Chapter 28 - Enter Janelle

            Meanwhile, that very same night, Janelle Tanaka's graduation from junior high school was a ceremony of true pomp and circumstance. There she stood, in a little purple dress, showing with blue eyes, her tiny smile. Most of the kids thought she was cool; however, they made fun of her a year earlier, and she did not learn how cool she was. She timidly went to get her diploma, and was too occupied with seeing her parents that the photographers did not scare her for once.

            Eventually, she got the happy feeling of belonging, and that people thought she was cool. Somebody actually had to tell her. That's the problem with Autism-you have to be told that you are good, or happy, or cool, or loved.          Then, here comes high school. She feared having to go through the backstabbing and pain all over again.

*****

            That was three months away. Today, she was going to sleep in and have fun with her Wii. She would play Super Mario 3D and have breakfast, lunch and dinner. That sounded like a good idea. There was not much to do here in Kentucky.

            She had come to spend the summer at home, and eventually find a good high school here. She was not too far away from Lexington, where she could piddle around at the Fayette Mall, and do some shopping.

            Life would be boring except for the games with the Wii and her online chatting. Of course, her father wanted to her to get to know some people. Tomorrow, she was going to go to the local county library. She had some friends she was going to meet there. (Probably some chaperones.)

*****

            Janelle and her mother went to the library, which was at the south end of town, far from where Janelle had been in this new town. Then again, what was one to expect?

            As Janelle got out of the car, her mother led her into a large brick building with a green metal roof. Janelle was very different from her mother, with a lanky frame, blue eyes and black hair fashioned into a blunt bob with bangs. Her mother had golden blond hair in waves, with blue eyes and a frame evoking old Bettie Page pictures. Nobody cared much, but it still bothered Janelle that she was not considered beautiful like her mom. It also bothered Janelle how easily her mother could make friends, but nobody stayed her friend for very long - or that anybody wanted to talk with her below the surface of the conversations ending in "Fine" or "Okay."

            Inside, there were two places: one with two sets of doors on either side of a coffee shop, and the other with the library. Mrs. Tanaka went up to a woman of large stature in dark wash boot cut jeans, a pair of black Nike Shox with powder blue logos on the side, a sleeveless red v-neck top with white tank underneath, hair in a headband, and light green jade earrings with positive symbols on them. She had a canvas bag with long blue handles and bottom of blue leather.

            "Hello, dear. Are you Juliana Buchinsky?"

            "Yep. Jenny Tanaka?"

            "Uh-huh."

            They shook hands, Mrs. Tanaka wringing it immediately afterwards with a look of pain.

            "Oh, I'm sorry. Sometimes I don't know my own strength."

            "That's okay. This is Janelle."

            "Hi, Juliana Buchinsky. I'm Janelle Tanaka. I am fourteen years old and I play games on Nintendo Wii. I graduated junior high school, with top honors."

            "Really? You're quite a darling."

            "Thank you. Everybody says this."

            Mrs. Tanaka came in. "Janelle, this will be your new friend during the summer. She will be taking you to many places while dad and I are busy."

            "Aw, Mom, a new nanny?"

            "Not exactly," replied Janelle. "Think of me as your big sis."

            "Are my parents adopting you?"

            "No."

            Just then, a child screamed nearby. The sound actually hurt Janelle's ears, so she covered them.

            Juliana said, "You know, I don't like it when a child does that either."

            Janelle snapped, "That's a walking condom commercial."

            "Why don't we go to lunch and get to know each other better? Janelle, would you like to choose the place?"

            "I want Mexican."

            "There's a really good place nearby. They have real chalupas there. True authentic Mexican."

            "Do the chalupas have flatbread?"

            "Nope. Hand-shaped boats, made in the store."

            "Good! Real chalupas aren't made with flatbread."

            They went off to the Tanakas' car, and went to a restaurant sharing a building with a jewelry store that had an entrance and blacked out windows blocking the view into the store.

            "Wow, that building's got to be hot."

            "My friend works there. She says blacking out the windows saves on energy bills."

            "What's her name?"

            "Her name is Emily Vaziri. She's very tall with white hair. She likes to eat where we're going."

            As the women entered the restaurant, they grabbed a seat at a very clean table. Mrs. Tanaka noticed this.

            "This place is very clean."

            'Why do you have to point that out? Mexican places aren't necessarily dirty."

            "Good point, Janelle." Mrs. Tanaka's face was red again.

            At the next table, there was a woman with white hair and a man with golden hair, and they were very involved with each other, holding hands while they ate.

            The women ordered their favorite dishes: Juliana had a taco plate and Diet Coke, Mrs. Tanaka had a bean burrito combo, Janelle had a chile relleno and enchilada plate, and they all split  chips and salsa. Mrs. Tanaka asked for the hottest salsa they had, and the people giggled when they brought it out. Janelle ate it without wincing, and with very little soda. She amazed the people at the next table.

            "You know, they ought to make Lily eat spicy food."

            "Lily who?"

            "All My Children Lily."

            Mrs. Tanaka said, "She's obsessed with the character. She hates it now that the actress is playing another character."

            "Sorry. Don't watch soaps. I'm more into court shows."

            Janelle seemed to waive it off, and continued eating.

            After they finished, Janelle went off to the restroom. It was also clean in there. She washed her hands, dried them and went back out. Juliana was talking to the couple at the other table.

            "Oh, here she comes now. Janelle, come over here and meet Emily and Heliodor."

            Janelle went over. Emily smelled like perfume and Heliodor smelled like Zest soap.

            "Hi, my name is Janelle."

            She shook their hands.

            Emily got down to Janelle's level. "Juliana has told me so much about you. We need to hang out after I get off work. Would you like to come to dinner with us?"

            "Sure!" Janelle loved a new adventure.

            "Mrs. Tanaka, is it okay that we go somewhere else to eat for dinner tonight?"

            "I'm stuck showing some houses. As long as Janelle is safe, it's fine with me."

            Emily looked at her watch. "I need to get back. Let's get together at six, okay?"

            "Sounds good."

            Emily left, and Heliodor looked at his watch soon after.

            "Don't expect me. I got poker night with the guys."

            "Well, it lookes like Lord Kunzite is warming up to ya."

            "I think."

            He left quickly.

            "Sometimes," said Juliana to herself, "I wonder."

            Janelle piped in. "My mom tells me don't talk to myself. You can't either."

            Juliana was a bit annoyed.

            "Well, let's get going. I want to get to know you better."

            "Okay."

            The three headed out to the car.