Born Blue by Han Nolan

feeling expressed when she talks about her past that she's become quite detached from her situation—possibly an attachment disorder. Typical in her situation, though."
    Mr. James shook his head. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I follow you."
    "Just keep your eyes open," the social worker said, tucking her clipboard under her arm and lifting up her head like she just the smartest thing in the world. "She's likely to steal things, possibly set things on fire. I've seen her type before. And keep an eye on your little one. Children like her don't care who they hurt to get what they want." She turned to leave and I popped back into the bathroom.
    "Now, I'll be in touch soon," she said, "and I'll look into that prison story. For all we know it's all a lie. Children with Leshaya's background tend to make up the most atrocious stories, but we'll look into it."
    That were enough! I sprang out from the bathroom and come charging at the pig-nose lady. "Weren't a lie! Weren't none of it a he! You go on and check You just
check and see. And I ain't never leavin' with you, neither. If Mr. James say I cain't stay, then I'm movin' on. I can take care of my own self. I can sing! I can sing and make me lots of money. Ain't nobody takin' me nowhere I don't wanna go. Everybody always snatchin' me up and takin' me. I ain't goin' with nobody ever more. So you go on! Go on! Leave! Leave me alone!"
    Mr. James come behind me and set his hands down on my shoulders, but they was trembling, uncertain hands. "Of course we want Leshaya to stay with us, for now," he said. "Thank you, Mrs. Weller, for coming. I'll be in touch with you later on in the week."
    The lady backed her way out the kitchen door, saying, "Yes, we'll look into things and get back with you. Bye-bye, Leshaya. It's been nice meeting you."
    That lady were phony to the end.

Chapter Eighteen
    WE HAD ANOTHER meeting in the library that night, and Mr. James and Mrs. James said how they was glad I were staying with them for a while. Then they give me some rules I had to follow if I was gonna get along there all right. They said I had to go to school and do all my homework and take a shower every day. I said I been taking a shower sometimes twice a day for the past five years. I said they didn't have to worry, 'cause their rules be easy to follow.
    Mr. James said that I would need to respect people and respect people's property and speak the truth and act polite.
    Mrs. James said that I had to dress my age and look more proper, and I had to learn to speak correctly 'cause the way I spoke were hard for people to understand.
    I said, "Okay, I will learn," even though, near as I could tell, more people spoke like me than them and
they was the ones be hard to understand. I didn't mind 'bout none of their rules, though, 'cause I figured if I could just do those things, then I could stay with them and they could be my mama and daddy till I got famous. After singin' and being famous and meeting Etta James, weren't nothin' I wanted more than a mama and daddy like them who don't hit and who be the right color skin.
    After our
meeting
'bout all the rules, Mrs. James put Samson to bed while me and Harmon got out some Cokes and Doritos and set out the game Scrabble. Didn't never play no Scrabble before, but Harmon and Mr. James and Mrs. James, they all champion Scrabble players. Were like they all one team, the way they played and made me look a fool. I couldn't hardly get no points, and I had hard letters, like
x
and z, that spelled no real words. I kept putting my own made-up words down on the board and Harmon would shout out, "That's not a word! Get the dictionary!"
    That damn dictionary! They was always lookin' in it to prove I be wrong all the time. They was ganging up on me, and the whole thing made my face go hot. I looked at Harmon studying his letters like it be so important, and I hated him. I hated him sitting between his mama and daddy like he king of the mountain. He put down the