“Nice science brain, kid.” She laughed and rumpled his hair. “Cool.”
“Mom,” Kyle said in a judgy voice, “that’s not science. You are participating in the ‘everyone gets a trophy’ culture. Give us something to aim for.”
Gabby gave her daughter a nod. Maybe she should raise her standards.
Kyle sat down on the other side of her, and Gabby’s heart filled to the brim. She readMegalodon Versus Great Whiteto both her babies. After they officially found out that megalodons would beatgreat whites in a fight, Gabby said, “I miss picking you guys up and seeing you after school.”
Kyle didn’t say anything, but she dropped her head to Gabby’s shoulder. Gabby practically held her breath. “Did you have fun with Granny and Burt?”
“Um…” Kyle looked like she was processing something.
“I liked bingo,” said Lucas enthusiastically. “Granny got me a 7Up.”
“Bingo?”
Kyle caught her mom’s eye and clarified. “They took us out for bingo and chicken wings after school.”
“What?” Gabby’s brain flashed an error message. “What about horseback riding, and did you get that essay done for English?”
Kyle shook her head. “No, but I won fifty bucks.”
Gabby’s jaw dropped. She was going to kick those old farts out on their asses. Her kids needed to participate in extracurriculars, things they could put on scholarship applications, not bingo.
Oblivious, Kyle went on. “The bingo person said I had to be twenty-one to gamble, so they wouldn’t give me the money at first, but Granny lied and said she had been playing two cards.” She fiddled with the ties on her pajamas. “Until I’m old enough, Granny is going to play for me, but take a cut. Can I go to the mall this weekend?”
Gabby blinked back dumbly at her daughter for a second. Granny sounded like she was in the Mafia. A Russian immigrant who played by her own rules. She and Grandpa had run a butcher shop for years. For all she knew, they could have been tied to the mob. Finally, she managed, “Who else was at bingo?”
“Just a bunch of old people. It was pretty gross, but… I don’t know, kind of fun.”
Gabby didn’t respond. On the one hand, they didn’t go to their after-school activities. On the other, they were spending time with family.
“So anyways, will you take me to the mall?”
With a sigh, Gabby relented. “Sure. Want some more purple in your hair?”
“Actually, I kind of want a tattoo.”
Gabby stared in shock.
“Just kidding.”
“Thank god.”
“Plus Granny would help me with the tattoo anyway.” Kyle laughed at her joke, but it was real. Granny was not the responsible caregiver she needed.
Downstairs,Family Feudwas playing at top volume in the living room. The sound of dishes clanking and running water carried up the stairs from the kitchen. Was this her new normal?
From the sink, Granny yelled, “Gabby, where’s that cocktail shaker?”
Gabby ignored the request and poured herself a glass of wine. “You took my kids to a bingo hall?” she said in an accusatory voice.
“What’s the matter with that? How much do horse lessons cost? Kyle can make some money instead. She’s good.”
“How can you be good at bingo?”
“For one, she can hear all the numbers.”
Gabby almost spit her wine out.
