Chapter 31

I woke up to someone banging on the front door of the house. I'd only gotten home around 1 A.M. and had a hard time falling asleep. Now, my head was pounding; I didn't want to open my eyes. Everything from the night before came flooding back to me. Being with Winston, so happy. Then suddenly being angry and hurt, and leaving the party without him.

   More banging.

   I pulled on a hoodie and walked through the house to answer the door, without giving it much thought.

   "Good morning." Jim, Asa's patrol officer, was standing in front of me. I didn't know what to do or say. "Penelope, right?" he asked, a smile on his face. I nodded. "Okay if I come in?"

   "Uh," I began, suddenly realizing how not okay that was. Asa wasn't home and our mom was gone. Like, really gone.

   Jim had dropped by once already, before mom had disappeared. The short visit had gone well. Mom had served coffee and cookies. The school had reported that Asa was doing well, too. I had almost forgotten that Asa was still on probation.

   "I didn't see a car... is your mother home?" Jim went on. He didn't seem concerned, yet.

   "Um, no... she's... at work," I managed to say. Maybe he wouldn't know I was lying.

   He narrowed his eyes at me. It was 9 A.M. on a Saturday. "The diner or the gas station?"

   I knew that my mom's hours had been cut at the diner, but I didn't know if Jim knew that.

   "Oh, I think the gas station," I told him, being safe.

   "Okay, well I'll just chat with Asa for a few minutes then, alright?" Jim went on, looking past me.

   My heart was was racing. What was I supposed to do? I stepped back, so Jim stepped inside. He looked around, then headed for the kitchen. I hadn't cleaned it recently. Asa and I had been living off frozen waffles and microwave dinners. The house was definitely not in the same shape that as it was the last time Jim was there. When mom was there.

   "Asa is here, isn't he?"

   The question caught me off guard.

 "Uh... well, he-" I said, while pulling out my phone to text Asa.

   "If he isn't here..." Jim was concerned, now.

   "He stayed at a friend's house, in the city, last night" I spat out. "He's doing so good, he has new friends, in the East Village, they are good for him. Here, I always worry he could get back in with the wrong -"

   "I understand that, Penelope. But curfew is curfew, and Asa is supposed to be here between 10 P.M. and 10 A.M. on the weekends." 

   I swallowed hard. "Right, I'm sorry. I said he could stay at his friend's."

   "You said he could? What about your mother?" Jim questioned me. I didn't like the interrogation.

   My hands were sweaty. I checked my phone, and Asa had texted that he was on his way home.

   "She's... she works a lot," I mumbled to Jim.

   He took a deep breath. I knew then that this wasn't going to end well. I could feel it.

   "Penelope, I've been trying to get a hold of her for over a week. No answer, no returned calls. I was hoping this visit would be... better. But even though Asa does seem to be adjusting well and staying out of trouble... I have to take you both with me, to the Child Protective Services office."

   "What? No... my mom is just busy..." I was panicking.

   "I can tell she hasn't been here, Penelope. I've been doing this a long time." He seemed sympathetic but that didn't change what was happening. "You're seventeen, right?"

   I nodded. "My birthday is the first week of January."

   "Oh, that's good. You can be released from the system then." He wasn't smiling, and I knew why.

   "And Asa? And what if my mom comes back?" I asked, frantic.

   "Well... your mom will likely be charged with child endangerment."

   "We aren't kids!" I yelled, just as the front door opened again.

   Asa came in, walking through to the kitchen where we were. His eyes were wide when he saw his patrol officer. I was sure he knew this was bad.

   "Asa, hi," Jim said to him right away.

   "What's going on?" Asa asked, already acting defensive.

   "I just came for a visit, but your mom isn't here, and you were -"

   "I'm sorry, okay? I feel better in the city. Brooklyn makes me..." Asa went on.

   "It's alright, Asa. You're not in trouble," I told my brother.

   He dropped his shoulders, but still looked worried.

   "I'll continue to try to get a hold of your mother, but... you're both under eighteen, and with Asa on probation, I can't leave you here -"

   "What? Penelope..." Asa was scared, suddenly. I could see it in his face.

   "It's okay," I said, but no idea if that was true. I had no idea about anything.

   "They will likely place you in a group home. You'll be together -" Jim went on, like this happened every day for him. Maybe it did.

   "What? No." Asa was the frantic one, now. "We can take care of ourselves."

   "Asa," I warned him.

   "I know you've been fine by the law requires me to-"

   "The law? Where was the law when we were actually kids? We were alone all the time -" Asa continued.

   "Stop, Asa," I said again.

   Jim looked at me, knowingly. "How about you both pack a bag and we will just go to the office..."

   "I just got my life back. I'm happy for the first time, maybe ever," Asa said quietly, close to tears.

   I had tears in my eyes, too, as I turned and left the room, to pack a bag. It wasn't like I had a choice and I couldn't see that look on Asa's face for another second.

   When we got to the office, half an hour later, I suddenly realized I had to talk to Lex. I hadn't thought of him - or Winston - at all since Jim showed up at the door that morning, but now it was all I could think of. I hadn't been thinking straight at all as we left the house and got into the back of Jim's car. Asa was angry, clearly. I was in shock.

   LEX. MY MOM'S BEEN M.I.A AND ASA'S PATROLE OFFICER CAME TO THE HOUSE TODAY AND HE MADE US GO WITH HIM. WE ARE GOING TO A GROUP HOME, I texted Lex before getting out of the car.

   Omg, Pen! What? Lex texted back right away.

   I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

   PEN, LET KNOW IF I CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP. PLEASE.

   I didn't know what to say to that, so I didn't reply. As I was opening to text Winston, Jim spoke to us from the front seat.

   "It's going to be okay, guys."

   We were parked out front of the CPS office.

   "Sure," Asa snapped at him.

   Inside, Jim brought us over to reception, and the young lady at the desk - Becky - was smiling.

   "Good morning, Jim! How can I help today?"

   Jim glanced at me. "These two were left at their house, their mother has not been in contact in..."

   "Two weeks," I answered quietly, as he looked at me for the answer.

   "Ages?" Becky asked.

   "Fifteen and seventeen."

   "Okay, you two take some seats. We will get all the info we need," Becky went on, like this was also something that happened daily.

   Jim walked with us over to the chairs where we sat down. Asa dropped his bag by his feet, I left mine in my lap. I blinked hard, hoping this was a bad dream, but when I opened them up, Jim was still there in front of me.

   "I'll find out which home you're going to. I'll check in with you guys on Monday," he was saying.

   "Great," Asa said, sarcastically.

   "I'm sorry, really," he finished.

   I nodded at him before he turned and left the building, leaving us there alone.