Chapter Four
Selkie
“He wants what?” I shout into the phone. I was having a decent day. I should not have picked up the call.
“He thinks that the four of you should go camping and I told him it was a good idea,” mom replies.
I’m standing in piss central in Reno, wishing I’d brought a gas mask. Doesn’t matter anymore because I’m so distracted by the phone call that I lose the asshole I was tailing.
“No! No! It’s not a good idea!” I step out of the alley I was wallowing in and take a deep breath of air just slightly less toxic.
“Of course it’s a good idea. Camping is fun and you’ll get to bond out there in the wilderness.”
“Says the woman who wouldn’t know a tent from a sultan’s boudoir.”
“Well since I’ve never been in either, that makes sense.”
“Sure, mom,” I reply drily since I seem all out of clever comebacks.
“Elle,” she reminds me to use her name. “That poor man keeps calling you, but you won’t pick up, which is why he was forced to call me.”
“That poor man has only called twice and I was busy. I would’ve called him back eventually.”
Mom tsks. “He’s busy too.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, then open them. Nope, same reality. “Doing what? Running drugs, laundering money? Sleeping with hookers?”
“Really, Selkie,” mom says primly. “They’re called ladies of the night.”
I spy my mark slinking into a shit-bag apartment building. “I can’t talk about this now. I’ve got a thing.”
“I told Nathan you’d call him back to make arrangements. I’ll write a list of all the stuff you’ll need and you can buy it.”
“With what?” The lobby door of the building slams shut and my heart sinks. At this rate, I won’t be able to afford getting my period.
Mom sighs. “This is why you need to work in a bar. If you keep your mouth shut, you’d make good tips.”
I ignore her career advice. “He can buy the stuff since it was his bloody idea.” I realize I’ve accidentally committed myself to the camping trip and with mom, there’s no back-pedaling.
“That’s the spirit. I’ll call and tell him. Do you want me to set up the dates too?”
I sigh. “Sure, and while you’re at it, why don’t you come along to work on your suntan.”
For a second she doesn’t answer and I decide I need a muzzle. “No,” she finally says to my relief. “I don’t want Tyler to think I’m a rough and tumble kind of woman.”
“God forbid he sees a human.”
“Is that mom?” Henri says in the background. “Did you tell her about the stupid idea that Oscar’s dad has?”
“Yes, honey, I did.”
“And?” she demands.
“And your mom is totally on board with it.”
“MOM!” Henri yells. Then I hear the phone being wrestled, mom swearing, and Henri grunting. “Give it, Gramma,” she demands.
“Get away,” mom snaps, which is followed by a crash and a bang.
