Free California Diaries #7: Dawn, Diary Two by Jennifer Burns Page A

saw them take her out on a stretcher. Mrs. Winslow was walking besides his wife. He didn’t go in the ambulance but followed it in his car. He looked really sad. He had been so happy that his wife was home again. We all were. We hoped she’d be able to stay this time.
    At first I thought Sunny wasn’t home and that’s why she wasn’t with her mother.
    But then I spotted her peeking out from behind the blinds in the living room. I told Carol that if it were my mother I’d be in the ambulance with her. Carol said that might not be what Mrs. Winslow wanted.
    “Why wouldn’t she?” I asked. “Sunny is her daughter.”
    “Maybe she’s going later.” Carol patted her big belly. “I can’t help remembering that my baby and I were almost taken away in an ambulance.”
    “Thanks to Sunny,” I pointed out.
    “Accidents happen,” said Carol.
    She has been standing up for Sunny a lot lately. What almost happened to Carol and the baby wasn’t an accident. It was Sunny’s fault. Plain and simple.
    I know it was almost two months ago, but I can’t stop thinking about it. Sunny promised she’d watch out for Carol, who was not supposed to get out of bed under any circumstances. Sunny promised Mrs. Bruen that she’d keep an eye on the pot of stew that was cooking on the stove. And what did Sunny do when a cute guy came driving up our block, blowing his horn? She ran out of the house, leaving the stew on the stove and Carol helpless in bed.
    So what happened? My former best friend, Sunshine Winslow, almost burned our
    house down and put the lives of two people in grave danger.
    And what did Sunny do about it?
    Did she apologize?
    Did she act like she cared?
    No. She ran away. And when she finally came back, she had an attitude and
    made all sorts of excuses for herself. She just hung around waiting for everyone to say it was okay. Well, it wasn’t okay. It isn’t okay. We don’t need someone like that around here.
    I can’t stop thinking about the fight Sunny and I had that night. I play it over and over in my head like a movie.
    I came home from shopping. The house smelled smoky. Mrs. Bruen told me
    what had happened and that Sunny had run out. Mrs. Bruen, who is usually so sweet-tempered and understanding, was furious with Sunny. Everybody was. I figured Sunny wouldn’t come back and she certainly wouldn’t continue sleeping over at our house, in my room. So I took some plastic garbage bags to my room and put all of Sunny’s stuff in them and folded up her cot. Then I sat down at my desk to do my homework.
    After awhile I thought I heard Sunny’s voice in the house. At first I ignored it.
    Then I started worrying about Carol. I didn’t want Sunny to upset her. So I went to Dad and Carol’s room. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Dad, Carol, and Mrs. Bruen were sitting around with Sunny having a friendly talk. I turned and went back to my room without saying anything. Nobody seemed to notice. I figured they were all forgiving Sunny and then she’d leave.
    About an hour later I heard a gentle tap on my door. I thought it was Dad saying good night. But Sunny walked in.
    “Hi,” she said, like nothing had happened!
    “You’re still here,” I said. “You’re staying?”
    “Yeah. Carol and your dad want me to.” She put her hands on her hips. “What’d you do with all my stuff?”
    “I figured you were going to do what you’re always doing these days,” I told her.
    “And what’s that?”
    “Run away.”
    I reminded her that she’s been running away a lot lately, ducking out, avoiding anything unpleasant. I tried to help her face the fact that she’s letting down her mother, her father, her friends and herself.
    But did that get me anywhere with her?
    We ended up yelling at each other. She had the nerve to accuse me of not caring about my stepmother. Who is she to talk to me about how to take care of a parent? I reminded her that I visit her mother more than she does.
    Her answer to that? “I