grew them.
“ Where are you going?”
Teri asked, halting me in my tracks.
“ Art Café?” I said around
a cookie.
Teri frowned at me as she
gave the pot a thorough beating with a wooden spoon. “You really
shouldn’t have sweets or caffeine at this time of the
day.”
“ I need some fresh air and
a moment away from the books.”
“ Okay. Don’t be long.
Dinner’s almost ready.”
How easy had it been to
convince Teri? And if I could fool my ‘new’ mom into believing I
was her daughter, I could fool anybody. Well, that was the plan
anyway.
I hurried to the café; if
I was lucky I’d catch up with some friends, though what would
happen when I got there was anyone’s guess. Neither Shanessa nor
Natalie had spoken a word to my half-sister, at least not in my
presence, though I stoically clung to the conviction that the real
me would shine through.
From across the road I
spotted the café, brimming with life as usual. Shanessa and Natalie
stepped out onto the sidewalk, and out of habit I jumped in front
of their path.
“ Hey superstars,” I sang
out.
Two sets of eyes probed me
and I was left with the sinking impression I had something hatching
out of my nose. Now would have been the perfect time for the gates
of hell to open up and suck me in. I realized my error came from
acting like me instead of Audrey.
My brain suddenly kicked
into gear and I blurted out the first thing that popped into my
head. “I don’t know why I said that. I guess I just can’t get over
the loss of Ruby.”
Their faces immediately
shifted from admonition to compassion.
Shanessa smiled. “You were
at the funeral. You’re Ruby’s half-sister. Of course we know
you.”
Two sets of eyes stared at
me expectantly – they really had no idea who I was but bless their
little hearts for pretending.
“ Audrey,” I offered, and I
didn’t know why but I held out my hand.
“ We’re sorry for your
loss,” Natalie whispered, grasping my hand in hers.
I hadn’t felt human
contact for over a week. My insides warmed up as sparks flew from
her hand through mine. And then my heart skipped a beat; if this
was an indication of how good human contact felt, how electrifying
would it be when I finally wrapped my arms and legs around Leo’s
body?
My insides cooled down
quickly when Shanessa added, “I still can’t believe she’s never
coming back.”
Maybe not in the way these
two expected.
“ Are you heading home
right away?” I asked. “I’d love to buy you both a piece of
cheesecake.”
They exchanged a fleeting
look between them. Such a tiny exchange, yet it held more meaning
than a dictionary.
“ Some other time. If you
want. When you’re not busy.” I stammered over the words,
embarrassed at acting like such an idiot. They were seniors. Why
would they hang out with a sophomore? Who had purple hair. And
orange sneakers. And figurines from geeky movies in her
room.
Natalie flicked her gaze
over her shoulder. “We don’t mean to rush off.”
“ I know. You’ve
got—”
“ We’ve got
rehearsals.”
The two of them strode
over to Natalie’s Mazda which was parked in front of the cafe. As
Natalie got in I overheard her say, “I wonder if she can sing as
well as Ruby. The auditions are only a few days away.”
Watching them drive off I
was overcome with a sense of curiosity. Our band, Violet Dreamy
Youth, rehearsed at Natalie’s house. Natalie lived in the opposite
direction to where they now headed. I stood on the sidewalk,
watching the car turn left down Hollowglen Road where
Rock-A-Lilly’s Studios were located, and I kicked myself that I
hadn’t begged them for a ride. Leo was bound to be at the rehearsal
studio today.
An unexpected raincloud
forced any ideas of hijacking a car, a bicycle, even a golf buggy
out of my mind when it pelted cold rain down on me. I had no choice
but to return to my new home above the psychic shop.
***
Ghosts didn’t need sleep,
so I’d forgotten
“ Where are you going?”
Teri asked, halting me in my tracks.
“ Art Café?” I said around
a cookie.
Teri frowned at me as she
gave the pot a thorough beating with a wooden spoon. “You really
shouldn’t have sweets or caffeine at this time of the
day.”
“ I need some fresh air and
a moment away from the books.”
“ Okay. Don’t be long.
Dinner’s almost ready.”
How easy had it been to
convince Teri? And if I could fool my ‘new’ mom into believing I
was her daughter, I could fool anybody. Well, that was the plan
anyway.
I hurried to the café; if
I was lucky I’d catch up with some friends, though what would
happen when I got there was anyone’s guess. Neither Shanessa nor
Natalie had spoken a word to my half-sister, at least not in my
presence, though I stoically clung to the conviction that the real
me would shine through.
From across the road I
spotted the café, brimming with life as usual. Shanessa and Natalie
stepped out onto the sidewalk, and out of habit I jumped in front
of their path.
“ Hey superstars,” I sang
out.
Two sets of eyes probed me
and I was left with the sinking impression I had something hatching
out of my nose. Now would have been the perfect time for the gates
of hell to open up and suck me in. I realized my error came from
acting like me instead of Audrey.
My brain suddenly kicked
into gear and I blurted out the first thing that popped into my
head. “I don’t know why I said that. I guess I just can’t get over
the loss of Ruby.”
Their faces immediately
shifted from admonition to compassion.
Shanessa smiled. “You were
at the funeral. You’re Ruby’s half-sister. Of course we know
you.”
Two sets of eyes stared at
me expectantly – they really had no idea who I was but bless their
little hearts for pretending.
“ Audrey,” I offered, and I
didn’t know why but I held out my hand.
“ We’re sorry for your
loss,” Natalie whispered, grasping my hand in hers.
I hadn’t felt human
contact for over a week. My insides warmed up as sparks flew from
her hand through mine. And then my heart skipped a beat; if this
was an indication of how good human contact felt, how electrifying
would it be when I finally wrapped my arms and legs around Leo’s
body?
My insides cooled down
quickly when Shanessa added, “I still can’t believe she’s never
coming back.”
Maybe not in the way these
two expected.
“ Are you heading home
right away?” I asked. “I’d love to buy you both a piece of
cheesecake.”
They exchanged a fleeting
look between them. Such a tiny exchange, yet it held more meaning
than a dictionary.
“ Some other time. If you
want. When you’re not busy.” I stammered over the words,
embarrassed at acting like such an idiot. They were seniors. Why
would they hang out with a sophomore? Who had purple hair. And
orange sneakers. And figurines from geeky movies in her
room.
Natalie flicked her gaze
over her shoulder. “We don’t mean to rush off.”
“ I know. You’ve
got—”
“ We’ve got
rehearsals.”
The two of them strode
over to Natalie’s Mazda which was parked in front of the cafe. As
Natalie got in I overheard her say, “I wonder if she can sing as
well as Ruby. The auditions are only a few days away.”
Watching them drive off I
was overcome with a sense of curiosity. Our band, Violet Dreamy
Youth, rehearsed at Natalie’s house. Natalie lived in the opposite
direction to where they now headed. I stood on the sidewalk,
watching the car turn left down Hollowglen Road where
Rock-A-Lilly’s Studios were located, and I kicked myself that I
hadn’t begged them for a ride. Leo was bound to be at the rehearsal
studio today.
An unexpected raincloud
forced any ideas of hijacking a car, a bicycle, even a golf buggy
out of my mind when it pelted cold rain down on me. I had no choice
but to return to my new home above the psychic shop.
***
Ghosts didn’t need sleep,
so I’d forgotten
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