Wishing Pearl Read online

  Kira thundered out from the stall. “I hope you’re happy with yourself, you piece of slime.”

  Olivia reared back like she’d been slapped. “What? Are you serious? I don’t—”

  “Blah. Blah. Blah.” Kira made talking motions with her hand. “You say lots of words, but none of them mean anything. Here’s something maybe even you can understand.” Kira stepped up on her tiptoes and lifted her nose to just barely an inch from Olivia’s. “Stay. Away. From. Justin.” She huffed toward the door and then spun around with her hand on the handle. “Or. Else.”

  “Or else what, Kira? You keep saying that, but what exactly are you going to do about it?”

  “Don’t forget that I have that picture, and I’m not afraid to use it. Not only would you get kicked out of Diamond Estates, but Justin would be in so much trouble.”

  “There’s no way I’d get kicked out—not after what you’ve done and still managed to stay.”

  “You don’t know anything about me, so don’t pretend to think you do.”

  “Kira, you know as well as I do, that picture isn’t what it looks like. Ben will believe me. Maybe I’ll get in trouble, but Justin is innocent and you know it.”

  “Prove it.” Kira grinned. “In fact, I think I’m going to forward it to Ben right now.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

  Could she dive for it and knock it out of Kira’s hands? Nah. It wasn’t worth it. Olivia would keep her dignity and deal with the fallout later.

  Kira backed away as she pressed buttons. “There. It’s sent. We’ll let Ben decide about guilt or innocence.” She took a step toward the door and then turned back to Olivia by the sink. “Hey, can I have your bed once you’re gone?”

  A beep came from the back stall. A toilet flushed, and the door swung open. Tricia came out, her eyes a little bloodshot, but sporting a grin on her face. “I don’t know what picture you just sent to Ben, but I just sent him a recording of this conversation. So … you’re right. We’ll let him figure out the truth.”

  If looks could kill.

  “I thought God didn’t want people to work on Sundays.” Olivia poured pasta into a pot of boiling water.

  Tricia laughed. “In our hearts, we’re not supposed to be working, even though our bodies slave away.”

  Olivia narrowed her eyes. “What? I’m standing over a steaming stove. I’m sweating in this sweltering kitchen. I don’t even want to eat the food. How can this not be considered work?” Kitchen detail was the worst.

  “Ah. It’s better to give than to receive, right?” Ju-Ju swatted her with a damp dish towel. “You’re supposed to want to serve everyone. Like it’s your mission for the day.”

  “Riiight. I see that happening.” This place got crazier and crazier.

  “I wanted to tell you.” Ju-Ju’s voice grew serious. “You guys were awesome today. It was really moving.”

  Olivia waited for sarcasm, but none came. “Thanks, Ju.” A compliment from her meant more than the hundred others she’d received that day.

  “No, I’m serious. It was something special.”

  Skye stepped up to the stove and stirred the spaghetti sauce. “I agree. I had to wipe tears away, it was so beautiful.”

  “Really?” Tricia almost whispered when she spoke up. “I was most nervous about what you two thought about it more than anyone else.”

  “Us?” Ju-Ju jerked her head back in shock. “Why?”

  “Oh, she’s right. It’s just easier to get vulnerable for strangers than it is for people you care about. I feel that way all the time when I practice with you guys around.” Olivia sighed. “Anyway, at least it’s over.”

  “It’s not over. That will stick with me for a long time. I just wanted you to know.” Ju-Ju’s neck reddened, and she turned away.

  “Thanks, Ju. I mean it.” Olivia turned back to her cooking. No sense making her uncomfortable. It took a lot for her to say those things.

  Skye’s eyes twinkled. “I will add this, though. That Justin … ooh, honey. He has it bad for you.”

  “Oh, he does not.” Olivia blushed. “I wish you guys would stop it. It’s not like we can date or anything anyway.” Especially not with Kira around. She locked eyes with Tricia. Should they tell the other two what happened in the bathroom? They’d probably make a big scene out of it. Probably best to wait it out. Let Ben respond.

  Marilyn bustled into the kitchen, the inner thighs of her tight polyester chef’s pants rubbing together. One day, those things were going to let off a spark. She engulfed Olivia in the crooks of her meaty arms.

  Help me!

  Ju-Ju smirked. She seemed to be enjoying Olivia’s suffocating plight.

  Marilyn lifted one arm and dragged Tricia into the hug.

  Olivia couldn’t help but giggle at Tricia’s squished cheeks and eyes that looked about to fall out.

  “You girls made me so proud today. I thought my buttons were going to pop.” Marilyn bounced a little, gave one last squeeze, and then released the girls.

  “Um … thanks, Marilyn.”

  Ju-Ju shot her a Better you than me grin.

  “What you did with that song—I’ve never heard or seen anything so beautiful.”

  “Thanks.” Tricia blushed. The pink tint made Tricia’s cappuccino skin even more beautiful, if that were possible.

  “Okay. That’s enough attention—don’t want it to go to your heads. We’ve got dinner to cook, and from the looks of things, you need a double helping. You’re getting too skinny, Tricia.” Marilyn sampled the sauce and started shaking spices into the pot.

  “Marilyn’s right, T. You’re not trying to lose any more weight, are you?” Ju-Ju looked her over.

  “Yeah, you lose any more and you’ll be invisible. Look”—Skye wrapped her hand around Tricia’s wrist—”you’re just skin and bones.”

  Tricia shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m not really trying. Whatever happens, happens.” She strode across the kitchen and busied herself in the pantry.

  “Oh. Olivia. I almost forgot. Ben wants you in his office for a few minutes.” Marilyn looked at her watch. “About five minutes ago.”

  Great. Here it comes. Olivia wiped her hands on her jeans and hurried from the kitchen. All the way to Ben’s office, she recited her defense. They weren’t my cigarettes in the first place. I made a mistake. Justin wasn’t smoking. Though true, they all sounded like excuses—hollow.

  Would she get kicked out of Diamond Estates? She’d never go back to Chuck’s, but even worse, she didn’t want to leave.

  Her hand poised to knock on the door, Olivia took a deep breath as the door opened.

  “Come on in, Olivia.” Ben stood back to let her pass. “Kira and I have been sorting some things out. I must say, we have several things to deal with. Seems there are cigarettes involved. Some bribery. Some contraband cell phones. What’s going on with you girls?”

  Oh no! Would Tricia get in trouble for her cell phone?

  “I’ll tell you what, let’s start at the beginning. I think I have a fairly good idea, but why don’t you tell me where the cigarettes came from and what you were doing out in the woods smoking them with my son?”

  “Ben, no. Justin wasn’t smoking. He just happened upon me and was showing me how ridiculous and gross it looked. He was right.”

  “I know Justin wasn’t smoking. I know my boy. Trust me. But your explanation makes sense. Where did they come from though—the cigarettes?”

  Olivia recalled the details of the Black Friday shopping trip, smuggling the pack, then hiding them for weeks.

  “So where are they now?” Ben’s eyes narrowed.

  He would never believe her. “In the incinerator. I didn’t want them anymore. I have no use for them.”

  Ben nodded and turned to Kira. “I have no proof, but I would stake my life on the fact that you planted the cigarettes in Olivia’s bag. What’s up with you, Kira? What are you thinking? And the picture, your threats … I thought we’d been
getting somewhere with you.”

  He rocked back in his chair with his hands behind his head. Thinking. That was almost never a good sign.

  “Kira, I’m going to have to call your dad. I’m not sure what to do about all of this. I’ll have to take some time to pray about it and consult with the staff. You and I will meet back here at ten tomorrow morning.”

  “What about her?” Kira sputtered and jabbed her finger at Olivia. “You don’t have to call her parents?”

  “Not that I have to explain my reasoning to you, Kira, but Olivia has no prior offenses, and she fixed her mistake the best way she could think of. I will give her a break—just like I’ve given you pass after pass in hopes that you’ll soften one of these days.” He closed his eyes. “Please, Lord.”

  Kira jumped to her feet and stormed from the room.

  Olivia was so relieved when dinner was over and all cleaned up. People hadn’t stopped talking about the performance at church. And if she was embarrassed at the attention, she could only imagine how Tricia was faring under it.

  On their walk to the game room, Olivia slipped her arm across Tricia’s shoulders. “You making it, superstar?”

  “Very funny. It’s not easy.” Her eyes twinkled.

  Olivia took a sharp breath and pointed at Tricia’s face. “You’re enjoying it! You can’t fool me. You’re loving every minute of it.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t say every minute.” Tricia grinned. “But it is kind of fun to have everyone say such nice things about something I did. It feels nice.”

  Then it was all worth it—even the mess with Kira. “You deserve it.”

  Ju-Ju feigned a yawn. “If you two are finished with your little lovefest, I’m kind of curious about what we’re going to do for fun tonight.”

  “Movie.” Skye turned and walked backward in front of the group.

  “Fine with me. I’m too tired for much else anyway.” Tricia rested a hand on Skye’s shoulder so she could pull off her shoes and walk the rest of the way barefoot.

  “Sure. I just need to run up to the room and take care of something.” Olivia made a quick detour. “I’ll meet you there.”

  She sprinted up the stairs to her room. Olivia wanted to make sure she had saved the program from that morning’s church service so she could show her mom and Jake.

  Whistling her “Phantom of the Opera” oboe solo, Olivia hurried down the hall. Her door stood open just a crack. Odd. They always shut it. There were no locks on the individual bedroom doors—only on the main one to the hallway—but they’d never had a problem before.

  Olivia put her hand on the door and gently pushed it open. “Hello? Someone in here?”

  No answer.

  Pressing the door open a little farther, Olivia stepped inside. Light filtered in through the window blinds onto the neat beds and orderly shelves. Everything seemed just fine.

  Then she saw it.

  Chapter 28

  Olivia fell to her knees and touched the ruins of her beloved oboe. The reed was still attached to the top body section, which had been shattered in half. The bottom piece was just a mass of splintered wood that didn’t hold any resemblance to the custom-made professional-grade oboe Olivia had caressed in her hands just hours before.

  It looked like it had been struck against something. She lifted her teary eyes and gazed around her room. Aha. The back of the desk chair stood scratched and dented as evidence. She looked back at the remains of her dear friend. How could …? Who could …?

  Kira. It had to be her. Who else would have done such a thing? None of the other girls had anything against her. Why the oboe though? Probably to keep Olivia from being able to go to practice, so Justin would have nowhere to drive her. And because Justin loved it.

  The image of Kira holding the oboe over her head and swinging it down like a mallet against the seat back made her shiver. How could someone do something so cold? Kira was sick.

  Olivia sank onto the floor, her stomach clenched in knots, and gathered up as many of the pieces as she could. She leaned back against the bed in defeat, her heart thundering. What should she do? Tell Tammy? Confront Kira? Both? Neither? As she pondered her options, the door opened and Ju-Ju poked her head in.

  “Hey, chica. What’s happenin’? We’re waitin’ for ya.”

  Olivia gazed up at her through brimming eyelids.

  “What’s that? Is that your oboe?” Ju-Ju gasped and dropped to her knees beside Olivia. “What happened?”

  “I wish I knew.”

  “You mean someone did this on purpose?” Ju-Ju picked up one of the broken pieces.

  Olivia nodded. “Sure looks that way.”

  “Kira.” Ju-Ju sighed.

  Of course Kira. “Most likely. And you don’t even know what happened earlier today. But how can I prove it?” Olivia’s shoulders sank as the weight of her loss set in. She caressed the broken pieces. But where was the bell? She dropped flat onto the floor and looked under the desk and then under the bunks. She finally saw it all the way across the room under Ju-Ju’s bed where it must have rolled against the wall. She crawled over and shimmied under the bed, reaching for it with her fingertips. She scooted it toward her hand and grabbed hold. Not that it would matter.

  The oboe was ruined. Her future was ruined. The symphony! What about her big concert next weekend? Olivia had a solo. She looked up at Ju-Ju, who was shaking her head.

  “How much do these things cost?” Ju-Ju tried to fit two of the broken pieces together like a puzzle.

  “For a good one like this? Anywhere from three to four thousand dollars—more, probably.”

  Ju-Ju exhaled with a whistle. “That much? What will you do?”

  “I have no idea. I could probably find a cheap used one for about five hundred bucks. But it won’t sound anything like this one did. Besides, I have a concert next weekend.” She’d never be able to get an oboe before then. No way Charles would pay for it—not that Olivia wanted anything from him ever again. Maybe she could get an increase on her two-hundred-dollar credit card limit. But wouldn’t that still be like Charles paying for it? What other option did she have? At least charging it felt different than coming right out and asking him for money.

  Still holding the bell, she scurried to her bedside and dug in her purse for her wallet. Olivia pulled out her credit card and flipped it over to read the back. There was an 800 number she could call, so she slipped it into her pocket, hoping to find an opportunity to use the phone later.

  Olivia put the pieces on the front of her sweatshirt and pulled the hem up around them like a cradle then went to the door. “I guess I’d better go spread the joy and let Tammy in on what’s happened.”

  “Want me to come with?”

  What’s the point? “No need. Nothing either of us can do anyway.” Kira wins.

  Olivia let herself out the door and slumped down the hall toward Tammy’s office, still holding her bundle inside the front of her shirt.

  The door stood wide open, but Olivia knocked hard enough for Tammy to feel the vibrations so she wouldn’t be startled. “Mind if I come in?” She drew her finger to her body and pointed to the chair.

  Tammy nodded, her eyebrows knit together. “What’s wrong?” She placed her thumb and forefinger on either side of her chin and shook her head.

  Stepping up to the desk, Olivia dropped the hem of her shirt and let the pieces spill out into a jumbled heap of rosewood and chrome.

  Tammy gasped. “What happened?” She jumped up and ran around her desk to Olivia’s side. She picked up the pieces of the instrument.

  “I wish I knew. Someone did this.” Olivia twisted her fists apart. “Broke it.”

  Tammy shook her head. “Why? Who? Do you know?”

  “Yes. But I can’t prove it.” She filled Tammy in on what had happened in the church bathroom.

  “Oh boy. I sure wish you’d told me about this right away. We’ll have to get Ben down here.” She pressed numbers into her phone and waited. In the space of no
more than a few heartbeats, Olivia heard the beep of a return text. “He’ll be right here.”

  Olivia nodded. “Can I use your phone real quick while we’re waiting?” She held her hand up to the side of her face. “I mean, we have to get to the bottom of this—that’s a big priority. But my first concern is about my concert next weekend. It’s a big deal. I have an important solo.” Olivia fought against the tears. “I h–have to buy a new oboe.”

  “How will you do that?”

  Olivia felt her cheeks reddening. “I’m going to call and see if I can get a raise in my credit card limit.” Now that she said it out loud, it sounded crazy even to her. She’d never be allowed to place that call.

  “Oh.” Tammy hesitated. “I can’t let you do that, hon. It’s not your money. You’d have to call home for permission.”

  It figured. Olivia slumped down even farther. “Just forget it, then. Charles will never agree to it.”

  “Then you definitely have to know it wouldn’t be right to go behind his back with the credit company. Right?”

  “What’s right about any of this?” Olivia shouted—not that Tammy could hear her volume. But she couldn’t mistake the tears. “Everything. Every. Single. Thing. Everything I care about gets destroyed. Everything. God truly hates me. That’s all there is to it.” She pulled her flattened palm down across the length of her face—God—then flicked the fingers of both hands outward from her chest—hates. She pressed her fists hard into her chest—me.

  “What’s this I hear?” Ben boomed as he came through the door, his usual grin replaced by a comforting smile. “God hates you? Whatever drew you to that conclusion?”

  Tammy gestured to her desk. “Someone did this to Olivia’s oboe.”

  “Oh dear.” He put his hand on Olivia’s shoulder. “Olivia, you must understand, this isn’t the work of God. This is the work of His enemy, Satan, trying to keep you from seeking the Lord. He wants nothing more than for you to run from God, to think He hates you or doesn’t answer your prayers. This is how Satan works. You can’t let him have that victory.”