outsides, but I hadn’t heard anything about her insides to make me think it was any better. I looked around to see if anyone would pick up the ball on the conversation.
Indy saw my attention wandering off and offered up more. “But I think she wants my dad back. She’s been calling him for the past month or two.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve lived with my dad since fall. I didn’t want to go to college, so Dad’s helping me figure it out. That is why I’m here this weekend. I was going to see about the OSA program, and Dad pulled some strings to let me come this weekend, but I would rather go help him film tournaments this spring. He is working on expanding his tournament coverage, and he really needs me to help him.”
Indy’s lit up when he talked about his dad. Cold wasn’t that great of a guy, but maybe he was a good father.
“I wonder why she’s calling?” I let the question dangle.
“She totally wants my dad back. Says she’s poor and whatever, but she’s no good.”
There wasn’t much more I could ask without pointing out that his dad was a jackwagon. It didn’t seem right to do anything that would undercut the respect he had for his dad, no matter my opinion.
“What about you, Mouse? What’s your deal?”
“I was home-schooled so that I could shoot archery. I graduated early so I could train more. I applied to be an OSA, but I’m not sure.” It all came out in a rush directed at the floor behind her dangling feet. She flicked her eyes to look at Indy then cast them down at the floor.
“Okay, well, thanks for the cookies. They are delicious.”
“Ya, ya, ya,” Indy said. He hopped off the table and reached for Mouse’s hand. “I bet the game is finished downloading. We’re gonna go.”
After they left the room, I picked up a cookie. “I can barely stand to eat it. They are really nice.”
Mary leaned over and snagged it from my hand. “I’ll take care of that for you.” She bit into it. “Mmm, beautiful and tasty.”
Minx poked her head in the door. “Here you are. Someone shoot me now.”
Mary pulled out a chair and patted the seat. “How did it go?”
“Awful, just awful. The absolute worst. It was like being five and screwing up all over again, but I’m an adult and should know better. Elizabeth wasn’t mad; she was just disappointed in my behavior.” Minx walked past the chair and instead lay down on the floor facedown in despair. “I’m the biggest failure ever.”
Mary raced over and patted her head. “No, you’re not a failure. You just… um…”
She looked at me for help. I didn’t have much comfort to offer. Minx had been difficult since she’d arrived and gotten into a lady tussle. I tried to add some encouragement. “Indy thinks it’s cool that you slapped Kandi.”
Minx pushed up on her elbows to look at me. “Great, does he have a training center that I can work and live at?”
Mary sat down crossed-legged. “Oh no, did they turn you down?”
“Not yet. They said they will have to take everything into consideration, but I know what that means.”
“I’ll put in a good word for you. And so will Di.”
Mary had always had a fondness for Minx that outweighed my own. Her humor often crossed over into rude, she could be difficult to communicate with, and she’d given me a nickname I hated. I also knew from experience that I didn’t want to damage my reputation by hitching my cart to an unstable horse. “I’m sure they won’t ask my opinion.”
“Guys, I know I was all, ‘I can be Daphne from Scooby-doo and help solve the crime,’ but I really don’t want to right now. Would anyone mind if I went to my room and showered? I have cried too many times today, and I feel gross.”
We still had a killer roaming around somewhere. “This might be a weird suggestion, but I think you should take Tiger with you be—”
Tiger cut me off. “Awesome, I approve.”
I gave him a stern look, but I couldn’t keep the smile off
Indy saw my attention wandering off and offered up more. “But I think she wants my dad back. She’s been calling him for the past month or two.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve lived with my dad since fall. I didn’t want to go to college, so Dad’s helping me figure it out. That is why I’m here this weekend. I was going to see about the OSA program, and Dad pulled some strings to let me come this weekend, but I would rather go help him film tournaments this spring. He is working on expanding his tournament coverage, and he really needs me to help him.”
Indy’s lit up when he talked about his dad. Cold wasn’t that great of a guy, but maybe he was a good father.
“I wonder why she’s calling?” I let the question dangle.
“She totally wants my dad back. Says she’s poor and whatever, but she’s no good.”
There wasn’t much more I could ask without pointing out that his dad was a jackwagon. It didn’t seem right to do anything that would undercut the respect he had for his dad, no matter my opinion.
“What about you, Mouse? What’s your deal?”
“I was home-schooled so that I could shoot archery. I graduated early so I could train more. I applied to be an OSA, but I’m not sure.” It all came out in a rush directed at the floor behind her dangling feet. She flicked her eyes to look at Indy then cast them down at the floor.
“Okay, well, thanks for the cookies. They are delicious.”
“Ya, ya, ya,” Indy said. He hopped off the table and reached for Mouse’s hand. “I bet the game is finished downloading. We’re gonna go.”
After they left the room, I picked up a cookie. “I can barely stand to eat it. They are really nice.”
Mary leaned over and snagged it from my hand. “I’ll take care of that for you.” She bit into it. “Mmm, beautiful and tasty.”
Minx poked her head in the door. “Here you are. Someone shoot me now.”
Mary pulled out a chair and patted the seat. “How did it go?”
“Awful, just awful. The absolute worst. It was like being five and screwing up all over again, but I’m an adult and should know better. Elizabeth wasn’t mad; she was just disappointed in my behavior.” Minx walked past the chair and instead lay down on the floor facedown in despair. “I’m the biggest failure ever.”
Mary raced over and patted her head. “No, you’re not a failure. You just… um…”
She looked at me for help. I didn’t have much comfort to offer. Minx had been difficult since she’d arrived and gotten into a lady tussle. I tried to add some encouragement. “Indy thinks it’s cool that you slapped Kandi.”
Minx pushed up on her elbows to look at me. “Great, does he have a training center that I can work and live at?”
Mary sat down crossed-legged. “Oh no, did they turn you down?”
“Not yet. They said they will have to take everything into consideration, but I know what that means.”
“I’ll put in a good word for you. And so will Di.”
Mary had always had a fondness for Minx that outweighed my own. Her humor often crossed over into rude, she could be difficult to communicate with, and she’d given me a nickname I hated. I also knew from experience that I didn’t want to damage my reputation by hitching my cart to an unstable horse. “I’m sure they won’t ask my opinion.”
“Guys, I know I was all, ‘I can be Daphne from Scooby-doo and help solve the crime,’ but I really don’t want to right now. Would anyone mind if I went to my room and showered? I have cried too many times today, and I feel gross.”
We still had a killer roaming around somewhere. “This might be a weird suggestion, but I think you should take Tiger with you be—”
Tiger cut me off. “Awesome, I approve.”
I gave him a stern look, but I couldn’t keep the smile off
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