Listening for Lucca by Suzanne LaFleur Page A

There’s a chance he’ll warm up to him some more.…”
    “Yes, but—” She had just been talking about how she was waiting out this thing with Lucca. Yeah, right! She did nothing but try to get him to talk!
    “And look at it this way.” Mom gave me a goofy smile. “I’ve just ensured he’ll be coming back here. So he’ll be around to spend more time with you, too.”
    “That doesn’t— You hardly— You didn’t even—
Agh!
” I stormed out of the kitchen.
    But …
    Infuriating as Mom was, it would be nice to have Sam around.

12
    In the morning I was pacing in my room, then I paced up and down the stairs, then I paced around and around the circle made by the connecting hallways of the downstairs rooms. I was thinking, thinking.… If it was true, what Mrs. Lang had said … then it meant … No, it didn’t.… Twice I sat down in the window seat and picked up the pen, but twice the thought of continuing the story, no matter what I could learn, made me put the pen back down and return to pacing.
    “You need something to do! Here.” Mom thrust twenty dollars and a shopping list at me. “Go into town. Nielly’s has great produce.”
    “I— But—”
    “Nope, not listening. Get out of here.”
    I couldn’t even explain that that was Sam’s family’s place. I wondered if Mom already knew. That would so be like her, to send me there
because
she knew.
    I found myself pushed onto the front porch, clutching a pair of sneakers I hadn’t picked up, with the door shut behind me.
    Well, horribly embarrassing as it was, I would have to see him again soon enough anyway. Might as well get it over with.
    I groaned and sat down to put the shoes on.
    “You didn’t give me any socks!” I called at the house.
    A minute later the door opened, a pair of socks flew through it, and it slammed shut again.
    Maybe Sam wasn’t working today.
    I trudged into town and up the steps of Nielly’s.
    Morgan was at a table reading a magazine (didn’t she have anything else to do?), and Sam was leaning on his elbow at one of the registers.
    “Hi,” I said in a dull tone.
    “Hi,” he replied in the same tone, imitating me.
    Then we both stood there. Morgan’s magazine clunked against the table as she set it down.
    Sam smiled slyly and said, “So, I’m coming to your house tomorrow for a playdate.”
    I crossed my arms over my chest. “I couldn’t believe she asked you to do that. So annoying. I’m really sorry.”
    “Why? It’s totally cool. Easy job. I’ll get some more money and then we can go to the movies on the weekend or eat junk at the diner. Maybe your mom will invite me to stay to eat again.”
    “Again?” Morgan chimed in. “I didn’t know you’d eaten there before.” She came over.
    Sam and I both ignored her interruption.
    “It’s just a plot, you know,” I said. “She wants you to get my brother to talk. Or at least help him socialize.”
    “Who cares why? That would be pretty cool, wouldn’t it? If he started to talk?”
    “Yeah.”
    “So what’s the problem?”
    I felt my cheeks get hot as I realized the problem: Mom was also trying to help
me
socialize by having Sam come over on a regular basis.
    “What are you guys
talking
about?” Morgan asked.
    “Nothing. Siena’s little brother has no brothers, so I’m going over to play and be like … a brother.”
    He didn’t add that Lucca was different.
    “You’re really okay with it?” I asked.
    “Totally. So super, completely, definitely, A-okay.”
    “Then I guess I am, too.”
    “Good.”
    “Is that why you came by?” Sam asked.
    “No. This was
also
my mom’s idea.” I took the shopping list out of my pocket and unfolded it. “Leafy lettuce. Two beefsteak tomatoes. One white or yellow onion.”
    “Allow me to assist you.” Sam bowed and proceeded to the produce section. He paraded about, making a show of selecting vegetables, and then returned to the counter. “Our leafiest lettuce.” He held it up and set it