The Revenge of a good girl

One

                                                                                                Danni
"So, Danni, I heard you became an orphan because your father couldn't handle his gambling habit," Sissy, one of the girls at the group home, teases me. This happens at least once a month and I always end up retaliating by hitting her. You would think she would learn her lesson by now, but people like Sissy Buckwet never seem to learn. They enjoy getting into fights. So, I walked up to her and gave her exactly what she wanted - a punch to the nose. She threw herself onto the floor, screaming about her broken nose, just as Sister Brenda entered the kitchen.
"What on earth is going on here?" Sister Brenda demanded, but to my surprise, nobody snitched on me. "Alright, children, go to your classes. Danni, stay behind. I need to talk to you."
"Yes, Sister," I replied. Sister Brenda waited until all the other kids had left the room before informing me that my request to be moved to Lee, Massachusetts had been granted. There is another group home there, and the woman in charge will send someone to pick me up later today. But for now, I should go to my classes.
"Sister, is the new home similar to this one?" I asked. Don't get me wrong, I like Sister Brenda, but the whole nun thing is not really my scene. My family was not Catholic; we were Southern Baptists. My parents grew up in Lee, Massachusetts, which is why I want to go there. I want to find out more about them. My parents were killed seven years ago, and ever since I was brought to the group home, I've been doing my own investigation to find out anything I can.
So far, all I've discovered is that my parents lived in Lee, Massachusetts their whole lives. They went to school together, dated throughout high school and college, and then had me while still living in Massachusetts. But soon after my birth, my father became a gambler and lost a lot of money. He owed a significant amount to a bookie, so he packed me and my mom up and moved us to Denver, Colorado. Years later, the bookie found us. And then killed my parents. That's why I really want to uncover the truth about what happened to them. From what I remember, they were both loving parents. I was 13 when they died, so I may have suppressed some memories. I shake myself out of my thoughts and enter my first classroom of the day.
Sister Mary is reading from the Bible today. I'm not particularly interested in school today, so after the first class is over, I sneak off to my room and start packing my things. I don't have much to pack, so I sit on my bed and read until I know school is over. Then I quietly go downstairs and begin doing my chores for the last time. Today, I have kitchen duties, so I will cook for the girls and then clean up the kitchen afterwards. I get started on my tasks.
On my last day here, I decided to cook cheeseburgers and fries to avoid a lot of cleaning up. Just as I was about to start cooking, Sister Mary entered the kitchen with a woman I didn't recognize. She introduced her as Geneva Denver, my new group home mother. Geneva greeted me and we exchanged pleasantries. Sister Mary offered to finish my chores so I could pack my bags and leave, but Geneva interrupted and suggested that I finish my chore and we could take a burger for the road if there was enough. Sister Mary agreed and took Geneva elsewhere in the house while I finished my chores.
My best friend, Ava, asked me if it was true that I was leaving to go to a state I knew nothing about. I had forgotten to tell her about my plans, and I didn't want to see the disappointment in her eyes. I apologized and explained my reasons for leaving. Ava understood, but expressed her hope that I would fight for her to come with me. However, she knew it was unlikely. I was fortunate that the sisters understood my situation and allowed me to leave. I'm almost 18, so they had little choice. I hope this move will help me or I'll have to figure things out on my own.
After finishing all my tasks for the day, I went up to my room and grabbed my two bags of clothing. I headed back downstairs to leave with Geneva Denver. As I reached the first door, all the girls lined up to give me a goodbye hug. It was a sweet gesture. Once we got into Geneva's car, I turned around in the backseat and saw Ava standing on the street with tears streaming down her face. I mouthed the words "This isn't goodbye. It's just an extended "see you later" through the back window. Ava smiled and waved as I drove away. I turned back around with tears in my eyes, realizing how difficult it was to say goodbye to her.
"Are you okay, dear?" Geneva asks me. I nod and we continue the rest of the trip in silence. Eventually, we stopped at a motel and get a room for the night. "Tomorrow morning, we'll have breakfast and then continue on to Lee," Geneva tells me. I take a shower and get into bed while Geneva takes her turn.
The next day, it takes us a couple more hours to reach the group home. It's a nice two-story house with a fenced front yard and a porch that wraps around. There are girls sitting on the porch swings and rocking chairs, waiting for us, I assume.
We get out of the car and Mrs. Geneva leads us up the stairs to the porch. "Ladies, this is Ms. Danni Honeycutt. Let's give her a warm welcome," Mrs. Geneva announces. The girls greet me and a few come up to shake my hand. But, as always, there's one girl who has to be difficult.
"You better watch yourself around here. Just because it's a small town doesn't mean we're all nice and welcoming," she warns me before walking away.
"Don't mind Sally, she's always like that," a girl says as she approaches me. "Hey, by the way, I'm Daisy Mae."
"Hello Daisy Mae, it's nice to meet you," I replied. I have a feeling that we're going to be instant friends. I always have a sense about people. "So, Daisy Mae, what are the daily chores we have to do here?" I ask her.
"Well, you're in luck today. We've already finished the morning chores. But it's pretty much the same as if you were at home with your family. We have to clean our rooms every day, take turns with other house and outdoor chores, and one person is assigned cooking duty for breakfast, weekend lunches, and dinner. Geneva decides who's the best at cooking. The girl who was doing it before aged out and left on her own," Daisy Mae explains. That sneaky woman, she must have been sizing me up when she let me cook at the other house. Luckily, I cooked a lot at my previous home. The sisters wanted us to learn how to cook so we could be independent when we grew up. They also taught us how to manage our own bills, with one student responsible for all the bills each month.
Mrs. Geneva informed me today that I can just observe, but tomorrow I will be expected to help. She doesn't know me well enough to know that I don't just sit back and let others work. So when it's time for lunch chores, I immediately jump in and start working.
"That won't earn you any brownie points with anyone around here," sneers Sally. "Well, damn, I was hoping for a cookie when I was done kissing ass," I sass back Daisy Mae and the other girls find it funny, but Sally doesn't.
"Watch your back, bitch," she whispers, then shoulder checks me as she walks off to another room.
"This house is huge and beautiful. How did someone like Geneva get the funding to house girls like us?" I ask Daisy Mae.
"Oh, she didn't get any funding for this place. It was her father's, and when he passed away, she inherited it and moved us all here. But she also doesn't rely on government money; she has a weekday job as a lawyer."
Hmm, that could come in handy with my plans. We settle in for the night, and I take out my notepad to study it. I specifically chose this area because of the school. I believe there are three brothers who can help me uncover the truth about my parents. I need to be cautious and gather more information before approaching them.
🥊
The next morning, after completing our breakfast chores, we are given free time until lunch. I decide to take a walk, with Daisy Mae following me as usual. While I appreciate her company, there are times when I prefer to be alone, and today was one of those days. Since my grandparents are buried in a nearby cemetery, I decided to visit their graves. They passed away a year apart when I was a young girl - my grandmother from breast cancer and my grandfather from a heart attack. They were my mother's parents. My father never spoke about his own parents, so I have no knowledge of whether they are alive or not. This is something I hope to find out.
"So, Danni, where are we going?" Daisy Mae finally breaks the silence.
"My grandparents are buried in that cemetery," I reply, pointing towards it as it comes into view.
"Oh, so you're from around here?" Daisy asks, a bit surprised.
"Yes, I was born and raised here until I was about five years old. Then my parents moved us to Denver, Colorado."
"Oh, I bet it's beautiful there," Daisy comments. But honestly, Massachusetts is much nicer, especially the Lee area.
We reach the cemetery and wander among the graves until I locate my grandparents. Surprisingly, they have the same last name as me. It's strange because I know they are my mother's parents. Did my father take my mother's last name? That would imply that my father was possibly in trouble even before he met my mother.
"Danni, are you okay? You seem confused," Daisy Mae interrupts my thoughts.
"Oh, sorry, were you saying something?" I ask, slightly distracted.
"Well, yes, you look like something is bothering you. I asked what was wrong," Daisy explains.
"Well, my grandparents have the same last name as me, but they are my mother's parents. Shouldn't they have a different last name? Then it hit me that my father took my mother's last name, but I don't understand why," I express my confusion.
"What happened to you to get you put into a home like this, Danni?"
"Oh, look Daisy Mae, we need to head back for our lunch chores," I divert the conversation, leaving the cemetery. "Nice try, Danni, but you'll eventually tell me. You'll see that you can trust me," Daisy assures me. We continue the walk back to the group home in silence. Upon our arrival, Mrs. Geneva informs me that I will be in charge of cooking for lunch and dinner. I nod in agreement and make my way to the kitchen to see what ingredients we have.
It's the beginning of October and the weather is getting cooler, so I decided to make chili for lunch today. Since there are about 20 girls and Mrs. Geneva, I need to cook a big pot of chili. I take out the big hamburger meat from the freezer and put it in the oven to defrost. It's important not to leave it in there for too long, as it will start cooking. But it's the fastest way to defrost hamburger meat. While the meat is in the oven, I start preparing the rest of the ingredients and put them in the pot to start cooking. Then I get a skillet ready to fry the meat before adding it to the chili.
After about half an hour, the chili is ready to eat, so I call everyone in to get their bowls. Mrs. Geneva compliments me, saying, "This is superb, Danni." I thank her and head over to the sink to clean the kitchen dishes. Mrs. Geneva suggests that I eat with everyone else before starting the cleaning, and that Sally will assist me in the kitchen today.
I think to myself, "Oh joy, this should be fun," but I don't say anything. I grab a bowl of chili and sit down at the table with everyone else. After lunch, we all go our separate ways to do our assigned chores. I'm at the sink cleaning the dishes with Sally, who is washing the stove. I can't help but smile to myself because the stove is a mess from the chili.
Sally walks up to the sink with a washcloth and a bowl of dirty water to get fresh water and rinse her washcloth. She says to me, "You think you're something special because you already get to cook in the kitchen when everyone else has to earn that privilege."
I didn't realize that cooking and cleaning up after a group of girls was considered a privilege. I really don't want to use my boxing skills on my first day at the home, especially not with Sally. It wouldn't end well for either of us, but if she doesn't back off, I'm going to have to.
The day goes by quickly and by 10pm, I'm climbing into bed after a much-needed shower. Unfortunately, my roommate is Sally. We don't say a word to each other, and I fall asleep quickly.

@crystalsteadman 2024