There she is. I lift up my hands.
“Right. Just trying to be nice,” I tell her.
She rolls her eyes and turns away, pulling Syd alongside her as she limps past the check-in desk.
“See you around, Dr. Harrison,” Syd hollers over her shoulder and I give her a wave, watching as the teen nudges Devon with her elbow.
“He’s so hawttttttt,” Sydney says, bouncing alongside her and Devon shakes her head and tries to shush her without success. As they round the corner, Devon glances back and I meet her gaze and flash her one last smile before she disappears. I lower myself into a leather chair and shoot Ray a text to let him know I’m here. And despite the sad sights and sounds I’ve avoided for many years, I think maybe visiting Ray at his hospital wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Chapter Nine
Devon
Lesson 10: Breakdowns can lead to breakdowns.
We are halfway between the hospital and the Ben Franklin Bridge when my mom’s trusty-rusty old Corolla lets out a rattling belch followed by a dragon puff of smoke from beneath her hood. I reach across Syd’s lap like my arm will protect her from the billowing black smoke that wreaks of oil and carcinogens while I pull the car into the empty parking spots along the side of Vine Street. Why did I decide to drive this ancient P.O.S. anyway?
“Remind me why we drove this dinosaur again?” Syd asks as I poke frantically at the release button to unbuckle her seat belt and push her out of the car. Syd swats my hand away. “Jesus, Ms. G. I’m seventeen. I think I can unbuckle myself. And the car isnoton fire. Relax.”
She releases the seatbelt with ease and gives me a look like I’m an overbearing mother wiping something off her face. I lift my hands in surrender.
“I’m sorry. Instinct,” I explain, checking my side mirror for traffic and then sliding out of the car into the fug. My booted foot is immediately puddled in sweat. Drivers are beeping as they pass, like their horns are going to help expedite the death of the car and clear the clouds of noxious fumes from the expressway. I can feel Syd’s eyes on me as we look on helplessly from the curb.
“Let’s put your granny panties in the window and abandon it,” she says.
I give her a look and discreetly pull up my jeans to make sure my underwear isn’t showing. I was having such a good day. I mean, I ran into Satan in the elevator up from hell, but besides that. The kids at the hospital were responsive and grateful for the free tutoring. Syd received early acceptance to Rutgers—my alma mater. Cue proud tear. And the falafel-truck guy on the corner in front of UPenn gave me a freebie. Now I have to break it to my mom that I broke her antique-on-wheels while trying to give it the exercise it deserves and I’ll be missing our girls-night-in date.
“I’ll call a tow truck. You call your mom,” I tell Syd.
She slips her phone from her bra and I shake my head. How is that comfortable? I dig through my teacher bag and find mine an hour later. Before I even have a chance to Google, Syd is done with her call.
“She can’t come in. She’s got a shift until nine and no one can cover,” she explains, toying with her eyebrow ring. She does that when she gets nervous.
“It’s fine. We can get an Uber—or hang at Meredi?—”
“Yes!” Syd exclaims. She’s met Meredith twice and has not shut up about her since. Kindred spirits, those two. I imagine them both in leather pants starting bar fights or slayingvampires or some shit. “Do you think that hottie from the elevator is there yet?”
Damn it. I forgot Jeff is going over.
“Easy there, stalker. I think that Meredith might actually be at the hosp–”
“Oh no you don’t! You think I can’t smell your bullshit? Please!”
The look she’s giving me is so condescending that I’ve forgotten how to form words.
Syd lifts her phone and shows me Meredith’s contact. Yikes. Who gave her Mer’s number? I can’t even imagine the conversations these two are probably having behind my back.
Syd:Dr. Meredith, have you ever taken mushrooms?
Meredith:Of course, Syd. Who hasn’t?
“Yeah, I’m gonna need you to delete her from your contacts. ASAP. Let’s just get an Uber home,” I try.
Syd rolls her eyes and presses the call button then walks a little bit up the block so I can’t hear her private conversation with my best friend. I miss eighth grade Syd. The one who hung on my every word like I was Athena, Goddess of Knowledge. I want a take-back, but it’s too late. Now with Meredith on board, I’m stuck in this mess. I take in a deep breath to calm myself and choke on the fumes.
I’m just hanging up with the tow company when Syd reappears by my side looking like a kid on an Easter egg hunt. Her smile does little to soothe my nerves as I look at the traffic blurring past the hunk of metal before me.
“She’s coming to get us,” she tells me with a little bounce.
