The Lifeguards(68)

Whitney penciled YES, remembering the time a neighbor called to express her sympathy for Roma’s beloved grandfather dying of cancer. (Roma’s fabrication.) Whitney once stood right next to her daughter as Roma described a nonexistent pony named Sam. And she could never forget Xavier running to her in abject terror, believing Roma’s lie that she and Jules had adopted him and were considering “sending him back.” Whitney could still see Roma’s lopsided grin as she watched her mother try to convince her son that he was her son.


6. Does your child bully others?

Children who humiliate and harm others for thrills should be watched carefully and evaluated by a psychiatrist. Sometimes, bullies have been mistreated themselves. Children who cried out as infants and were ignored might turn into children who bully others. They might want power or attention…or to be like their violent parents, whom they idolize.



Whitney checked YES, though she resented the implication that she might be to blame for Roma’s penchant for bullying other kids.


7. Is your child insensitive?

Future psychopaths don’t seem as fearful as normal children. They don’t sense stress in the same way, and seem to lack compassion.



Whitney finished her coffee and put down the mug. Roma seemed completely driven by amusing herself. She had told Whitney the day before that she wanted to kill Xavier.



* * *



—

NOW, SO MANY YEARS after taking the quiz on her daughter’s behalf, Whitney had finally outwitted Roma. For years, Whitney and Jules had hoped Roma could be cured. Whitney took her daughter to therapists and psychiatrists; she had even checked her in to a psychiatric hospital against her will, but Jules had checked her out a day later, claiming a mentally ill child would ruin them. (“No one,” said Jules, “wants to think about their realtor having a daughter with mental problems. We can handle this at home.”)

At home, Roma walked around at night, terrifying her brother. Any pets were soon “missing.” Every day when Roma went to school, Whitney waited for bad news—a hurt child, or worse. Whitney grew more and more fraught, desperate, but Jules could not be convinced to send Roma away. He informed his wife that he would sign his daughter out of any facility Whitney “trapped” her inside.

One night, Whitney prayed for help. In the morning, she woke with a plan. She started her research that day, watching a 20/20 episode about how teens buy drugs online, scanning Craigslist and learning the lingo (“No LE” for “no law enforcement”…as if a cop would read “No LE” and stay away).

On the first night of summer, Whitney advertised pills she had left over from an old Pilates injury: “Candy 80mg. $80 each. No LE.” She put Roma’s cell number as the contact, then took her daughter’s phone and changed the passwords. A stranger named Lucy Masterson had responded within minutes. Whitney had donned Roma’s clothes, left the pills in a paper bag by the dumpster at the 7-Eleven.

When she got Lucy’s Venmo payment, Whitney turned off Roma’s phone and hid it in her Kate Spade makeup case. It was a one-time event. Her plan was to report the texts to the police in the morning…and the police would take Roma. At least for a few days, maybe longer. While she was gone, Whitney could make a plan for Xavier, try to convince Jules it was finally time to get Roma help.

Before it had all gone wrong, in the revolting 7-Eleven bathroom, Whitney changed back into her own clothes. She’d scrubbed her hands with the cheap soap and shivered, overwhelmed with hope.

Whitney exited the 7-Eleven, certain that no one had seen her. Until she looked across the parking lot.

Charlie Bailey.

She didn’t know if Charlie had seen her. He’d seemed pretty wrapped up with the hoodlum he was kissing. But Whitney didn’t know.

And she needed to execute this plan, make sure Roma stayed safe behind bars as long as possible. What if Charlie told the police—or his mother—that he’d seen Whitney that night, wearing Roma’s clothes. If Whitney ended up in jail, Xavier would have no one to protect him.

Whitney had planned only to have Roma put away for selling drugs! How was she to know that her sole customer would wander from the 7-Eleven to the greenbelt, overdose, and fall to her death where the Three Musketeers were swimming? How was she to know the random person who had responded to her “candy for sale” post would be sleeping with Bobcat?

She could handle this.

It was one last thread.

Whitney needed to make sure Charlie Bailey stayed silent.





-10-


    Annette


THE METAL DOOR OPENED, and Annette’s son emerged from the Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center, flanked by two officers. He looked diminished. “I’m so sorry, Mom,” said Robert.

She shook her head, overwhelmed. He thought he could fix everything with an apology, as his father had taught him.

“Sorry for what, honey?” said Annette.

Robert looked at her, seeking. He was a boy who had fallen in love. Annette wanted to protect his heart, to show him another way.

“I don’t know,” he said.





-1-


    Charlie


THEY BUY SNACKS AT the 7-Eleven, and in the car, Amir kisses Charlie. His mouth tastes of Takis: cheese flavoring, some corn derivative, fake lime. Charlie can’t help himself: he puts his hand on Amir and Amir is hard. “Not here,” he says.