Hello Loved Ones (35 page)

As luck would have it, the day was terrible. Wet and windy. Nell left early, and when she got to her corner, her feet were damp and chilly. The first teenager to come by was a hulking, overgrown boy who seemed to glare at her.

“Monday mornings,” she said ruefully. “Rough, huh?”

He grunted.

She took out the clear plastic rain hood that was rolled expertly into her pocket and carefully put it over her cap. A group of kids were crossing when she saw her mailman Gizzy approaching the intersection on his bike. He was slowing for the red light.

“Hey Gizzy!” she called, thankful for at least one friendly face. He looked up and waved. As he did his bike wobbled. He must have braked too hard, and the road was wet. The bike began sliding out from under him, into the intersection. What happened next was so fast that Nell could only blink and watch. A car swerved. There was a crunch of metal. The bike flipped over the curb, and Gizzy landed on his back in the street.

Nell started flapping her arms and blowing her whistle. What had she done? This was no welcome wagon! She was on the job. It was her responsibility to keep everyone safe.

She ran, heart pounding, toward Gizzy. She heard him moan as he rolled onto his stomach. So he wasn’t dead. But
she
was. She’d be fired for sure.

After the ambulance took Gizzy away—a broken leg! Thank God it happened to him and not a child!—Nell had to stay for the police report. It was raining hard then, and she huddled under an umbrella with the driver of the car and the officer who answered the call. The word
accident
was used several times. No one blamed her. Outwardly, at least, but Nell knew how these things could stick on you like lint. It had to do with reputation.

By the time she got home, she couldn’t help thinking
why me?
And she’d always sworn she wasn’t that kind of person.
Let the Lord test me. That’s when I’ll know I’m worthy.

Now she wondered if the Lord had forgotten her. Though she prayed for guidance, she felt only confusion and doubt. She had wanted to be the best Crossing Guard the Holland PD had ever seen. Instead she practically got someone killed. Poor Gizzy! How would he deliver the mail with a broken leg? What if they both lost their jobs over this?

Damn
Sally!
It was all her fault. She got Pastor Voss for a father. Probably Prudy would marry him and the three of them would become their own happy little family. Meanwhile, Nell was stuck with no church, no prospects, no hope. Only faith. And how flimsy that was!

She was about to go change out of her uniform when a movement in the kitchen window caught her eye. Her neighbor Mandy was crossing the yard, headed for the swing set. The rain had stopped but everything was still wet. Nell watched her walk with her birdlike gait toward the swing. When she reached it she put one hand out tentatively to touch the chain. The upstairs door slammed.

“Come on in now,” Mrs. Veenstra called from the landing.

Mandy turned and Nell squinted. There was something on Mandy’s mouth, like a streak of lipstick.

“I said come in! That’s enough!”

Nell had seen this routine before, this strange cruel trick Mona Veenstra had of telling Mandy to go out and play and then calling her in. Nell had never said anything. Judge not and all that. Or was it cowardice? Mrs. Veenstra was not a woman to be taken lightly, although Sally sure wasn’t shy about smart-mouthing her. As for Nell, she thought she could help Mandy by taking her to Bible School and teaching her about God’s love. Now that seemed as useless as the ink-covered pages of her diary.

She stepped out the back door.

“She just came out,” she said.

Mona stared down at her. “Now she’s coming in.” There was a challenge there.

Nell looked away. She ought to mind her own business. But if she did, Mandy would grow up with that broken feeling, always wondering
what’s wrong with me? Why won’t anyone love me?
And these parents—if you could call them that! They didn’t deserve to own a goldfish!—they would sail through life never realizing the damage caused by their careless words. By their selfishness. Their sinful
lust
. Something boiled up in her. It wasn’t fair!

“Come here, Mandy,” Nell commanded.

“Don’t listen to her!” Mona called.

Mandy didn’t move. Nell walked through the long wet grass to her and lifted her chin. Her lip was swollen and bleeding. She had a washrag balled in her fist that she lifted to her face and it stuck, stiff and dry, to the wound.

Nell gasped and whirled on Mona. “What did you do?” The accusation just slipped out.

Mona scowled. “I didn’t do anything. She fell down the steps.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Believe what you want. What do I care?”

Nell was stunned. She’d always tried to be kind to this…this…
witch
. Because she hadn’t known!
Why
hadn’t she known? How did a person live twenty-one years with her head in the sand? And how many truths had to be revealed before she opened her eyes?

“She needs stitches.” She made her voice sound certain to hide the uncertainty she felt. Because though she suddenly knew Mona had done this to Mandy, she had no idea what to do about it.

“Send her ass up here and I’ll take care of it.”

Mandy let out a soft moan. Like a plea. There was something familiar in the sound, a helplessness that made Nell remember her own childhood, when she was about Mandy’s age, and her mother had to go to the hospital for some vague female trouble. She remembered an overwhelming fear. And wanting to know
why is no one around to help?

Then came a jolt, like a finger prodding her in the back: you’re the grown-up now.

She grabbed Mandy’s hand. “I’m taking her to the hospital.”

“You leave her be!”

Nell clenched her teeth and pointed at Mona. “Lady, if you knew the morning I’ve had!”

She picked Mandy up and began running, flushed and indignant. Try to be a good person and what happens? Suppose anyone says
hey nice job!
Think you can catch a break?

“Don’t worry, honey,” she said, breathing hard. “We’re going to fix you up.” Mandy whimpered as something warm spread against Nell’s hip. Mandy had wet herself. Nell tried not to panic. Was she making a mistake? She’d already sent one person to the hospital. But that was due to carelessness. This was different. This was a chance to show what she was made of. And to think she’d always wanted to go to
Africa
to do the Lord’s work! Her test was right here.

Mona stomped down the stairs. “I’m calling the police,” she yelled.

Didn’t she notice the uniform? “I
am
the police!” Nell yelled back.

She hoisted Mandy higher and tried to keep running but couldn’t. Slowing to an awkward lope, she reached Mrs. Dekker’s house. She could see Mrs. Dekker inside dozing in her easy chair.

Nell pounded on the screen door. “Can I take your car?”

Mrs. Dekker’s eyes flew open and her hand clutched at her chest. “What’s that?”

“It’s me, Nell. I have to get to the hospital.”

The old woman peered at Nell as she struggled out of her chair. Nell tried to set Mandy down but Mandy buried her face in Nell’s neck and clutched her tighter.

“Mandy? Are you okay?” Nell whispered.

Mandy lifted her head. Moving her lips carefully around each word, she said, “I’m an ugly little girl.”

“No! It’s not your fault! I’m going to help you,” she said fiercely. “Please!” she called through the screen. “Mandy’s hurt.” Mrs. Dekker was puttering toward the door. Before she reached it, Mona came around the corner.

“I’ve called the police, so you might as well hand her over.”

Nell didn’t believe her. “If the police come, it’ll be you they’re after.”

“That’s what you think. Mandy, let’s go.”

Nell hugged her tighter and stepped away. “She’s going to the hospital. Mrs. Dekker, I need your car.”

The old woman just stood there. “What’s this all about, dear?”

“Look at her face!”

“I told you, she fell down the steps,” Mona said. “Isn’t that right, Mandy?”

“I want my dad.”

“Your father will be very upset when I tell him this.”

“Oh save it!” Nell cried. “He’s going to know the truth about you. I’ll make sure of that.”

Mona grabbed her arm. “Who do you think you are?” she hissed.

Nell shoved her away with one hand.

“You pushed me!” Mona was incredulous.

“Yeah, not so nice, huh?” Nell scarcely recognized her own voice. Something uncontrollable had been unleashed in her. “Touch me again and you’ll be sorry.”

“Oh dear!” Mrs. Dekker said, rushing out onto the front porch. “Let me have a look at the poor thing.”

Mona came toward Nell again and Nell kicked her hard in the shin.

“Why, you…!” Mona tried to grab Nell’s hair. Nell had both arms around Mandy, but she managed to throw her elbow up. It hit Mona’s chin.

Mrs. Dekker gave a cry of alarm. “That’s enough! Stop this instant!”

Nell and Mona stared at each other, breathless, as a police car rolled up.

Mona really did it. She called the police. Well, good. They’d sort this out. Nell took a shaky breath. She’d hit someone! She’d never even hit her own sister or brother. It wasn’t in her. Except it was.

She watched two cops get out. The driver shook out his trouser legs and hiked his belt and Nell saw that he was the same cop from Gizzy’s accident. Officer Rinkema. She froze, afraid to face him again. She already had two marks against her, stealing the pastor’s car, and causing Gizzy’s accident.

Rinkema looked startled to see her. “You’ve seen more excitement today than I’ve seen all week,” he said.

She didn’t know how to take that. Before she could answer, Mona jumped in. “She’s kidnapping my daughter!”

“I am not! I’m trying to help.”

“And she attacked me. And threatened me. I want to press charges.”

“Whoa. Slow down,” Rinkema said.

Nell pried Mandy’s arms from around her neck. She set her down carefully and stepped in front of her, blocking her from Mona.
That’s right. Slow down. Be professional.

“Officer, this girl needs stitches.” She pointed at Mona, “She doesn’t want her to go to the hospital because she doesn’t want to be reported for child abuse.”

“I told you she fell!”

Officer Rinkema turned to his partner. “Val, take the girl inside and check her out.”

Mona started to follow but he stopped her with a glare. “You. Sit down over there and shut up.”

He watched as Mona huffed across the driveway to the porch steps. Then he sighed and turned to Nell. Motioning with his head, he led her a few feet away.

“Mrs. Veenstra is her stepmother,” Nell began, but he cut her off.

“Did you witness it?”

“Not exactly. Does that matter?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure you want to make a report?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“Sometimes it makes things worse.”

“But…”

“Even if the kid says she was hit, she’ll probably change her story later. They tend to do that.”

They!?
As if Mandy were part of some conspiracy of conniving little girls. Nell blinked. She had a lot to learn if she ever wanted to be a cop.

“Where’s the father?” he asked.

She nodded. Here she could help.

“He works at Vroman’s, on the line. He’s a nice guy, but kind of vacant, you know? I don’t think he has any idea what Mona’s like.”

“Okay. Let me talk to her. It’ll probably end up with Family Services.”

Nell hung back as he walked over, trying not to give in to a growing fear. Had she overreacted? Was Mandy’s injury really an accident? This could be a big misunderstanding, but not the kind to look back on and laugh.
Remember that time you thought I hit Mandy? Can you imagine? Oh my!
No, Mona would never forgive Nell for this, and they had to go on living as neighbors. She’d already lost her church friends. Now she’d feel like an outcast in her own house. Not that Mona had ever been what you’d call friendly. But civil, at least. And she let Nell spend time with Mandy. Nell felt a lump rise in her throat. Officer Rinkema was right. She’d just made everything worse.

Straining to hear their conversation, she heard
never had any trouble like this
, and
sweet kid
. Mona was gesturing emphatically, still managing to look poised, which made Nell feel more and more at a loss.

After a moment Officer Rinkema returned.