Sand Castles by Antoinette Stockenberg Page B

subject, period. In any case, Tyler came clomping down the stairs at that moment, so Wendy let the matter drop. But the burr clung to her sleeve; she could feel its prick, and it was upsetting for her not to be able to clear it away.
    The doorbell rang at the same time as the phone. Tyler had reached the foot of the stairs and got the door, so Wendy automatically picked up the phone, much to her husband's dismay.
    "The machine, the machinel" he said in a hiss.
    "Hello?" she answered, wincing in apology at him. Too late now.
    No one responded, though Wendy definitely could hear something in the background. Voices, sporadically. A television? Wendy frowned in concentration, trying to make out what was being said. She thought that maybe she heard a cry ... or a groan. Something.
    "Damn it, Wendy!" her husband said, and he depressed the plunger on the phone.
    Stunned, Wendy said, "What'd you do that for?"
    "I told you: I want the machine answering."
    "Why? What're you trying to hide?" she shot back.
    He scowled and said, "I'm sick of the nuisance calls."
    "Too bad! I can answer the phone in my own home—"
    A voice from behind her said, "If you do, it'll be a first. I've been getting your machine for days now."
    Wendy spun around to see her mother holding a box with a bow on it and looking reproachful. Gracie Ferro said, "So: you're just ignoring all your calls nowadays? Even from family?"
    Turning her attention away from Jim to deal with their visitor, Wendy said patiently, "If you had begun to leave a message, Mom, obviously I would have picked up."
    "You know I don't like talking to a machine."
    "Aaaggh! But if I'm not near the phone and can't see my caller I.D., t hen how can I know you're calling?"
    "You're saying I'm a nuisance?"
    "You're a — ?  How did you get there ?”
    The phone rang again. With a defiant glance at her husband, Wendy snatched it back up and snapped out a hello. When no one responded again, she barked, "Listen, what the hell do you want? If you have something to say, then just say it!"
    No response. She hung up on the sound of a low, languid voice somewhere in the background. " Damn it!"
    Her mother gave her a baleful look and said, "Someone seems to have her nightie in a twist."
    Tyler , nose in the refrigerator, snickered from behind the door. Wendy told him to go straight back to his room and bring down his pizza plate, because just because they were moving— temporarily !—it didn't mean that he could leave the place a pigsty.
    Her son stomped off, muttering, "Everyone takes everything out on me."
    Which everyone more or less did. Wendy had to do a mental backflip to put herself in a better frame of mind: they were about to move into a big new playhouse, and at the moment she wasn't feeling the least bit playful. So she took a deep breath, smiled at Jim, hugged her mother, accepted the box from her, and started over.
    "Mom! How nice of you to stop by! What can I do you for?"
    Her mother gave her a wry look and rubbed away a smudge on her cheek. "You can start by telling your brother that if he doesn't show up for my birthday party, he may as well leave the country."
    Bad as her mood had been, Wendy had to laugh at the mere concept of any of them missing the Big Six-Five. "I will certainly pass on your message," she said, not at all solemnly. "Anything else?"
    "Yes," said Grace, looking first at Jim and then at Wendy. "I'd like you to host my birthday party."
    "Really!"
    "I'll pay for the food and refreshments," her mother said instantly.
    "No, that's not what I meant. I meant, I thought you wanted to have the party at your place. We all thought that. You told us that."
    "I did. But. That was before the new couch arrived."
    "We're not going to use it for a trampoline or anything," Wendy said wryly. "And Ma r jorie's pregnant and not drinking; she won't be spilling any wine this year."
    "Ha, ha, dear. Very funny. As a matter of fact, the reason is definitely the new couch. It makes the easy chairs