fine!” I repeated. “My car has gone on to its heavenly reward, but I’m not hurt, so
please don’t be upset.”
“Don’t be upset? You’re joking, right?”
Please, please, please let her not have called the Glasses yet. Mrs. Glass was the
quintessential overprotective mother hen, and she mothered me every bit as thoroughly as she
did Steph. Dealing with Steph’s distress was enough already—I couldn’t bear the thought of
having to call and reassure Mrs. Glass afterward.
“If you were in an accident last night,” Steph continued, and there was a hint of anger
seeping into her voice, “then why am I just hearing about it now? Why haven’t you answered
any of my calls? You knew I was going to call to ask you how things went, and you had to know
I’d get worried when you didn’t call back.”
I sighed and wished I’d forced myself to call earlier. I couldn’t blame her for being upset
with me. If the situation had been reversed, I’d have been furious.
“I’m sorry,” I said again. “I wasn’t hurt, but I was pretty badly shaken up. I haven’t been
quite myself, and I just didn’t think. My phone was turned off all day, and I didn’t even notice
until just now.”
“Have you eaten yet?”
I blinked and shook my head at the non sequitur. “Huh?”
“Meet me at Angelo’s at seven. A phone call doesn’t cut it for this conversation, kiddo.”
I groaned, thinking I should have drunk more coffee before picking up the phone. If my
brain had been fully awake, I’d have known Steph wouldn’t settle for a phone call. Angelo’s was
her favorite Italian restaurant, a real dive that served great food and mediocre wine. My body
was too confused to know whether it was hungry or not, but I knew I wasn’t up to the level of
scrutiny I would undergo over dinner.
“I’m really not up to—” I started.
“Be there at seven, or I’m going to call Mom and tell her you totaled the car.”
“You bitch!” I cried. “Don’t you dare!”
I knew Mrs. Glass would have to find out about it eventually, but the more time that
passed before she heard about it, the less chance that she would become hysterical.
“Show up for dinner, and I won’t have to,” Steph said, sounding smug. “You owe me for
scaring the life out of me.”
I considered trying to argue some more. There was no way I could behave as if nothing
was wrong if I talked to Steph in person, and I still had no clue what I could use as a convincing
cover story. But as I mentioned, Steph has a quite a backbone beneath her deceptively sweet
exterior. If she was determined to talk to me in person, nothing would change her mind. And if I
didn’t show up, she really would call her mom and rat me out.
“Fine,” I said with poor grace. “I’ll see you at seven.”
I almost decided to skip the dinner, despite Steph’s threat. I didn’t like the idea that I
might lead that creep Alexis right to her, and I didn’t want him anywhere near my sister.
However, Blake had told me that the Oracle’s visions were rarely clear, so I figured the odds that
Alexis would find me twice in one day were low. The odds that Steph would rat me out if I
didn’t show up were a hundred percent. Besides, I couldn’t avoid her forever.
I pushed open the door to Angelo’s at 7:15, and the scent of garlic and tomatoes set my
mouth to watering instantly. A quick glance around the chipped Formica tables showed me what
I’d already expected to find: Steph wasn’t here yet. She is biologically incapable of showing up
anywhere on time, despite all Mrs. Glass’s best efforts to train her to punctuality. She also has a
sixth sense about what time I’ll arrive. Even when I specifically try to be late enough for her to
get there before me, she’s always just a little bit later.
The hostess led me to a table for two near the back. There was no longer any smoking
allowed inside, but the walls themselves must
please don’t be upset.”
“Don’t be upset? You’re joking, right?”
Please, please, please let her not have called the Glasses yet. Mrs. Glass was the
quintessential overprotective mother hen, and she mothered me every bit as thoroughly as she
did Steph. Dealing with Steph’s distress was enough already—I couldn’t bear the thought of
having to call and reassure Mrs. Glass afterward.
“If you were in an accident last night,” Steph continued, and there was a hint of anger
seeping into her voice, “then why am I just hearing about it now? Why haven’t you answered
any of my calls? You knew I was going to call to ask you how things went, and you had to know
I’d get worried when you didn’t call back.”
I sighed and wished I’d forced myself to call earlier. I couldn’t blame her for being upset
with me. If the situation had been reversed, I’d have been furious.
“I’m sorry,” I said again. “I wasn’t hurt, but I was pretty badly shaken up. I haven’t been
quite myself, and I just didn’t think. My phone was turned off all day, and I didn’t even notice
until just now.”
“Have you eaten yet?”
I blinked and shook my head at the non sequitur. “Huh?”
“Meet me at Angelo’s at seven. A phone call doesn’t cut it for this conversation, kiddo.”
I groaned, thinking I should have drunk more coffee before picking up the phone. If my
brain had been fully awake, I’d have known Steph wouldn’t settle for a phone call. Angelo’s was
her favorite Italian restaurant, a real dive that served great food and mediocre wine. My body
was too confused to know whether it was hungry or not, but I knew I wasn’t up to the level of
scrutiny I would undergo over dinner.
“I’m really not up to—” I started.
“Be there at seven, or I’m going to call Mom and tell her you totaled the car.”
“You bitch!” I cried. “Don’t you dare!”
I knew Mrs. Glass would have to find out about it eventually, but the more time that
passed before she heard about it, the less chance that she would become hysterical.
“Show up for dinner, and I won’t have to,” Steph said, sounding smug. “You owe me for
scaring the life out of me.”
I considered trying to argue some more. There was no way I could behave as if nothing
was wrong if I talked to Steph in person, and I still had no clue what I could use as a convincing
cover story. But as I mentioned, Steph has a quite a backbone beneath her deceptively sweet
exterior. If she was determined to talk to me in person, nothing would change her mind. And if I
didn’t show up, she really would call her mom and rat me out.
“Fine,” I said with poor grace. “I’ll see you at seven.”
I almost decided to skip the dinner, despite Steph’s threat. I didn’t like the idea that I
might lead that creep Alexis right to her, and I didn’t want him anywhere near my sister.
However, Blake had told me that the Oracle’s visions were rarely clear, so I figured the odds that
Alexis would find me twice in one day were low. The odds that Steph would rat me out if I
didn’t show up were a hundred percent. Besides, I couldn’t avoid her forever.
I pushed open the door to Angelo’s at 7:15, and the scent of garlic and tomatoes set my
mouth to watering instantly. A quick glance around the chipped Formica tables showed me what
I’d already expected to find: Steph wasn’t here yet. She is biologically incapable of showing up
anywhere on time, despite all Mrs. Glass’s best efforts to train her to punctuality. She also has a
sixth sense about what time I’ll arrive. Even when I specifically try to be late enough for her to
get there before me, she’s always just a little bit later.
The hostess led me to a table for two near the back. There was no longer any smoking
allowed inside, but the walls themselves must
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