neck.
I thought you were gone forever, she says.
I'm here, he says. It's okay. Are you okay?
She leans back and punches him. You left me!
Hey! Ow, he says. I had to! It was so cool!
He's eleven, so he can probably only use that excuse for another year or two. At least with the ladies, Stacy says.
Clarissa looks suspiciously at the Corsica. I don't like you, she says.
I have no opinion of you, Stacy says.
That somehow seems worse, Clarissa says. And you just made me want to try to impress you. Don't do that!
I apologize, Stacy says.
Clarissa turns to Henry. So? What was it like? What's in there?
It. Is. Amazing. Henry throws his arms up in the air. It's like a whole world, down under the ground! There's video games and holograms and --
It's a complicated place, Stacy interrupts. Henry, I'd like to have the conversation with her as well. Would you please talk with her?
I'm right here, Clarissa says.
You're not likely to listen to me, Stacy says. Henry is your friend. You already trust him. I can't earn that trust until you spend time with me and understand my intentions.
Damn right, Clarissa says.
I'll talk to her, Henry says.
Come back any time, Stacy says. You are both welcome.
The children get up to leave.
Stacy says, Oh, Henry? I have a favor to ask of you.
• • •
Henry's parents aren't home, and Olivia is at band practice, so he and Clarissa use the front door.
This is probably a luxury for you, huh, he teases.
She punches him again.
Hungry? he asks. I'm going to make a burrito.
I will eat eleven burritos, Clarissa says.
In his room, she slumps onto the bed while Henry goes into his closet.
So what was the favor she asked you? Clarissa calls.
What? Henry says, still in the closet.
Her favor, Clarissa repeats. What did she want from you?
Oh, Henry says.
He emerges carrying a duffel bag and drops it on the bed. He goes to the dresser, yanks open a drawer, and starts tossing folded underwear at the bag.
Hey! Clarissa says. Those are my feet you're throwing your underpants at. Stop it!
Sorry, he says.
Well? she asks. The favor?
Oh, he says again. She wants me to look for a package for her, that's all.
A package. Clarissa frowns. Henry, that doesn't sound dangerous to you?
Why should it?
He tosses wadded-up socks into the bag.
You don't even know her! Clarissa exclaims. And what's the, like, first thing they teach you in school? Not to take things from strangers!
You wouldn't even worry if you'd seen what I saw, Henry says.
Well, maybe that's just the thing, she says, folding her arms and dropping back onto his pillow. I don't know what you saw. And don't try to talk me into going in there, because I won't. I don't climb into strange cars. Er... strange car trunks.
Fine, Henry says. But it really is important. And if you won't go in there, I'll tell you what it's all about, and you won't believe me, and you won't be my friend anymore, and then you'll die and I will always have to live with that.
Jesus, says Clarissa. That's morbid.
Henry shrugs. He grabs a pile of shirts and throws them at the bag, too.
What are you doing? Clarissa says, bolting upright.
Nothing, he says. I'd tell you, but you clearly don't want to know.
Henry, you're packing a bag. Why? Where do you think you're going?
He shrugs again.
No, she says. You're not going back in there. Henry, I was really worried!
Maybe you should come with me, then, so you can see that it's all okay.
But I -- Clarissa stops. I feel defeated. I don't like debates, Henry.
It's okay. We can just skip it, but you'll regret it.
Gee, thanks, she says. Man.
• • •
Olivia comes home then, knocking through the front door like a bull moose. She yells, I'M HOME, and stomps into the kitchen loudly. WHERE'S THE CHOCOLATE CAKE AT?
It's a diversion of the finest order. When she bursts into Henry's bedroom a moment later, it catches both Henry and Clarissa by
I thought you were gone forever, she says.
I'm here, he says. It's okay. Are you okay?
She leans back and punches him. You left me!
Hey! Ow, he says. I had to! It was so cool!
He's eleven, so he can probably only use that excuse for another year or two. At least with the ladies, Stacy says.
Clarissa looks suspiciously at the Corsica. I don't like you, she says.
I have no opinion of you, Stacy says.
That somehow seems worse, Clarissa says. And you just made me want to try to impress you. Don't do that!
I apologize, Stacy says.
Clarissa turns to Henry. So? What was it like? What's in there?
It. Is. Amazing. Henry throws his arms up in the air. It's like a whole world, down under the ground! There's video games and holograms and --
It's a complicated place, Stacy interrupts. Henry, I'd like to have the conversation with her as well. Would you please talk with her?
I'm right here, Clarissa says.
You're not likely to listen to me, Stacy says. Henry is your friend. You already trust him. I can't earn that trust until you spend time with me and understand my intentions.
Damn right, Clarissa says.
I'll talk to her, Henry says.
Come back any time, Stacy says. You are both welcome.
The children get up to leave.
Stacy says, Oh, Henry? I have a favor to ask of you.
• • •
Henry's parents aren't home, and Olivia is at band practice, so he and Clarissa use the front door.
This is probably a luxury for you, huh, he teases.
She punches him again.
Hungry? he asks. I'm going to make a burrito.
I will eat eleven burritos, Clarissa says.
In his room, she slumps onto the bed while Henry goes into his closet.
So what was the favor she asked you? Clarissa calls.
What? Henry says, still in the closet.
Her favor, Clarissa repeats. What did she want from you?
Oh, Henry says.
He emerges carrying a duffel bag and drops it on the bed. He goes to the dresser, yanks open a drawer, and starts tossing folded underwear at the bag.
Hey! Clarissa says. Those are my feet you're throwing your underpants at. Stop it!
Sorry, he says.
Well? she asks. The favor?
Oh, he says again. She wants me to look for a package for her, that's all.
A package. Clarissa frowns. Henry, that doesn't sound dangerous to you?
Why should it?
He tosses wadded-up socks into the bag.
You don't even know her! Clarissa exclaims. And what's the, like, first thing they teach you in school? Not to take things from strangers!
You wouldn't even worry if you'd seen what I saw, Henry says.
Well, maybe that's just the thing, she says, folding her arms and dropping back onto his pillow. I don't know what you saw. And don't try to talk me into going in there, because I won't. I don't climb into strange cars. Er... strange car trunks.
Fine, Henry says. But it really is important. And if you won't go in there, I'll tell you what it's all about, and you won't believe me, and you won't be my friend anymore, and then you'll die and I will always have to live with that.
Jesus, says Clarissa. That's morbid.
Henry shrugs. He grabs a pile of shirts and throws them at the bag, too.
What are you doing? Clarissa says, bolting upright.
Nothing, he says. I'd tell you, but you clearly don't want to know.
Henry, you're packing a bag. Why? Where do you think you're going?
He shrugs again.
No, she says. You're not going back in there. Henry, I was really worried!
Maybe you should come with me, then, so you can see that it's all okay.
But I -- Clarissa stops. I feel defeated. I don't like debates, Henry.
It's okay. We can just skip it, but you'll regret it.
Gee, thanks, she says. Man.
• • •
Olivia comes home then, knocking through the front door like a bull moose. She yells, I'M HOME, and stomps into the kitchen loudly. WHERE'S THE CHOCOLATE CAKE AT?
It's a diversion of the finest order. When she bursts into Henry's bedroom a moment later, it catches both Henry and Clarissa by
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