Free Natalie's Revenge by Susan Fleet Page A

it was hot and stuffy, but at least I could cry in private.
    One night Jerry sat me down on the sofa and told me a story about Mom. I think he did it to cheer me up. But thinking about Mom made my stomach hurt. I missed her a lot. Never again would we buy ice cream cones and walk along the Mississippi River talking about books and movies and clothes.
    Mom was dead. Murdered. In a hotel room. 
    “Your mom was a terrific dancer,” Jerry said, and told me a story about how she went to New York after high school. Mom's dream was to dance with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, but then she met my father and got pregnant. Jerry smiled when he said this, like it was supposed to make me happy. I don’t think it made my father happy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left when I was two.
    After he finished the story, Jerry said I would always be welcome in his home. Then he went in the kitchen and got a beer, like he was relieved about something. I was glad he didn’t say anything about Mom being a prostitute. Maybe he didn’t know. But I think the lady cop probably told him.
    _____
     
    At school all the Mexican kids hang out together, chattering in Spanish, which I don't understand. I can speak French, though. Mom taught me. She learned it from my father, who spoke French fluently. Mom and I used to speak French when we went for walks in the French Quarter.
    Another fun thing we’d never do again.
    All the girls in my class listen to country music. I'm into rock. At night in my room I listen to a radio station that plays Guns N Roses and Elton John. The boys are into playing football and ignoring girls. But my fifth grade teacher likes me. I always do my homework. In New Orleans, I got A’s in English, French and social studies, B’s in math and science. In Pecos, the work seems easier. I get A’s in everything.
    Sometimes Randy calls me names like slant eyes and gook . Not when Faye or Jerry are around. One time I told him to shut up, and he grabbed my hand and bent back my wrist. It hurt a lot, but I didn’t cry so he finally let go.
    After supper Randy and Ellen and I watch TV in the living room. Randy picks the shows. He loves America’s Most Wanted . I think he'll grow up to be a criminal someday. He's already sneaky and mean. Sometimes I wondered what it must be like to commit a horrible crime and have to hide for the rest of your life. I love John Walsh. He's handsome. Sometimes I fantasized that he was my father. Except I knew he wasn’t. He's not half Vietnamese.
    I think Faye's an alcoholic. One time I saw her stuff a Smirnoff bottle in a garbage bag and throw it in the trash before Jerry got home from work. Faye doesn't have a job. She watches soaps on TV every day, chugging OJ and vodka. When we get home from school, she yells us at to go outside. Like she's angry. I'm angry too. Mom's gone, and living with Uncle Jerry and Aunt Faye in Pecos is way worse than staying home alone at night in New Orleans.
    Now Christmas is coming. Another Christmas without Mom.
    _____
     
    After Easter, Faye and Jerry started arguing in the kitchen after dinner. Jerry said, "I'm sick of eating hot dogs and hamburger." Faye said, "Get over it. I don't have the money to buy steak."
    And I thought: If you didn’t buy so much vodka, you would.
    One night she screamed at Jerry and accused him of having an affair. It was sort of like Dallas, except I couldn’t turn it off. I didn’t know if Jerry was having an affair or not but it wouldn’t have surprised me. Faye never read newspapers or books. What did they talk about?
    I thought about telling Jerry about Faye’s vodka problem but I decided that would be a mistake. In October 1990, Jerry told me the New Orleans policewoman had called. By then Mom had been gone two years. I got excited, thinking she’d found Mom’s killer. No such luck. Jerry said she’d called to say she was still working the case. I wanted to ask her why she couldn’t find the killer, but when I asked