“Good for you,” she says with a wink. “Oh, when Liam comes out of your bathroom, can you tell him I left a grocery list for him on the kitchentable?”
I rest my head against the side of the door, completely defeated by all of this. “Sure thing,Samantha.”
“Call me Sam,” she says. “Does everyone call you Julia or is there a different nickname I should be calling you? I think we crossed a hurdle last night. After that, I think we’re pretty well acquainted with each other, and maybe it’s time to make this a more of a girlfriend type of relationship between us. Does that work for you?” She’s funny. She can’t be more than ten years older than I am, and I’m sure she has no time in her life for friends, so I appreciate her understanding and willingness to be friends with “the help” as Liam so nicely called ityesterday.
“My friends call me Jules most ofthetime.”
“Jules, you got it. Is it okay if I call you that? Thank you again. Tell Liam I said to have a good day.” She pulls her coffee cup out of nowhere and takes a long sip. “See youlater.”
I close the door gently so I don’t wake up Dylan, and Liam walks out of the bathroom at the same time. “What was that allabout?”
“Um, she knows you’re in here, there’s a grocery list on the counter for you, and we both have to work late tonight. Oh, and she wants to be on a nickname basis with me. I think that just about summarizes all of it, except for the extremeembarrassment.”
“Nickname?”heasks.
“People call me Jules. Whatever, it’s not abigdeal.”
“You mean, people don’t call youSherman?”
My overtired droopy eyes widen into a raging glint. “Don’t you dare,” which obviously means I just dared him to do so. “That falls under the category of asking the Shermanator to invade your pride. Just a little FYI for you. Consider it awarning.”
“No training for you today, buddy,”I tell Dylan. “Does that make you happy or sad?” I’m always curious about this little guy. Some days he seems to love lifeguard training and other days, he couldn’tcareless.
“Can I play video games?”heasks?
“Sure, go ahead. I have some stuff to help Liam with fortonight.”
“Leelee is coming tonight,” he says, smilingshyly.
Leelee is one of the little girls Jade cares for. I remember hearing her name in passing a few days ago. I guess that means Jade will be here tonight too, which is good since it feels like an eternity since we’ve spoken. I’m pretty sure she hasn’t done much other than work and screw Cleary’sbonesout.
“Are you and Leelee friends?” I ask, curious about his reaction. At ten years old, I can’t remember if I was interested in boys yet, but I feel like the boys were definitely interested in all the girls whose boobs started to develop. Not so sure what the novelty is at that age, but I guess it must be intheirDNA.
Just as I thought, Dylan’s cheeks burn with a red tinge. “Yeah, she’s cool,” he says before running off upstairs to his bedroom. That’s adorable. I should absolutely not tell Jade about this. God knows what she would do to thepoorkids.
As I’m straightening up the living room couch pillows that Dylan tossed around while he was bored, my phone vibrates in my backpocket.
Dad.
“Hey, Dad. How arethings?”
“Jelly-Bean, do you know how much it makes my day to hear your voice, not to mention the happinessaccompanyingit?”
I laugh because I’m pretty sure no one can hear happiness. “Happiness?”
“I know when my little girl is happy. Despite the fact that you’re not some big newspaper editor at twenty-two, I’m glad you’re doing something you enjoy this summer. Really, I am.” Doing something I enjoy this summer. Yup. I am doing that, or doingsomeoneI enjoy, to be morespecific.
I sit down on the edge of the couch as I try to decipher the odd inflection in Dad’s voice. “You’re actingweird.”
“I can’t tell you I’m happy for you?”heasks.
“Dad...”
“Okay, Gerald won’t let me staywithhim.”
“What, why? I’ll talk to Jade. She’ll get him to change his mind.” Of course she will. What excuse could that cat manpossiblyhave?
“He’s just notdoingwell.”
