Chapter Text
Julie’s frenetic energy resulted in a clean house almost two hours later. Laundry had been folded and put away, and she picked up all random objects, returning them to their homes. She was about to make her second pass through the living room with the vacuum when Soda, who spent the whole time cooking, shouted above the din that Darry was home.
She flipped the machine off as Darry walked through the front door. He dropped his toolbelt and locked eyes with his sister for a few moments before opening his arms. Lacie walked right into them and allowed him to hold her. It had been a long day. “Are you mad?” she asked into his chest.
“I am,” he said, releasing her. “But mostly with the school.”
“But some at me?”
“Yeah, kid. Some at you, too. What the hell were you thinking? Why didn’t you tell us what was going on?”
She took a step back.” I don’t know. I thought I could handle it.”
“By getting detention over and over again? By almost getting suspended?”
She shrugged one shoulder, looking down at the floor?
“What did Principal Roberts say, Darry?” Soda asked in an effort to revert the attention back to the school. Julie’s head shot up in anticipation.
Darry took a deep breath and, as if finally realizing how tired he was, said, “Let’s sit at the table.”
After they settled in the dining room, Laci began. “What’s going to happen?”
“You have two choices. You can drop the class and they can place you in a different elective, or - “
“No!”
“ - Or you can keep taking Biology and Mr. Harper will give you the work, but you have to take it in the Guidance office.”
“I don’t understand. How will that work?”
“He will send your assignments to Guidance and you will go there instead of class and work there. I am not allowing you in his classroom again.”
“But who will teach me?”
Darrel ran a hand over his tired face. “We’re still trying to work things out. They’re thinking maybe get a tutor to help if you don’t understand something. We can try it and reassess in a couple of weeks.”
When no one spoke, Soda said, “Sounds like they’re really trying to help you, Julie.” He rub his hand up and down her arm.
“That’s the best we could work out, honey.” Still silence. “You know you don’t need to take this class - “
“I’m taking it!”
“Ok, then that’s the deal.”
Soda asked, “What about Harper, Darry? Did you talk to him? Is he getting in trouble or anything? He can’t treat students like that!”
“I didn’t talk to him. Roberts wouldn’t allow it.”
Soda smirked. “Probably scared.”
“And no, he doesn’t seem like he’s getting in a whole lot of trouble. Probably just getting bitched out by Mr. Roberts. He’s the only biology teacher they have. Guess he teaches some other science classes, too. Hard to replace him in the middle of the year.”
“He owes her an apology!”
“She’ll get it. Tomorrow morning I’ll take her to school and we’ll finalize things.”
Julie, who had been trying to make sense out of everything, understood that last comment perfectly. “You can’t be late for work! Not after all the time you missed today!”
“Will you quit worrying about my job? It’s ok. I talked to my boss. No one cares if I’m late tomorrow.” Silence met him again. “Look at me.” When she lifted her tear filled eyes he said, “This is a lot you’ve been holding on to. Why didn’t you tell us? If you couldn’t have talked to me, why didn’t you tell Soda?”
“I don’t know. It just seemed so crazy. Like, maybe I was being dramatic or something. I’ve never had a teacher be mean to me like that before.”
“I got mad at Mr. Roberts for not figuring out why you were getting in so much trouble in Biology class, but I never took a minute to ask you either, and I’m sorry. I should have talked to you about it more instead of punishing you for getting detention.”
She could not believe her big brother, who got on her for every little thing wrong she ever did, was apologizing for her getting in trouble. “It’s not your fault.”
“Part of it is. The part where I didn’t ask you why. And I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too. For not telling you guys.”
“Come here.” She stood and he pulled her towards his chair into a hug. “Promise me you’ll tell me if someone, even a teacher, bothers you again.” She nodded. “But, hey,” he pulled back a bit, “you still can’t mouth off to teachers, even if they’re wrong. You will still get in trouble. You can’t do that. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
He tugged her into his chest again. “And don’t call me that. Unless we’re in the principal’s office. Which we better never be in again!” He kissed her nodding head.
Soda felt left out, so he stood and wrapped both his siblings into a hug. “Alright, you two. Enough of this. Dinner’s been ready for an hour and I made enough food for an army.” They all untangled themselves from each other. “Go wash up, Lacie. You’re a blubbering mess.”
She started towards the bathroom then turned back to look at her brothers. “This whole time, that Mr. Harper’s been bothering me, I kept thinking about Momma, and wondering what she would say.”
Both the boys’ eyes softened. Darry said, “I know exactly what she’d say. She’d say, ‘You’re strong and brave.’”
Lacie smiled. She could hear her mother’s voice. That is what she always told Julie when things were tough. Strong and brave.
Soda said, “Then she’d march down to that school and kick his ass!”
They all laughed and Lacie started towards the bathroom before turning around yet again. “Hey, does this mean you’re not going to hit me?”
“Not today,” Darry said, “but I ain’t taking that off the table just yet. The idea of you going off the rails when you’re a teenager scares the shit outta me!”
Julie sent him a smirk, but felt lighter and happier than she had in weeks. When she was out of earshot, Soda slapped his brother on the shoulder as they both moved towards the kitchen and said, “That was pretty damn good, big brother! You didn’t even yell once!”
“Yeah. Ya know Ol’ Joe on my crew?”
“Yeah,”
“Well, I told him all that was going on today and he gave me some advice. Turns out he raised seven kids! He said, ‘yelling doesn’t work. Just scares them. And if they’re scared they won’t come to you when they really need you.’ Reminded me of Johnny. And Dally. I don’t ever want her turning to someone else when she needs me. I want her running to me, not away.”
“Wow. Good Ol’ Joe! Guess Lacie’s not the only one who’s strong and brave. You are, too, Darry!”