"Me? I never said that."
"Sure you did. Remember? You said you paid it on your way to Paris."
"No," she said in her overly patient voice. "I told you it was settled and not to worry."
"But you made it sound likeyousettled it."And with Delaney's money, too.But I didn't say that part, because the waters were muddy enough already.
And now Mom was saying, "No, Icheckedon it, which honestly was quite a bit out of the way. Do you know what Chicago traffic's like?"
I did know, because I'd spent several years fighting it. As I recalled my time in the big city, I couldn't help but marvel at how different it was here, where the only traffic came from bicycles and horses.
I exhaled slowly. "I'm just saying, you made it sound like you were the one who wrote the check."
"Me?" she laughed. "Where would I find that kind of money?"
Funny, she always found money for clothes and vacations. "So, do you know who paid my rent?"
With a little laugh, she asked, "If you don't know, how should I?"
In fact, Ididknow – now, at least.But did she?I tried not to sigh. "Because you were in Chicago, and I wasn't."
"Hey, I can't help it if your job sent you to Miami." She brightened. "Are you getting a nice tan? You owe me something sweet, remember?"
In a flash, scenes from my childhood flashed into view – me trying to please while Delaney tried to rebel. It was funny in a way. The more each of us tried, the further we strayed into different corners, not quite enemies but not quite friends.
Suddenly, I was sick of it all, especially the favoritism which I'd done little to discourage.
I heard myself say, "Oh, that? Sorry, I never made it to Miami."
My mom paused. "What?"
"Yeah, I got fired. Didn't I mention it?"
"Fired for what?"
"Um…for dry-humping a paramedic?"
Sounding scandalized, she said, "Youarejoking, right?"
"Maybe a little," I admitted.
She breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank God."
"I wasn'tofficiallyfired until I grabbed all that liquor."
"Liquor!" she gasped.
"Yeah, a whole bunch of it. I brought my own bag."
"Have you lost your senses?"
"Probably."
Her tone grew accusing. "Your sister never looted liquor."
"Yeah, well…Delaney and I are a lot different, you know."
"You can say that again."
