Chapter Thirteen Like Father, Not Like Son
Mom and Jason bring me home with them after the party, and the minute I get into the car, Mom says she’s too tired now but will talk to me tomorrow about my little stunt.
I don’t know exactly what she means by “stunt.” Wearing Converse sneakers?
Bringing Noah? I’m totally fine with putting off the conversation, though, because I still feel icky about Noah leaving without saying anything.
But Mom and Jason aren’t around when I wake up. I check my texts, and one from Mom says she has a tennis lesson at the club, and Jason went with her to play a round of golf. By evening they still aren’t home. Are they avoiding me?
When I call Keeley and Adanna, they’re both busy too. I call Sadie to check on Liv’s mom, and she tells me that they are staying with Liv’s younger sister for the day because she’s a little shaken up from the car accident.
I almost text Noah to apologize again, or to ask if we’re still cool, or just to find out if he’ll ever speak to me again, but I’m a coward, so I don’t. Maybe I should have backed out of our fake date the moment I realized that I had a major crush on the guy.
I end up spending the day going through all the phone pictures I’ve taken so far in Cherrybridge.
There are a lot—and some of them really aren’t that bad.
I like the shots I took from Gordon Park best. The weeds, the almost-falling-down bandstand, and the overgrown trees look so cool in the bright summer sun.
My pictures are usually of cityscapes, but I guess because it’s still me taking these, they still feel like me.
I edit them a bit, cleaning up the color and contrast. I should bring my good camera to the park tomorrow.
That’s when it hits me that I’ll be at Gordon Park tomorrow instead of back in Toronto like I wanted to be.
Does that mean my plan failed? Probably.
If Mom won’t even talk to me, there’s no way she’s sending me home today.
But I’m glad I didn’t leave. I need to see Noah.
It feels like we have unfinished business.
When Mom and Jason finally get home, no one says anything about the party. Mom hands me a bag of fast food and tells me she’ll be driving me to CROP tomorrow because Jason has an early meeting. And that’s all she says to me for the rest of the day.
“So… how are things?” I ask after Mom pulls out of the garage Monday morning. She was still quiet this morning, and I could feel the awkwardness in the kitchen when I came downstairs. Why won’t she just talk to me?
“I should be asking you that, Meera. What was the reason behind what you did at the country club on Saturday?”
I cross my arms. “I didn’t do anything I wasn’t allowed to do. You wanted me to go to the party, so I went. You wanted me in that ugly dress, so I wore it. You said I could bring someone, so I did. I followed your rules.”
“And of all the people you’ve met in Cherrybridge, you chose that boy?”
Even though I knew she’d react this way to Noah, I still feel protective of him.
Instinctually I make a face. “What’s wrong with Noah?
You were the one who taught me not to judge a person based on their appearance.
” I lower my voice to a grumble, just loud enough for her to hear.
“But I guess now that you’re a society housewife, that rule is out the window. ”
Mom’s jaw clenches. She seems shocked that I’m talking back. “Did you know that his family has a history with Jason?”
“Do you know the real history that Jason has with them?” I glare at her. “If I’m only allowed to hang out with people whose families haven’t been screwed over by a LeClair, then it’s going to be a lonely summer.”
“Meera! What’s come over you? I have no idea why you’re so combative these days.” Mom is clutching the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. “This isn’t like you.”
She’s the one who’s pushing me to change and be someone I’m not, and she’s calling me combative?
“Maybe this is me,” I say, voice cracking with hurt. “I mean, you brought me here because I’m a teenage delinquent, and you’ve been treating me like one since then. Now you’re surprised that I’m rebelling?”
Mom looks like she wants to pull the car over so she can scream at me, but she doesn’t. She exhales.
When she doesn’t speak for a while, I need to break the tension. “If it makes you feel better, when I asked Noah to come with me, I didn’t know that he or his dad knew Jason. I did know about his tattoos and piercings, though.”
Mom glares at me for a second. “That’s a rather convenient coincidence. Are you actually dating that boy?”
“I’m seventeen. Your rule was that I was allowed to date when I turned seventeen.” I look out the window. “Or are you changing that rule because you don’t trust me?”
“I do trust you, Meera.” She pauses. “He just doesn’t seem your usual type.”
I huff a laugh. “Noah is exactly my type. I’m a juvenile delinquent, and so is he. You guys are the ones who set up this community service with CROP. Now you’re mad that I hit it off with someone I met there?”
When Mom is quiet again, I decide it’s time to land my shot. “So, are you going to approve of me dating him? Or are you going to send me back to Toronto to get me away from him?”
She glances at me for a second. “Was that your plan all along?”
I roll my eyes, even though my heart is pounding. “No. But that’s what you did about Gabe. And it’s what your parents did to you after the sperm donor ruined your life.”
Mom’s still quiet. I would actually prefer it if she pulled over to scream at me, because this silence is unnerving.
“Okay, Meera,” she finally says as we’re crossing Cherry Bridge.
Her voice is calm but distant. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her use this tone of voice with me before.
“I have no idea what’s going on between you and that boy.
You want me to trust that you won’t make bad choices again, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
No, you’re not going back to Toronto. You’ll finish your court-ordered community service here in Cherrybridge, as planned.
And you can hang out with… and date whoever you want, since you promised me you won’t make bad choices or break the law again. ”
I feel my jaw tense up. Well, if Mom won’t send me back, maybe Jason will.
I narrow my eyes. “Good. In that case I’ll be bringing Noah to the rest of Jason’s parties this summer.
As my date.” I cringe internally when I remember that Noah isn’t speaking to me, so he’s probably not going to agree to this.
Mom shrugs. “I’m not forbidding anything.
Bring whoever you want. Jason and I will be happy to welcome Noah to our parties.
Honestly, Meera, the more combative you are, the more I think Jason’s right, and you should stay in September and attend the school he went to.
Maybe it would knock some respect into you.
You can do that architecture mentorship from here… if you get into it.”
Damnit. My fists are clenched so tight that I’m sure there are little half-moons embedded into my palms from my nails.
I want to tell her that Sadie said Randell Academy isn’t welcoming, that doing the mentorship online won’t be nearly as enriching, that I’d be giving up the chance to meet the professors in person, that I don’t feel like myself in Cherrybridge—and honestly, neither does she.
But I don’t. Because it’s no use.
She pulls over in front of the park then, and I don’t even look at her as I get out of the car and slam the door shut behind me.
Mom used to say that Noorani girls stick together, but she also used to say that Noorani girls have each other’s back.
But she’s not a Noorani anymore. She’s a LeClair.
I’m late for CROP’s official start time, and Lainey is already talking when I get to the picnic tables. Noah is there, and I’m a little surprised about that. The way my morning has been going, I fully expected that I would never see him again. I sit across from him like I always do.
“So, we did such a fantastic job weeding and pruning last week that Jeff’s team is here to get you started with planting!
A new sign for Gordon Park has been ordered, and we’re going to make large garden beds on either side of it.
Today you’ll be mostly digging. If we get these beds done quickly, we’ll move on to what’s going to be the biggest project in the park, restoring the old bandstand!
Okay, I’ve got shovels and gloves here for you.
Get your gear and meet Jeff and his staff at the south entrance. ”
Noah immediately gets up, still not looking at me, and grabs a long-handled shovel and gloves. Yeah, he’s avoiding me. After grabbing my own garden tools, I jog toward him so I can walk with him.
“We cool?” I ask. “You didn’t tell me you were leaving on Saturday night.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, I figured you needed to stay with your family after your dad’s big announcement.” He’s not looking at me at all. “No worries, we’re cool.”
“Stepfather. Sorry I didn’t warn you about Jason running for mayor.” I chuckle nervously. “I was sworn to secrecy.”
Again he shrugs but doesn’t say anything.
“And you get why I had to be up there, right? I didn’t want to leave my mom there alone. Especially after that racist conversation with that old guy.” I pause. After her digging her heels in about me staying here in Cherrybridge, I feel like I should have abandoned her on the stage.
Noah finally looks at me for a second, then nods. “I get it. Family’s complicated. You do what you’ve got to do for them.”
I can’t read the tone in his voice. Are we really okay?