Sisters in the Wind(81)

“You could talk to your social worker, right?” Devery said.

“And say what?” I replied. “‘Help me because I don’t want Missus to sell my baby to the highest bidder’? Plus, I haven’t had a good experience with caseworkers taking my word when I tell them about illegal stuff. Mrs. Clark believed everything the Sterlings told her about me.”

“Maybe Missus will do everything all legal, like with baby Allen?”

“Yeah, but that was for their own grandson. I like Allen and Jennifer, but I wouldn’t want my baby raised here.”

As I talked with Devery, my thoughts went to Tonya. She got paid a brand-new car and ended up overdosing a week later. She wasn’t someone who used drugs. In fact, drugs were the reason why she was in foster care. It seemed out of character.

She didn’t even get the car in the end.

“Can’t you just pick some good parents, Clancy? Don’t you get a say in who you want your baby to go to? You can research them online to make sure they’re not on the sex-offender registry.”

Affecting my best British accent, I channeled the words of Mary Clancy.

“That was a scathingly brilliant idea.”

A few minutes later, Devery paused the movie to take the basket of folded laundry into Bruce’s bedroom. Drawers opened and shut. She even hummed while completing the task: Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird.” When she returned, she halted at the look on my face.

“Are you in labor?” Devery looked panicked.

“No. I’m just stunned that you do Bruce’s laundry—folding and putting it away.”

She shrugged. “I’m just hanging out with you, farting around.” She rolled her eyes. “Did you know he has a system for folding his clothes? He had to demonstrate. Even his underwear.” She sighs. “But what the hell. He’s great in bed, so I’m demonstrating my appreciation by not only folding his laundry but doing it precisely the way he likes.”

“If Miss Lonnie could see you now.” I shook my head.

“Besides,” she added, “I only fold and put away. I refuse to touch his bloody underwear.”

“Ew.” A beat later, my voice came out as a whisper. “Wait … Bruce has blood in his undershorts?”

“Yeah…,” she said hesitantly. “I told him he had hemorrhoids.”

“How long?” I pressed.

“How long are the hemorrhoids?” She laughed.

“I’m serious, Devery. How long has he had blood in his undershorts and when was his last checkup?”

“I don’t know.” She stopped laughing and took in my expression.

“Please promise me that you will stand next to Bruce tomorrow while he calls his family doctor and asks for a checkup and possible referral for a colonoscopy.”

“Oh shit,” Devery said. “Is this about your dad?”

I nodded and took a moment before continuing.

“Blood in the stool, blood in the underwear, changes in bowel habits, cramps, bloating, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, vomiting … those are symptoms of colorectal cancer.”

“Well, he’s not vomiting,” she said. “Just bloody skid marks.”

“Promise?” I said, unblinking. “Early detection is everything.”

“Yes. I promise.”



* * *



At my next check-in with Miss Debbie Strong, she told me how sad she was to hear about Tonya’s death.

I nodded and took a moment for the prickling in my nose and eyes to pass.

“It was awful to read about,” I said, having decided to leave out the part about calling Tonya’s friend Maia.

“Read about?” Miss Strong questioned. “I expected your foster parents to relay the news before it hit the newspaper.” She paused. Her face did a funny thing just then. She smoothed her puzzled expression into one of professional detachment.

“Well, now, Lucy. Was there anything else you wanted to discuss during our check-in?”

Going over my adoption choices was pushed to the back of my mind. Instead I thought about the fact that Missus had known Tonya had passed away and had stayed silent for weeks. She said they hadn’t known how to bring it up, but she’d lied about having just heard the news.

The lying and the illegal payments made Mister and Missus hella sketchy, as Devery would’ve said.

“Miss Strong? Mrs. Hoppy did explain that she and Mr. Hoppy didn’t know how to tell us about Tonya. She apologized for it taking so long.”

The last thing I needed was to rouse any suspicions.



* * *



I decided to feign ignorance about Missus’s lie. It took effort because she was paying so much attention to me. When she gave me side hugs, I had to go along with it. She wanted me to sit next to her at the dinner table. And she unilaterally decided to reassign the chore of cleaning their private apartment from Lexi to me.

It was something she didn’t think would be too taxing. I could divide the tasks over three afternoons: one day for dusting and vacuuming, one for scrubbing the kitchenette, and one for the bathroom. Missus provided me with an entry code for the door lock. As a treat, I was welcomed to enjoy a luxurious bubble bath in the jacuzzi tub for as long as I wanted on cleaning days. No wonder Tonya had debated the merits of getting pregnant again for the perks.