Chloe's Story

Mrs. Beatrice Brown, guidance counselor at Abernathy High School, pushed open the heavy oak door and peered into the waiting room. Chloe, would you come in now, please?"

"Good morning, Chloe, just have a seat. I have wanted to talk to you for several weeks. I appreciate your coming into my office this morning." Mrs. Brown opened a brown folder and picked up a blue pen.

Chloe Riley, a 19-year-old senior, stared back at the counselor with a blank countenance. The five foot, seven inch strawberry blond registered no expression at all. Icy blue eyes stared like a corpse might stare at the sky. Her hands told a different story, however. Chloe's right hand was fisted in the center of her lap with the left hand wrapped like a glove around the fist. Her worn-sandaled feet were crossed at the ankles.

"Chloe, Dear, It's been almost five weeks since you have been in school. I am concerned about this. You missed graduation last year due to the birth of your baby. I understand the problem. However, it looks like you will miss graduating again this year because of your non-attendance."

"I know." The teen looked down at the floor.

"What do you know, Chloe?"

"I know that I am not going to graduate…ever."

"Does that concern you at all?" Mrs. Brown hit the top of her pen and the point withdrew with a snap.

"Concern me?" Chloe's left eyelid reflexively jumped.

"No, I can't say as I am concerned. I have no place here. I am different than the other students and too far behind to care. What will caring do for me?" A flicker of life stirred. You tell me what my caring will do."

"Well, Chloe, one needs all the education one can get. You can't expect to succeed without an education and high school is just the beginning."

"How the Hell am I supposed to come to school when I am up with a baby all night? Do you know what it's like to be sleep deprived? A tear trickled down her cheek and Chloe swatted at it. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Brown. I didn't mean to curse. It's not your fault. She took a napkin from her pocket and blew her nose.

The counselor handed her a Kleenex from the desk.
"Mrs. Brown, you don't know me. And, since you don't know me, how can you tell me what I need? Tell me exactly what you know about me that is not written…" she pointed to the papers in front of the counselor…"in that folder. I am more than what you see in there.

"Does that information tell you I like the color lilac and climbing apple trees? Does it say that my favorite food is pizza?" She hesitated and sniffed, wiping her nose before continuing. "I love country music and classic romantic comedies. I want a vegetable garden full of okra. I can beat all comers in Canasta and Skip-Bo. I once dreamed of living in a log cabin next to a national forest. She stopped to take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her tanned, broad shoulders fell. "The reality of my life is diapers, sleepless nights, and the fear I will not be able to save my daughter from the same kind of life."

Mrs. Brown listened to what Chloe was saying without interrupting her. A bird flew into the window with a thud. Mrs. Brown's features softened as she closed the folder. "I think you may have an excellent point. Suppose we start again. Would you be willing to begin our visit again and give me the opportunity to get to know you better?"

The girl lowered her face letting the long blond hair engulf her. "Yes, I….could try. She raised her head. If that's what you'd like. I am really sorry. I didn't mean to go off like that."

" Good." Mrs. Brown leaned back in her office chair and ignored the apology. "Tell me how you came to Abernathy Cove."

"I don't know. I mean I was eight-years-old and my mom and I moved from a little town in Arkansas. Mom just said we needed a change of scenery." She shrugged her shoulders. "So, we loaded up all we had which wasn't very much and moved here."

"What does your mother do?"

"Nothing. Or, at least not much of anything."

"How does she support the three of you?"

"Up until I was in 8th grade, momma worked at Kelly's Tavern outside town a piece. She was a waitress there. She said the tips were good. She pretty much lived there since all her boyfriends came from the clientele.

"Tell me about your grade school days. Did you have friends? Did you do well in class?"

"I had one friend, Mary James. She was crippled. She told me she had polio when she was younger. She walked with crutches and metal bars on her legs. I really felt sorry for her because no one even talked to her." Chloe ran a slim-fingered hand over the side of a leg as if checking to see if she had on metal braces. "We just kinda sat together out on the playground.

"I was mostly really quiet and just did my work. When I finished with work, I would read or draw. I really liked to draw." Chloe looked at Mrs. Brown for encouragement.

"Yes, go on, Chloe."

"I was different from the other students because I took care of myself. Momma was rarely home. I wasn't always clean, sometimes my hair didn't look too good. I wore whatever clothes momma could get me at the Salvation Army and only had three dresses and they were too big. I had one pair of tennis shoes that I liked although someone had worn them before me."

"So, you had little parental supervision or guidance?"

"Right. Momma worked or had dates at the bar. I liked that a bunch better than when she brought the dates home. I didn't like the strange men coming into my home. If I heard them coming, I would run and close the door to my room, and pretend I was asleep. After I got older, the men presented other problems if I was around, so I made sure I was out of sight as much as I could. I don't really want to talk about that."

"Okay, tell me about what you like to do. What makes you the happiest?"

"I can't think of too many times I have been really happy. Whenever anything good happens, reality is close behind to put me back into my place." Chloe got up and paced the small office. "I have always liked to draw. Artist supplies are pretty expensive, so I do mostly black pencil drawings. I like to go down by the ocean and sit and draw. But, my favorite place to draw would be down at the river. I love the lazy way about the river. There are always so many animals and insects to see and draw. I love the wildflowers that grow in the marsh. I once found a book of wild flowers at the Baptist Church thrift store. It was 25 cents and I saved for three weeks to get that 25 cents. I walked all over town looking for dropped coins. That book was my most prized possession for many years. It's falling apart now, but I still have it. I keep it in a cigar box under my bed."

"I'd love to see some of your drawings sometime, Chloe." Mrs. Brown took her glasses cleaner from her side drawer, removed her glasses, and began to clean them. A car backfired outside. The intercom buzzed directing the teachers to release the basketball team so they could leave for their game.

"Aw, they're not much. It's just a hobby. I have one here." Chloe strode to her purse, opened it, and began searching the bottom of it for something. "Here. Here's my little girl. I did this yesterday while me and her were at the river. She was sleeping on an old blanket and just looked so sweet. I had to draw her. I wanted to save that instant forever. She was sleeping and peaceful and we weren't bothered with who we were or where we were going. You know?"

Taking the extended piece of notebook paper, Mrs. Brown peered through her clean glasses at the drawing. "Why, Chloe, I think this is wonderful. I'm not much of a judge of art, but I suspect you have quite a talent for such things."

"You don't have to say that, Mrs. Brown. Really."

"You are quite right. I do not have to say that, but I said it because I believe it's true. I like your drawing." She smiled pleasantly at Chloe.

"Maybe it just seems good because the model is so precious." Chloe for the first time today smiled." My little Keelee is my whole world. She is what makes me really, really happy….just taking care of her and watching her discover the world around her. She also makes me very sad because I know that I can't provide for her like she deserves. My momma had me when she was sixteen, I had Keelee at seventeen, and I will just die if Keelee has her first child like we did: not married, too young, and no education. I know you think I don't want an education, Mrs. Brown, and maybe I didn't before Keelee was born. But, Keelee is my hope for the future. I have to do something and I don't even know how to go about it. I am so frustrated and alone. Covering her face with her hands, Chloe began to sob.

Mrs. Brown got up from her chair and came around to where Chloe sat. She picked up a few Kleenex from the front of her desk and knelt down so she was face to face with this thin teen. "Look at me. Chloe, I might be able to help you. If you really want help, then give me a chance."

"Really? Are you really, really serious? What can you possibly do for me…for us….for Keelee and me?" Chloe looked up with anticipation flashing in her eyes. The school bell clanged announcing the end of the school day.

Mrs. Brown put her arms around the attractive teenager before her. "We can work out a plan and get started immediately. It won't be easy, but I am in this with you if you will accept my help." She stood up pulling Chloe with her. "I want you to go home and think about this. I am willing to stick with you and Keelee and help you work out a plan. I will help you set goals and open some avenues for attaining them, but you must commit to me….to Keelee. You must decide to work everyday always pushing forward. Can you do that? Do you have what it takes? "

"I don't know. I want to with all my heart. I've never had help before. I've never had anyone but myself. How do I know you won't let me down? Why would you want to help me?"

"You don't know I won't let you down. You must learn to trust. Today is a good day to start. Why don't you and Keelee meet me for supper tonight at Jock's Pizzeria at 6 p.m.? Supper will be on me. It will be my first investment in your future. Can you girls make it?

Chloe stared into the guidance counselor's eyes as if trying to intercept her brain waves. Then, as if someone had just plugged Chloe into electricity, she came alive. Hope flitted across her face. A smile burst upon her face like a new day's dawning. "I love pizza. That's the third thing on my list of favorites! How did you know?"

Mrs. Brown didn't mention that Chloe had told her earlier today. She just smiled.
"As Anne of Green Gables like to say, perhaps we are kindred spirits, you and I."