyes. Wrinkles mapped a face that held a lot of pain, she could tell. Jenna reached down to pet one of the two calicos that were circling her ankles.

  “You still have your cats?” she asked.

  “Of course dear,” she answered, as if it was the silliest thing in the world to ask. “How is your baby doing? I heard her crying the other night.”

  My baby? Oh yes, she thinks I’m Mom. Go with it.

  “The baby is fine, thank you,” Jenna answered.

  “She’s back from the hospital then?”

  “Yes.” Jenna took a deep breath.

  “How is her health?”

  “Good, thanks for asking.”

  Things didn’t change. This woman was still as nosy as ever. Jenna remembered the woman pickling her with questions about her parents and her sister every single second she was at her house that miserable summer. Lonely old woman.

  “You know you hardly gained any weight with this pregnancy. I remember with your first one, if I may, you were big as a hippo,” she laughed, a genuine healthy laugh. Jenna couldn’t help but laugh with her. She felt sorry for this woman and what she had been through, and wondered how sad her life must have been if these were the things she fixated on so many years ago.

  “And you’re skinny as a rail already, so soon after the baby.” Mrs. Crand continued, “Truly, I bet you didn’t gain five pounds with Courtney.”

  Jenna, still kneeling down to rub the cat stretched out on his back, stopped and looked up. “You know my sister’s name?”

  “You mean your daughter? Of course I do,” Mrs. Crand continued. “It was like all of a sudden! There was all that crying, and that screaming baby there, right next door. Had I known, I would have loved to throw you a baby shower. But no. You were straight as a stick – so thin! Like you were keeping her a big secret about town. But then there she was, screaming. So loud. And then your darling little other girl, Jenna, came by to keep me company that summer. She was a great help you know. Just darling. Helping me with the kittens, and all.”

  Jenna stood up and searched Mrs. Crand’s etched face.

  “That was the first summer I was without Harold. She kept my mind off the loss. Oh dear, I still miss him every day.”

  Jenna nodded.

  “How old are the girls, about ten and fifteen by now? It sure does go by fast, doesn’t it, Veronica? And the baby? When are you due again? I’d love to host a shower for you.”

  Jenna smiled at Mrs. Crand, feeling sorry for the old woman. She’d had a hard life, and Jenna should have shown more compassion.

  “I would like that Mrs. um, Gertie, thank you.”

  “But promise me this time you’ll actually gain weight with your pregnancy. Put some meat on those bones. It’s for your own good. You need
to fatten yourself up with this baby, like you did with uh, your first one … uh, Jenna. Perhaps that’s why she cried all of the time – because you didn’t get enough nutrition when you were pregnant and your baby was lacking,” Mrs. Crand stated.

  “Like I said, I would have never guessed you were pregnant unless I hadn’t heard that crying baby every single day once you came home. That poor baby. She cried for months didn’t she? How is she, by the way?”

  “She’s well, Gertie. In fact, I should go in and check on her,” Jenna said.

  “Oh yes, of course, and please send Jenna by, I’ve baked another batch of those cookies I know she loves so much!”

  “Yes, I will, it’s so nice to see you again.”

  “You have lovely daughters Veronica, truly lovely. Take care of that baby now.”

  “Thank you, Gertie. That’s nice of you to say.”

  “Be well, my dear. Take care of that baby.”

  Chapter 31

  Courtney was so sick of being bossed around by Jenna and her friend Lilly. She wanted to play dress up with them but they kept making her do all the yucky stuff like be the husband when it was her turn to be the bride. It was so unfair to be the youngest and have to do always whatever Jenna said. She kept bossing her around and saying if she didn’t do what she told her to do she would tell Mom and then she couldn’t play with them anymore.

  This time she was going to go tell her mom what Jenna was making her do and her mom would stop her.

  “You let me be the bride or the princess this time or I’m telling,” Courtney said, hands defiantly on her hips.

  Lilly looked questionably at Jenna. Courtney had threatened before but this time she really might tell on them, and if she did, Lilly might not get to sleep over. Still, Jenna was going to take her chances.

  “You’re not going to tell on us. Then who would you play with. Ever.” Jenna stared at her sister, confident that her own subtle threat would be enough to stop her sister from tattling.

  “Mommmmmm! Jenna’s NOT PLAYING FAIR!” Courtney stuck her tongue out at the two older girls and turned on her heels and out of the room, running to find her mother.

  When she reached her mother’s room, she saw that she was on the phone speaking quietly.

  “Mom, I’ve got to tell you something. It’s about Jenna and Lilly.”

  “Not now Court honey, I’m on the phone. Close the door and I’ll be there in a minute to settle things,” her mother smiled at her from her bed.

  Courtney momentarily forgot about the incident with her sister and Lilly, instead closing the door to her mother’s room but pressing her ear close to it. Now this was something exciting, like a mystery. It was always something good when the doors were closed, she knew. Like when she heard strange noises coming from both her mom and dad and it sounded like lions roaring in there. She often wondered if they were playing Zoo like she and Jenna did sometimes.

  Courtney figured out her mom was talking to her dad on the phone, who was still at work. Maybe they were talking about plans to play Zoo soon, and discussing what animals they would be next. Ooh, this was exciting to Courtney. Then she could go back to Jenna and Lilly and tell them of her parents’ plan and later they could spy and find out what animals they were going to be that night.

  “No, Frank, I don’t think it would be a good idea for Helena to come visit… You know how the last time went. It was a mess. I don’t think it’s healthy for the girls. No, either one of them… it’s disruptive to the family, and not good for any of us. She doesn’t need to be here.”

  Why couldn’t they see Aunt Helena? She never came to visit, and she was their only relative. It sure seemed like Mom didn’t like her very much from the way it sounded.

  “Make something up. She is not spending the holidays with us. No, not this one, or any of the ones in the future… I don’t care how you feel. It’s how I feel. It doesn’t matter that she’s your sister. I don’t care if she’s changed, or how she feels now. She did that to herself. She chose it.”

  Courtney was so confused. Aunt Helena was so sweet and nice the last time they saw her. She took Courtney out for ice cream, and had asked her all sorts of questions. She really wanted to know about her, and wanted to be her friend. Why would Mom be so mean about it? If Aunt Helena came for the holidays, she would probably bring some really neat presents too.

  “Frank, the end of the discussion. It’s over.”

  There was a silence on her mother’s end, and then Courtney heard a firm reply, “No.”

  Courtney heard her mom hang up the phone and she moved away from the door. Oh well, that was that, she guessed. She went back to Jenna’s room to tell her the interesting news she discovered only to find out that she and Lilly had moved on to more eleven-year-old things – they were doing hairstyles and playing with lipstick. They definitely didn’t want a six-year-old hanging out with them now.

  Courtney slumped her shoulders and headed to her own room, thinking that maybe she would write Aunt Helena a letter. Just to say hi. She felt sorry for her. And mad that her mom was being so mean to her only aunt.

  Chapter 32

  Mitch was lying on Courtney’s bed when there was a knock and a “Court! It’s me! Let me in!” except Courtney wasn’t there – she had been called over to Todd and JT’s room. Apparently they were lighting some things on fire and their neighbor had rushed to Courtney’s room ten minutes earlier to see if she could do something about it before the whole building caught up in flames.

  Mitch got up to see who was at the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see a tall girl wearing an ankle-length purple skirt and a tight-fitted black top. Her hair was pulled back into a disheveled ponytail and she looked to be a few years older than him. She carried two suitcases and she looked frustrated. She gave him a suspicious look and pushed her way through the door, searching the room.

  “You’re not my sister.”

  “Nope. Not your sister,” Mitch smiled at her. “You’re Jenna.”

  “The one and only.” When she realized Courtney was not in the room, she went back into the hallway, looked back at Mitch and said, “Give me a hand with these?” Then she grabbed one of the suitcases and scuttled her way back into the room as if she owned it. Mitch lifted his eyebrows, but grabbed the other suitcase for her.

  “So, you must be Mitch then? Where’s Court?”

  “She got called to put out a fire,” Mitch said.

  “Oh?”

  “Literally. Some kids down the hall, playing with matches, for real. You’d think they were twelve and not eighteen.”

  “One would think. And how old are you, Mitch?”

  “Didn’t Courtney tell you?” Mitch bantered back. Wow, she was a spirited one, Mitch thought, giving him a run for his money.

  “Just checking,” replied Jenna.

  “Are you stopping by on your way somewhere?” Mitch eyed the luggage.

  Jenna sighed, then gave Mitch the once-over. He was good-looking enough but seemed so gangly. Yes, that was a good description for him. Gangly. And disheveled. Like he had just… and then Jenna looked toward the unmade bed.

  Oh.

  She hadn’t talked to her sister since she got back to school. Had she…? Could she have? She glanced at Mitch, eyeing him. It didn't take much to figure out that her sister's relationship had made its way straight to the bed.

  Maybe Jenna had been too quick with her advice to her sister. Maybe she should have met this goon before she told her that she was happy she was getting serious about someone. Because this guy didn’t look like Courtney's type at all.

  “So, are you going on vacation?” Mitch asked again.

  She decided not to answer Mitch’s question and instead asked one of her own. “You and my sister, you pretty serious?”

  Mitch grinned. “I like her.”

  “That’s not what I asked, but that’s a start, I guess.” Jenna smiled at Mitch, as charming a smile as she could muster. She wanted to like him, because s
he knew how Courtney felt about him, and she loved her sister, but there was something there, behind his eyes, and the way he stood, so confidently, as if he already owned a part of her sister, that didn’t sit well with Jenna.

  She couldn’t place it, but he didn’t seem sincere, and that bothered her.

  But then again, she was exhausted; she had spent the whole night going through her things, trying to figure out what she should bring to Courtney’s that could get her through the first couple of weeks until they could get back home for Thanksgiving. Then she had come across an old box of stuff she had saved from Darren – cards and poems, concert ticket stubs, restaurant menus and she sat on the floor in her crappy apartment and went through it all and cried. She hadn’t gone to bed until four in the morning, and when she finally slept, it was restless and filled with sad dreams of Darren.

  “Okay, so can you believe they were lighting candles on fire in the microwa– ” Courtney came flying through the door and first noticed the luggage, then her eyes traveled from Mitch to Jenna.

  “Jenna! Why are, what are…?”

  “Hey. We have to talk. In private.” Jenna eyed Mitch, who moved toward Courtney.

  “No problem,” Mitch said, wrapping his arms around Courtney, making sure Jenna knew where he stood when it came to the three of them. He kissed her, and Courtney kissed him back, but she was unsure of what was happening, what had happened between Jenna and Mitch while she was out of the room. He tilted her face up to meet his and kissed her once more, for effect, and said, “I’ll check on you later, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Bye Jenna,” Mitch said. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Yeah, you too,” she said.

  “Have a good time on your trip,” he said.

  “Oh, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here. That’s what I’ve got to talk to Courtney about. So I’ll be seeing you around. Lots.”

  Courtney looked from Mitch to Jenna, and as Mitch left the room she wondered what the hell was going on.