“Who’s Sean?” I ask.
She shrugs. “A boyfriend. I didn’t like him.”
“Why?”
She turns back to the counter, her voice casual, like she’s talking about the weather. “They yelled a lot. He shoved her once. She burned her arm on the stove."
“Now there’s Chris,” she adds.
“Who’s Chris?”
“The new one.” She grins. “He buys me chocolate shakes.”
“Does your mom always have a boyfriend?” I ask, trying to keep up.
“Pretty much,” she says, distracted.
The volcano erupts, white foam spilling everywhere. Gracie bounces on her toes, clapping. “Isn’t it cool? How it explodes?”
Before I can answer, Mama comes into the kitchen, smiling wide.
“Guess what, Beck. You know how we’ve been looking for a new place?”
“Yeah,” I say and nod. I’m sick of the old apartment. Of the echoes. Of Mama crying on the couch when I’m supposed to be asleep.
“Well,” Mama says, clapping her hands. “Marie says there’s an apartment open in the building next door. She thinks we can get it.”
Gracie gasps.
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Mama asks.
“Yes!” Gracie shrieks. She launches herself at me, hugging so tightly I can hardly breathe. Her hands are sticky with science goo, but I don’t pull away.
“It’ll be so fun, Beck,” she says. “We can always be together. Forever and ever.”
I nod, even though I don’t really understand howforever works.
I just know that the things people love the most seem to be the things they break the easiest.
And I already know how much I hate that.
Gracie
Present
Kirsten and Trish turn toward each other, deep in conversation. I take the opening.
“How’s Sarah?” I ask, careful to keep the edge out of my voice.
Beck stills. Just for a beat. “We broke up.”
I blink. “What? When?” I try to sound casual and miss by a mile. “I thought she was a sure thing. You were together for, like…six months?”
He looks down at his beer, swirling it once. “Something like that.”
“Did she realize she was dating a man who alphabetizes his spice rack?” I add lightly, trying to tease a smile out of him. I hate it when Beck frowns. I nod sagely and add, “Because that’s a lot.”
“It’s efficient,” he mutters. He still won’t look at me. “Besides, it wasn’t that serious.”
