“I’m sorry, Rita. I may have been wrong. I hope so. I could be projecting, because I was kind of tough at that age. I turned my life around, but not all the tough kids in the world do that. Just know you’re really special. You’ve got straight A’s, and you’re a good kid. You help out here on weekends. You’ve got a good future ahead of you. Just be aware is all I’m saying.”
“I understand.” Rita tipped her head. “Were you really like Joanie?”
“Oh, much worse. You don’t want to know how I was. But just remember where you want to be in ten years and who you want to be. Don’t forget that. Keep that dream in your head, and you’ll keep shining like the star you are.”
Rita grinned. “Thanks, Dawn. You’re pretty cool, even when you’re being corny.”
Dawn clutched her chest. “You wound me!” Then she chuckled. “Just remember to send us a postcard from all the amazing places you’ll be travelling to when you’re all grown up.” Suddenly, she had a flash of Rita at a podium, grinning and waving. Red, white, and blue balloons were released and fell all around her. She was celebrating some kind of political win!
Dawn gave Rita a tight hug. She felt the good karma glowing around her.
Chapter 14
It was time.
She’d been putting it off for too long. Taking a vacation day, Dawn decided to visit her mom. So much had happened since she had last seen her five weeks ago. She was overdue for a visit. And if she was going to get a handle on her karma, she needed to talk to her mom and make sure she was doing okay.
Her mom had left a phone message last night while Dawn was at the Fierros’. Dawn didn’t answer it. Didn’t want to be reminded of who she was and where she’d come from. Didn’t want to think about the fact that Lissie was her mother. She’d told Luca about her, but his parents had no idea that Dawn’s mom was a drug addict and was doing five years at Framingham for trafficking and possession. But at least she was getting treatment, albeit minimal and forced. But she seemed to be trying. Finally.
Dawn asked Luca if she could borrow his car. He wanted to go with her, and it was all she could do, short of tying him up, to get him to stay in bed. He was nearly healed, thanks to his paranormal abilities, but his parents insisted he stay home for the rest of the week, since recovering so quickly would raise red flags. The police department’s doctor had prescribed bed rest and told him he wanted to see him in a week’s time.
Over breakfast, when Luca worried about getting fired after only a few weeks on the job, Gabriella wisely changed the subject before Antonio could launch into another diatribe against Butts and the police department. His parents had been vocally against Luca’s getting involved in law enforcement, but now that he was there—and saying he loved the job—they were trying to be supportive. Some times with more success than other times.
Before Dawn drove to the prison, she thought about what she’d say to her mom. Would she tell her about Luca being a cop or just say she was dating someone? Better to keep things in as general terms as possible.
She stopped off to see Annette at the rehab before hitting the highway. Framingham wasn’t far, only about forty minutes depending on traffic, but she wanted to make sure her grandmother was okay, and she wanted to tell her where she was heading.
Annette said, “Give my love to Lissie, and tell her I’m fine. She’s been calling here whenever she can to check on me, poor thing. She blames herself for our circumstances.” Annette stopped talking to wipe her tears and blow her nose. “Told me when she gets out, she’ll get a good job and work to make our lives better.”
Dawn reserved judgment on that one. Her mother had said stuff like that in the past. Many times. But her jobs never lasted more than a few weeks before she started using again or she fell into some big scam or drug deal. This was her second stint at Framingham, and this time, she was actually getting somewhere with counselling. It was one thing to detox, another to actually own your shit and right your wrongs.
Dawn hugged her grandmother and told her she’d text her when she got there. When she got to Luca’s car, a familiar figure was leaning against the driver’s side door.
“Hiya!”
“Lynda. What are you doing here? My appointment with you isn’t until Friday.”
“Well, I thought I’d just pop by to see how you’re doing.”
Lynda was in full regalia—skinny jeans with bling up and down the seams, a red sweater, and a sleek black jacket. Not to mention the sky-high stacked black boots she had on.
“Wow! You look…” Dawn grinned.
“Thanks! I thought I’d go along with you for the drive at least.” Lynda grinned back.
“Hop in.”
Dawn filled Lynda in on her vision of Mandy at the zoo and then Luca getting hit on the head.
“Do you think it was that Ice Spider and his gang?” Lynda asked, offering her a crinkly chip bag. Dawn grabbed one and popped it into her mouth.
After munching and swallowing the chip, she said, “I’m positive it was them. They obviously moved her, and I don’t know where they’ve taken her—yet, that is. It seems like they’re always one step ahead.”
Lynda seemed to ponder that one for a moment. “Do you think Ice will come after you?”
“He hasn’t so far. Just a couple of warnings. I think he’s lying low. Trying to figure out how to deal with this one. He could have killed Mandy right off the bat, but he didn’t.” Dawn shuddered at the thought of the child being murdered. “Maybe she’s his insurance policy if the cops catch him? Who knows. But the sooner I figure out where she is, the better I’ll feel.”
