It's My Life - Melody Carlson [55]
SEVENTEEN
Monday, October 15 (amazing stuff!)
Beanie seemed to be sulking today. I told her I was sorry about walking out on her like that, but that she'd hurt my feelings. And although she did apologize, it seemed sort of halfhearted like she didn't really care, which I must admit hurt my feelings all over again. I mean, she's the one who said most of that stuff in the first place. How could she have expected me to just stand there and take being mercilessly railed on by my “best friend”? I mean, aren't best friends supposed to side with you and not your parents? Like, what's up with that?
Well, trying to forget about this thing with Beanie, I went to work as usual after school, but when I got there I explained to Rita about Jenny (making her promise confidentiality–not that she knows the Lamberts or anything). I told her how I'd missed visiting Jenny yesterday and how it would mean a lot to go see her today, and Rita said, “No problem; you go ahead and you can take the whole afternoon if you like, it's been dead around here all day anyway.”
So I drove over to West Haven by myself, wondering what I was getting myself into. I mean, it had been tough enough going with Beanie (and she really was a big help). What would it be like to visit there all on my own? But I decided to just pray about the whole thing as I drove along, and during that time it felt as if I put it all in God's hands. A huge relief.
And as a result of putting it in God's hands, you won't believe what happened next!
I'd barely sat down when Jenny asked me where Beanie was. Well, I apologized for that, saying how I'm sure Beanie would've liked to come, but how it was probably my fault for getting into a little squabble with her yesterday.
“What did you guys fight about?” she asked with a lot more interest than she'd shown during our last visit.
Relieved that she was at least trying to support her end of the conversation today, I decided to just go ahead and tell her the whole moronic story. I thought if nothing else, it might help kill time or even make her laugh. And to tell the truth, I wanted something to distract me from this strange girl who was sitting across from us. She just kept staring at me, then making all these odd twisty faces and weird sounds. All of which didn't seem to faze Jenny in the least. I guess she's gotten used to the freaky stuff that goes on there. I sure don't know if I ever could.
Finally, I finished the story, not even sure if Jenny would really comprehend or even care. I mean, why should she–she's got enough problems of her own. But when I was done, she nodded just like she'd actually taken it all in and understood perfectly.
“I know exactly how you feel, Cate,” she said with sincerity. “It's so frustrating when your parents try to take over your life. I mean, that's just how it is with my parents. It's like, they've decided where I'll go to college, what I'll major in, and now they'd even like to tell me what and when to eat, not to mention who I should hang with, and how I should talk and dress. Sheesh, I wouldn't even be surprised if they've already gotten me secretly engaged to one of their friends' sons by now.”
I had to laugh at that. “So you know what I'm talking about then.”
“Yeah, it's like your parents think just because they brought you into this world that they own you body and soul. Like, you should've seen my mom wigging out last summer when I told her I wasn't going out for cheerleading this year. I mean, she acted as if I'd announced that I was dropping out of school or something. And the truth is, I was just sick to death of all that stuff. I mean, I've done it for years now. And I just wanted to be my own self for a change–not my mommy's pretty little puppet girl. But do you think she understands