Chapter 14

Sooooooo….” Olive grinned goofily on the busride to school, “don’t you notice anything…. Different about me?”

               Turner rolled his eyes, and smiled at Olive shaking his head. “Well gosh!  My sweet little Ollie is all growed up!” He mimicked her excited girly voice.

              “Shut up!” Olive punched him in the arm and giggled uncontrollably.  “I’m pretty excited about how I look as a teen so don’t you dare ruin it for me!”

“You look great, Ollie.” Turner smiled, “I hear your recital went well.  No more ballet?”

“No more ballet.” Olive shook her head furiously, “I caught an episode of that new show Bunheads, and I do NOT want to end up like Fannie or Michelle.”

Turner laughed.  “I have no idea what to do with you little sis.”

“Yeeeeees!” Olive squealed.  “Hey you never told me how prom went!”

“Oh… well…” Turner looked at his hands, “I’d rather not talk about it.”  He paused for a minute before adding, “oh, and Olive?”

“What’s up, bro?”

“I won’t be on the bus home… I’m riding home with… with… a friend.”

Whittney Thao was an absolutely gorgeous girl.  All the popular guys in Turner’s class had a crush on her, and she had chosen him to dance with at the prom last night.  When Turner had told Suri about her, she had moped and poofed in to toy form.  She didn’t even say goodbye to him this morning when he went to school.

On the way home from school, Turner sat next to Whittney on the bus.  He was so nervous he couldn’t even look at her.

How could she just stare at him like that and smile? It was like she didn’t know the effect she was having on him.  Turner was wrong.  Whittney knew what she was doing.  She nudged him playfully with her shoulder, and he finally felt enough pressure that he had to say something.

“So… uhm… what are we doing when we get to your house?”  Turner stuttered, but he still couldn’t look at her.

Whittney shrugged and looked out the window.  Now that he was paying attention, the game was over.  “Homework?”

Turner nodded, and rode next to her in silence the rest of the way.  He gulped when they turned onto the richest street in all of Appaloosa plains…

“This is me!” Whittney chirped.

Turner had barely said three words to Whittney since they got to her house.  She was rich.  He couldn’t be friends with her.  Whittney would never ever be okay with coming to his house.  It was true that Ivy Thao, Whittney’s mother, was Elynne’s best friend, but teenagers find it a lot harder to see past socioeconomic ranks.  His ears burned and he stared into his assignment even though he hadn’t started it yet.  He glanced quickly to across the table.  Whittney was already done with her assignment.  He had to get out of here.

“You know… I oughtta… I’ll…. I’ll see you at school.” And Turner rushed out the door.  Whittney tried to offer him a ride, but he’d rather die than have her see his home.

Once inside the taxi, Turner let out a deep sigh.  He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath.  He was so ashamed of his family… when he was a boy he had been proud to carry on his family’s legacy, but what legacy was there to carry on?  His family was dirt poor.

Bzzzzz….bzzzzz….bzzzzz

Whittney was calling him, but he didn’t answer.  It was best that they forgot prom ever happened.

When Turner got home he joined Olivia and Pato (Turner couldn’t see Pato so he didn’t believe that he existed) on the sofa.

“Whatcha watching sis?”

“Bunheads.” Olivia sighed

“I thought you hated that show.” Turner grimaced, “I can see why you do… it’s terrible.”

“Butthead!  I’d hit you if Pato weren’t sitting there!” She frowned, “I like the show, I just don’t want to be like the people in the show.”

Turner nodded.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a picture hanging on the wall.

“Is that supposed to be dad?  Did mom paint that?”

Olivia nodded, “she stayed up all night painting it.”

Turner said nothing.  Instead he turned his attention to the television.  He didn’t want to think about his parents and their troubles right now.

The children didn’t know it, but Gussie was in his bedroom having an anxiety attack.  Elynne had calmly mentioned something about Hailey confronting Turner at the Watering Hole.  She didn’t even bat an eye.  He watched her for a moment.  Elynne was sound asleep because she had stayed up all throughout the night painting.  He knew something was up because the only time she painted all night was when she was angry.

Gussie looked at the pill in his hand.  It was a new experimental drug that the hospital wanted him to try out.  He’d been putting it off, but maybe it would make him feel better.  It did.  In a few more minutes, Gussie was able to climb into bed, and fall asleep.

Elynne’s eyes fluttered open.  Gussie must have just come to bed.  She tried to fall asleep again, but she couldn’t so Elynne approached her easel. 

She felt like creating a self-portrait this time, but how was she going to portray herself.  She closed her eyes and let her brushstrokes lead the way.