Page 2 of My Life with the Walter Boys
Stop overreacting, I told myself. After taking a few deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth, I pulled out a notebook and pen. I needed to find out as much as I could about the family I was going to live with, so I could be prepared. Sitting up in my seat, I asked Katherine to tell me about her kids and she agreed enthusiastically.
“My oldest is Will,” she began, and I started writing.
The Walter Boys:
Will is twenty-one. He’s in his final semester at the local community college and is engaged to his high-school sweetheart.
Cole is seventeen. He’s a senior in high school and a talented auto mechanic.
Danny is seventeen. He’s also a senior in high school and the president of the drama club. He’s Cole’s fraternal twin.
Isaac is sixteen. He’s a junior in high school and is obsessed with girls. He’s Katherine’s nephew.
Alex is sixteen. He’s a sophomore in high school and plays way too many video games.
Lee is fifteen. He’s a sophomore in high school and a skater. He’s also Katherine’s nephew.
Nathan is fourteen. He’s a freshman in high school and a musician.
Jack and Jordan are twelve. They’re in seventh grade and twins. They believe that they will be the next Steven Spielberg and always have a video camera with them.
Parker is nine. He’s in fourth grade. He looks innocent but loves tackle football.
Zack and Benny are five and are in kindergarten. They’re twins and crazy little monsters with potty mouths.
I looked over what I wrote, and my stomach dropped. This was a joke, right? Katherine didn’t just have twelve kids, but twelveboys! I knew nothing, absolutely nothing, about the male species. I went to a private school for girls! How was I ever going to survive living in a house full of boys? Didn’t they speak their own language or something?
As soon as the plane landed, Uncle Richard was going to hear an earful from me. Knowing him, he was probably wrapped up in an important board meeting and wouldn’t be able to take my call, but I couldn’t believe him! Not only was he pawning me off on some woman I didn’t know, but he also was dumping me with a pack of boys. He said he was doing what was best for me, especially since he was never home, but over the past three months, I’d gotten the feeling that he just didn’t feel comfortable being a parent.
***
Richard wasn’t my real uncle, but I’d known him since I was a little girl. He was my dad’s college roommate, and after graduating, they became business partners. Every year on my birthday, he would bring me a bag of my favorite jellybeans and a card with fifty dollars in it.
In January, Richard became my guardian, and to make the situation more bearable for me, he moved into the penthouse on the Upper East Side where my family lived. At first it was weird with him in the house, but he kept to himself in the spare bedroom and soon we fell into a comfortable routine. Normally, I only saw him at breakfast since he always worked late into the night, but last week that all changed. When I came home from school, the dinner table was set with what must have been his best attempt at a home-cooked meal. Then he told me I was moving to Colorado.
“I don’t get why you’re making me leave,” I told him after ten minutes of arguing.
“I explained this already, Jackie,” he said, his face pained as if this decision was rippinghimaway from the only home he’d ever known and not me. “Your school therapist is worried about you. She called today because she doesn’t think you’re coping well.”
“First of all, I never wanted to see that stupid therapist,” I argued, slamming my fork on the table. “Secondly, how can she even suggest I’m not coping well? My grades are excellent, if not better than first semester.”
“You’ve done a fine job in school, Jackie,” he said. I could hear thebutcoming. “However, she thinks that you’re throwing yourself into your work as a way to avoid facing your problems.”
“My only problem is that she has no clue who I am! Come on, Uncle Richard. You know me. I’ve always been studious and hardworking. That’s what it means to be a Howard.”
“Jackie, you’ve joined three new clubs since the start of the semester. Don’t you think you’re spreading yourself a bit thin?”
“Did you know that Sarah Yolden received a scholarship to go study an endangered species of plants in Brazil over the summer?” I asked instead.
“No, but—”
“She got to publish her findings in a science magazine. She’s also first chair for violin and got to perform in Carnegie Hall. How am I supposed to compete with that? I can’t just have good grades if I want to get into Princeton,” I told him coolly. “My application needs to be impressive. I’m building it up.”
“And I understand that, but I also think a change of scenery might be beneficial for you. The Walters are wonderful people and are happy to take you in.”
“A change of scenery is relaxing on the beach for a week!” I exclaimed, rocketing out of my seat. Leaning over the table, I glared at Uncle Richard. “This is cruel. You’re sending me across the country.”
He sighed. “I know you don’t understand right now, Jackie, but I promise this is a good thing. You’ll see.”
