I hold up the one where she and Chase are shaking hands.
Mona glances at the phone, probably for no longer than one or two seconds, then she looks at me and smirks.“We were just saying goodbye.He told me he was leaving town.”
He told her he was leaving before he told me?
No.That can’t be right.
“Why would he tellyou?”
Mona crosses her arms like she did in the first photograph.“I think you’re asking the wrong person.Call him.”She pulls one hand free and points at the phone.
“I don’t have his number.”
Then, she cackles like the wicked witch she is.
“That’s priceless.”She’s smiling.“You should have known he’d….”She looks at my dad.“What do the kids call it?Ghost you?”With her eyes back on me, she repeats, “You should have known he’d ghost someone like you.”
“Mona.”My dad’s voice sounds like a growl.“Knock it off.”
“Fine.”She huffs.It makes me wonder what the deal is with my father and Mona.She seems to listen to him.It doesn’t explain why she’s so terrible to me, though.“That’s all I can tell you.He told me he was leaving town.”She adds, “His vacation was over.”
That can’t be right.It makes no sense.Why would he tell her anything?Why does she keep mentioning his vacation like that?
“I don’t believe you.”Why would I?
“That sounds like a personal problem.”Mona reaches back and places her hand on her front door, shutting it in our faces without another word.
“She’s such a b—witch.”
“She’s got issues,” my dad grumbles.
“Tell that to all the people she’s evicting.”
“I heard.”
See?Man of very few words.
“Let’s go.”I follow him back to my truck.I watch as he opens the passenger door.When the two of us are inside, he reaches out and touches my forearm before I can start Toni up.“Any man who’d leave you like that and not give you his telephone number, well, he ain’t worth nothing.You deserve the best, Velma Lou.”He holds up one finger.“The.Best.”
“I know.”I say it sighing at the same time.The thing is, there’s no such things as “The.Best.”Not when it comes to guys.“Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome.”
I intended to drop him off and head back to the house, but I’m suddenly exhausted.I end up heading upstairs to my attic space.Falling onto the bed, shoes and all, I grab a quilt I’ve got lying across the bottom and cover myself.I don’t know how long it takes me to fall asleep, but it’s not long.
