Free Speed of Life by J.M. Kelly Page A

Electricity.” And then we do crack up.
    â€œNo, ma’am, I’m not calling you anything.” Travis’s smile wavers. “I just—”
    â€œI got a baby. And it’s freezing in my house. What’re you gonna do about it?” Hailey asks, her voice getting louder.
    Now some of us are full-on laughing. Travis is leaning back in his seat, out of face-slapping range, which might be smart.
    He tries again. “I’m sorry, but I can’t—”
    â€œThis is bullshit!” Hailey yells. “I have a baby. Do you understand what that means, you sorry suck?”
    â€œOkay, okay, okay.” Jocelyn steps forward. “Let’s back up here a minute. How many of you think Hailey’s going to get what she wants if this is how she acts?”
    Two girls and Hailey raise their hands, but the rest of us shake our heads.
    â€œLet’s talk about how she might handle it differently,” Jocelyn says.
    After that, the class gets kind of boring. By the time it’s over, Travis looks a little shell-shocked and I’m ready to grab my free stuff and go home. I manage to pull Jocelyn into a corner and ask her for a recommendation first, though.
    â€œI’d be happy to write you a letter,” she says. “I think it’s great you want to continue your education.”
    â€œThanks.”
    â€œBut,” Jocelyn says, “I want something in return.”
    Great.
    â€œWhat?” I ask.
    â€œI want you or Amber to come to Forward Momentum
every
week from now on.”
    â€œSometimes we both have to work,” I tell her. “You said it was okay to miss if—​”
    â€œIt’s time the two of you start making parenting Natalie a priority.”
    As if our lives don’t revolve around the baby already?
    â€œThink of this class as part of school,” Jocelyn says. “In other words, it’s not optional anymore. Either you or your sister need to be here for every class.”
    I sigh.
    She holds out her hand to shake. “Do we have a deal?”
    I’m pretty sure I can get off work even if Amber can’t, because David keeps stealing my shifts. And I really need this letter. “Yeah, okay.” I start to leave but remember one important detail I forgot to mention. “Hey, Jocelyn? Don’t tell Amber I’m applying to college, okay?”
    â€œWhy not?” she asks.
    Because she’ll kill me? Because she’ll think I’m ruining our lives and going back on my word? Because she’ll know I lied to her about the money to fix the car?
    Because I might not actually apply.
    â€œI don’t want to get her hopes up.”
    Jocelyn nods. I can’t tell if she believes me or not, but I grab the freebie bags with one hand, balance Natalie on my hip, and get the hell out of there before she can ask any more questions. Two recommendations down, one to go. I’m not looking forward to asking Jimmy. Getting him to say yes is one thing; him actually making time to do it is another thing entirely. He hates paperwork even more than Amber hates school.

Chapter 10
    Saturday morning is my first shift back at work after the whatever-you-want-to-call-it on Tuesday . . . the not-getting-robbed-but-feeling-like-we-were situation. I thought I’d be nervous, but it’s a bright, cold morning, and in the light of day, the station looks exactly like it always does. People are hanging out by their cars, talking while their tanks fill, there’s a line of hopeful losers at the lottery counter, and some kids are choosing—​or probably stealing—​Jolly Ranchers in the candy aisle. When I go to punch in, Jimmy’s waiting for me.
    â€œI need you in the garage. Raul’s got the pumps.”
    â€œExcellent,” I say.
    He pats me on the shoulder and goes back into his office to grab his coffee and smokes.
    â€œHe told me he misses working with you,” Rosa says,