“That’s it?”Bobby asked.
Keme shrugged.
“Okay,” Bobby said with a sigh.He started collecting glasses.“Dash, why don’t you get the laundry started?”
“Wait a minute,” I said.“That’s it?That’s his punishment?What about the—” But when I glanced around the room, words failed me.“What about his—” And again, I came up empty.“He should at least have to help!”
Bobby just kept picking up glasses.
Keme headed for the door—to make a mess somewhere else in the house, I was sure—but he paused long enough to glance back.His words were directed at Bobby.“If you think this is bad,” he said with unbridled satisfaction, “wait until you see what’s he done to the den.”
2
“Because this house is filthy,” Bobby said.He had his hands on his hips, and even though he wasn’t in uniform, he carried an unmistakable air of authority.He was used to handling tense, high-stakes situations.He knew how to handle unruly mobs.
In this case, it was an unruly mob of two: me and Keme.
“This isn’t fair,” I said.
“How is it not fair?”Bobby asked.“It’s your house.You live here.”
That seemed like a decent point, so I changed tack.“It’s torture.”
Keme gave a belligerent nod.
“And it’s inhumane,” I said.
Keme agreed with that too.
“And—and we’re all adults.So you can’t tell—” I almost—almost—saidYou can’t tell me what to do.But that sounded like I was eight years old.And like I was about not to have a boyfriend.In a flash of genius, I changed it to “—Keme what to do.”
Bobby looked at me for the five longest seconds of my life.
Then he looked at Keme, and somehow an entirely new eternity of agonizing suspense began.
“Since Keme—” The stress Bobby laid on the name suggested he might have understood what I’d almost said.“—is an adult, I’m sure he agrees that we all need to do our part to keep our home clean.”
My.God.
Even through my terror, I was in awe.I mean, Bobby was just so good.I was watching a master at work.
Also, I couldn’t help but love the fact that Keme nodded so quickly it looked like his head was about to fall off.
“Bathrooms,” Bobby said.“Upstairs.Right now.”
“Are you going to help us?”I asked.
“No, I’m going to mow the grass.”
I perked up.Bobby mowing the grass usually meant Bobby taking his shirt off.“Maybe I should clean the windows instead.”
Keme made a gagging noise.
“Bathrooms,” Bobby said again.“Now.”
I opened my mouth.
This time, Bobby didn’t even say anything.He just looked at me.
