Chapter Nineteen Crime and Punishment
Eventually we have to sneak back to the party, although I would much rather stay and make out with Noah on the bandstand.
We don’t hop the fence again, though, because it’s darker now, and I really don’t want to break my ankle.
Once we’re back on LeClair grounds, it’s clear that the company picnic is pretty much done.
I can see a bunch of people in the distance up front, so I assume Mom and Jason are still there.
“I should probably…” Noah glances at the sparse field. “Maybe it would be better if I went home.”
I nod. Yeah, I have no idea if Mom realized I was gone, so it might be better if they don’t see Noah and me walk back together.
Noah doesn’t kiss me goodbye, which, fair. We’re on LeClair grounds now. But he does squeeze my hand.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at CROP,” I say, smiling.
He smiles. “Can’t wait.” He gives my hand a final squeeze before leaving, walking down the street toward his house. Once I can’t see him anymore, I head toward the executive tables.
Mom is talking to a couple of women, and when she sees me, she smiles, but her eyebrow is twitching. She definitely noticed that I was gone.
After introducing me to the people she’s talking to—some VP at LeClair Industries and her wife—she tells me we’re going to be leaving soon. I nod and tell her to grab me when she’s ready. Then I join Sadie and Liv talking to other kids at a table.
When Mom finally grabs me and tells me she’s ready to go, she still has a tight smile. But it’s not until we’re in the car, with Jason driving, that she says something.
“I don’t have to ask who you were with when you disappeared for so long, but will you at least tell me where you were?”
I roll my eyes. “I didn’t disappear. Noah and I went for a walk. You could have texted me if you needed me. I wasn’t far.”
Mom shakes her head. “We didn’t bring you to this party for you to disappear with that boy. You know how important it is for us to be seen as a family.”
“Important for Jason, you mean,” I grumble. All she cares about these days is how other people see us, so we all have to pretend, pretend, pretend. It’s all fake and it’s making me so angry. “We’re not even a real family. Just a blended one.”
That makes Mom turn to me. And the sight of her makes me involuntarily gulp. She’s mad. Maybe the maddest I’ve ever seen her. Her eyes are wild and fiery, her nostrils are flaring, and her chest is rising and falling.
“Meera, I have no idea what’s come over you since you got to Cherrybridge. Were you and that boy drinking? Sadie’s mother told me today that you all had alcohol that night you went to Jason’s parents’ house!”
Oh crap. I wince. She found out about that. “No, I wasn’t drinking today. Noah doesn’t drink.”
“You used to be so steady,” Mom says, sounding exasperated, “such a good girl. But now drinking, wearing those kinds of clothes, and sneaking out of parties with boys who—”
“Boys who what, Mom?” Even though this is the reaction I wanted from her all along, I don’t like hearing people judge him when they don’t even know him.
I’m protective. “Boys whose parents work in the plant? Boys who were arrested for trespassing?” I spit out.
“Are you going to send me away now to prevent me from seeing Noah?”
I tense the moment those words are out of my mouth. Because I really don’t want to be sent away, not now. I want the rest of my summer to be wherever Noah is.
“No. I’m not sending you away,” Mom hisses. “But I am going to forbid you to see Noah outside of CROP while you’re living under our roof.”
My eyes narrow. “Jason’s roof, you mean,” I say.
I fully expect Jason to say something about that, but he doesn’t.
He keeps looking in front of him, silent.
“But I guess that’s the point,” I continue, fully goading Mom on.
“Because it’s only because of Jason that you don’t like Noah.
If it wasn’t for your magic Cinderella wedding that makes you think that we’re better than we used to be, you wouldn’t have an issue with me being with him.
But me dating Noah reminds Jason that he can’t possibly represent all the people in this town, when he has literally made the lives of the people here worse for years. ”
Mom’s jaw tightens and her voice goes deathly quiet. “That’s it, Meera. You’re grounded. No going anywhere with anyone until further notice. Until you learn some respect and gratitude.”
Oh crap. I went too far. “You can’t. You promised you would trust—”
“I can,” Mom says, interrupting me. “You’re still my child, and you’re still a minor. You have shown me that you can’t be trusted. You can go for walks in the neighborhood alone, but that’s it.”
Ugh. I need to learn when to keep my mouth shut. “What about CROP? I’m not done with my community service hours! Plus, my friends are there, and—”
“I’m going to be doing some volunteer work with the hospital.
I can arrange for you to come with me to get the rest of your hours.
” She glances at Jason, who still says nothing.
Can she really pull me out of CROP? When would I ever see Noah?
But I guess that’s her point. “You’re suffering from a major case of main-character syndrome right now,” Mom continues.
“There are other people and other lives here, and your actions have shown me that you only care about your own right now, which isn’t at all like you, Meera. ”
I blink. She keeps saying this isn’t like me, but does she really know me?
Does she know that dusk is my favorite time to take pictures?
Does she know I want to be an architect because I want to bring joy into people’s everyday, mundane lives?
Or the reason why I love live music is because it lets me turn off my brain that’s always telling me what I should be doing?
Does she know that all the pressure that she, Nani, Nanabapa, and even I put on myself to succeed made me hide my true self?
“Please let me finish CROP,” I say, this time doing my best to keep my tone calm and level. “We’re starting on the bandstand tomorrow. And Noah and I aren’t even dating anymore. We decided we’re better as friends. Please, Mom. I don’t want to let Lainey, Jeff, and the other kids down.”
“You and Noah aren’t dating?” Mom asks.
“No. We’re only friends,” I lie. But I have to do whatever I can. I’ll never see him if I’m grounded and pulled out of CROP.
“Fine,” Mom says, finally turning back around to face the front. “But I will drive you to and from CROP. And I’m going to call Lainey every day to make sure there’s no funny business while you’re there. Maybe now you’ll have time to think if this is really the path you want for your life.”
Jason pulls into his driveway. He’s still silent.
I know there’s no use arguing with Mom. If I do, she’ll make me finish my service another way, which I know she can do because she’s a freaking LeClair, and they own this town.
Without saying a word I get out of the car, open the front door with my key, and go straight to my room.
I slam the door, freaking out the cat, who’s sleeping on my bed.
I am cursed. How did my day go from being the most perfect day I’ve ever had to this? Why is Mom doing this to me? She’s never grounded me in her life.
I exhale. She didn’t even ground me when I was arrested.
But she didn’t have to ground me, then. Because instead she took me away from Nani, Toronto, and all my friends.
My friends who are right now in Montreal at a music festival that I’m supposed to be at.
I grab my phone and check out the pictures of the festival that Keeley and Adanna have posted on their Instagram feeds.
They look like they’re having so much fun. Like, the fact that I’m not there isn’t affecting their enjoyment in the slightest bit. There are even some pics where they have their arms around people I don’t know.
At least I can still see Noah at CROP. And at least Mom didn’t take my phone. I text Noah.
Meera: my mom totally noticed we disappeared. she’s pissed. she grounded me
Noah: oh crap. i’m sorry, it’s my fault. i shouldn’t have suggested we leave
Meera: it’s not your fault. we had to go because everyone was being weird at the party. i don’t regret it. like AT ALL
Noah: at all?
I chuckle.
Meera: not even one little tiny bit. what about you?
Noah: oh my father didn’t care that i left
Meera: no, i mean, you don’t have second thoughts, do you?
Noah: about finally kissing you after i’ve been fantasizing about it all week? why would i regret that?
I laugh.
Meera: good because not sure we’re going to be able to do that again. i’m grounded until further notice. and i doubt lainey and everyone at CROP wants to watch us make out instead of working
Noah: it’s okay. at least we’ll still see each other every day right?
Noah and I keep texting until we finally go to sleep.
I’m mad at my mother and hate that I won’t be able to see Noah alone, right after we officially started really dating instead of fake dating, but I still have no regrets.
Curse or no curse, skipping out of that picnic and hopping a fence was the best thing I did all summer.
I have no intention of talking to my mother during the drive to Gordon Park the next day, which doesn’t end up being very hard because she’s also giving me the silent treatment.
She’s dressed in a skirt and blouse. I wonder if she has a campaign event, or lunch plans with some other housewife at the club.
I wonder if coming to get me at two o’clock is going to be a major inconvenience for her.
I hope it is. I hope Jason’s image of a perfect family is ruined because of me.
I don’t say anything when she pulls up in front of the park. I get out and slam the door behind me. She drives away.
I exhale and relax, then walk toward the picnic benches.