Maggie had a different idea, and it had a lot to do with one of her strongest ideals. It always came down to loyalty with her.
“Israel is our friend, and you and Dad always told me it’s right to stand up for our friends. Dad wouldn’t vote for Theodore Baer if he was here.”
That was a low blow. “Well, he’s not,” Veronica responded tersely.
Jamie decided to chime in, “If I was in a war I’d shoot everybody!” He then performed a machine-gun sound as he sprayed bullets around the backseat from his imaginary gun.
God help us all, Veronica thought with a shake of her head.
“If you have any thoughts of riding in Uncle Eddie’s police car, then you’ll be quiet. I’ll call him right now,” Veronica threatened. She picked up her phone and pretended to dial.
Jamie quieted, but Maggie moved on to her next point of angst. “I can’t believe you’re blowing off my presentation. Oma and I worked really hard on it.”
“Do you really think I’d rather meet Jamie’s principal than see your presentation?”
“If it was the other way around, I’m sure you’d reschedule it.”
“I had no choice. Your brother can’t participate in Career Day until I meet to discuss his punishment. So you can thank your brother and Mrs. Sweetney.”
“Whatever.”
Veronica knew appeasing Maggie’s surly attitude would set a bad precedent, but despite their many quarrels, she had a soft spot for her first-born. The fact that she brought up Carsten after not uttering his name in months, meant she was feeling very wounded. And Veronica wanted to reward her for the job she did on this project. Maggie would take the train to Chappaqua after school, a couple times a week to meet up with Ellen. They’d work until Veronica would pick her up after her night class at Pace, and she’d often have to drag Maggie home.
So she turned on the election news. The big story was centered on controversial comments made by Theodore Baer yesterday. With only one day to go, Baer was dropping like a rock in the polls. Seemed like Maggie might get her wish.
They pulled up to Underhill School, which was separated into two campuses—K-4 and the 5-8 middle school. The first drop-off was Maggie.
“I’ll try to make it back in time for your presentation, sweetie.”
“Whatever.”
Door slammed.
Maggie burst out of the car like it was on fire. She went straight for her one friend, fellow outcast TJ Chester.
As Veronica watched Maggie, a knock on her window startled her. It was TJ’s father, Zach. She rolled down the window and he handed her a Styrofoam cup of coffee.
“If you were up half the night finishing the Heritage Paper like us, then you’ll need this,” he said and flashed his perfect smile. His eyes matched his dark suit.
“Maggie wouldn’t let me near her project, which might have been a good thing,” she responded. “And thanks again for all the assistance TJ gave her with the video.”
He laughed. “Yeah, he spent more time on Maggie’s than his own—I think he has a crush on her. That’s why we were up half the night cutting and pasting the Chester family low-lights.”
Veronica glanced at Maggie in the distance, who sent back a disapproving look. She wasn’t sure if it was connected to her conspiring with her friend’s father, or because she might miss her presentation, or perhaps it was that she was twelve and her mother was her natural enemy. Probably a combination of the three.
“I’m sure TJ did a great job, he’s a smart boy.”
“We just left out the part about his mother being in jail. Sometimes I think family secrets are best left a secret for a reason.”
Veronica had heard the small town gossip about the good-looking journalist who moved to town without his imprisoned wife. But she never asked him about it. What was she supposed to say—I’ll pick up TJ and Maggie, and by the way, why is your wife in the joint? She knew the etiquette when it came to divorce or death … but jail?
“Are you coming?” Zach asked between sips of coffee.
“No, first I have to meet the principal over at the K-4.”
“The ex-lax thing?”
“Was it broadcast on the news?”
“Small town—everybody knows what color underwear everyone is wearing. I better go before they start gossiping about us,” he said with a smile and moved toward the school.
She watched as he headed off into a sea of pre-teens. “Thanks for the coffee,” she shouted, but he didn’t hear