PRIDE & PRINCESSES: A Pride and Prejudice (type) of teen story (Sunrise High #1)

It's Not Over Till It's Over (chapter twenty-seven)

Chapter 27

It’s Not Over Till It’s Over

       There was a lot of anxious waiting on that park bench under the street light. Mouche and I were nearly frozen by the time we received another call, this time from Mark.

     “I’ve got her,” Mark said exactly two minutes and twenty-eight seconds later.

      Turns out Wednesday had fallen asleep underneath the long table cloth that covered one of the round reception tables. How could Mouche and I have forgotten all about her? I hugged her so much when she arrived I almost squeezed her awake. But she was blissfully unaware of all the drama as Mrs Mouche, tears streaming down her cheeks, opened the front door. Trey was mercifully at school and had missed the entire episode. He’d be livid, so that was one less glare I could expect in my direction.

    Mark arrived at our house, twenty minutes after he’d texted me, with Wednesday in his arms. She was bundled up in a tablecloth she’d taken a fancy to, oblivious to the commotion.

    Mark was driving his own car and arrived with Joel (who was also on his best behaviour and sheepishly deposited Ella as well). The runaways had told Mark they’d been in the Sunrise car park: Ella practicing on her new rollerblades and Joel, skateboarding.

    “I just don’t know what the fuss is all about,” Ella whined sleepily.

    “You call me,” her mother lectured her, “anytime you are going to be late and we don’t know where you are...”

    Mark spoke softly to my mother on the steps. Meanwhile, I was sitting on the porch swing with Mouche’s surprise, the rescue dog. This one was a new mixed breed puppy who ran to Mouche’s arms the minute she held them out.

    “Oh,” Mouche said, “she’s gorgeous. This is big love.”

     Our moms raised their eyebrows then walked inside.

     Nobody was really talking to us, except maybe Mark and Jet. 

   “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to keep my note private. Joel is a reckless person but I think in the end, he meant well,” Mark said.

   “It’s okay,” I said, “really, its Ella’s responsibility to call her mom. I was sure Joel and Ella couldn’t have gone too far...”

   “But you wouldn’t mind going...away, sometime...” he seemed about to suggest something when my mother walked out onto the porch.

   “I think it’s time you came inside, young lady.”

    What was all this “young lady” business? I felt like I was in a Swiss Finishing School instead of standing opposite the man of my dreams.