already clean enough to eat off. Why are we sweeping it?”
“Just following orders,” I say. “My dad likes to have the garage swept out every week whether it needs it or not.”
We finish sweeping and go back to the living room, picking up where we left off. I want to take him to my room, but then I would have to explain about the stuffed dog on my bed. Besides, I’m not that kind of girl, even if I want to be right now. After five minutes, or maybe thirty, the bird in our cuckoo clock sings five. Normally I like the bird, although today I’m mad at it for interrupting. Alex pulls away.
“I suppose I should be going,” he says.
“Right.” My lips still tingle. “My dad will be home soon. I take it you missed football practice.”
“Uh-huh. I’ll probably have to do wind sprints for a week. Maybe two. But it was worth it.” He kisses me on the nose.
I walk him to the door but I don’t watch as he drives away. I don’t want to see him go. It would make me feel even more alone.I sit down on the piano bench, blushing as I think about what we did here. I pick out the notes to “Wildfire,” close my eyes, and try to imagine that Alex is still here with me.
I get a carrot for Chester, wondering how many more times I’ll be able to do this.
“Hey there, little—”
Chester limps toward me from across the field. As he reaches the fence I see that his leg is swollen.
“It’s not getting any better, is it?” I say, rubbing the side of his head. I offer him my carrot. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get to a vet,” I promise. “Once you get some medicine, I bet you’ll be as good as new.”
Chester nudges my shoulder.
I pull out my cell. Even though I’m sure that Mr. Jenkins is home by now, he doesn’t pick up. I leave a message.
“Hi, Mr. Jenkins? This is Sara, your neighbor. I just wanted to let you know that Chester’s been limping pretty badly. I really think you should—you really need to get a vet out here to take a look at him. And get him some medicine.”
I rub Chester on the nose and feed him another carrot. “Well, I did it. I called.” I wish I could say I thought it was going to do any good.
Chester crunches the last bit of his carrot and limps away.
I go back inside, my heart heavy.
In the living room, I turn on The Winds of Change .
Julia starts to remember her real husband, Robert. This is it! She’s going to break free from Ramón! I give a cheer. A quiet one, so as not to disturb my dad. Only instead of escaping, instead of runningfar, far away, Julia tells Ramón about the memory. He just laughs and says she’s thinking about an old movie they once saw together. Somehow she believes him and she stays.
I wonder how long it will take for Julia to figure out that she needs to go. To get away from Ramón. I hope it doesn’t take her as long as it took my mom. Because if it does …
It might turn out to be too late.
CHAPTER 7
Friday
T he next morning the birds wake me up before my alarm. I open my closet and look through my clothes until I find the two shirts that still have tags on them. I bought them a few weeks before, at the Brookton Mall. It’s not much of a mall. It’s got a Sears and a Dollar Store and a dozen or so stores in between, including Zone, the only clothing store that carries anything remotely interesting. This is Mom and me at the mall:
Mom: “This would look cute on you.”
Me: “It’s a turtleneck.”
Mom: “It’ll keep you warm.”
Me: “I’ll feel like I’m choking.” Translation: I’ll never get another date.
Me (again): “Check out this purple one.”
Mom: [Face all scrunched up.] Translation: It’ll show off too much of your boobs.
Me: [Twirling my ponytail.] Exactly. I can wear the turtleneck under it. Kind of a layered look. Then I can take the turtleneck off in the bathroom when I get to school.
Mom: [Big smile.] “Perfect!”
I have these weird thoughts, like maybe if I wear that
“Just following orders,” I say. “My dad likes to have the garage swept out every week whether it needs it or not.”
We finish sweeping and go back to the living room, picking up where we left off. I want to take him to my room, but then I would have to explain about the stuffed dog on my bed. Besides, I’m not that kind of girl, even if I want to be right now. After five minutes, or maybe thirty, the bird in our cuckoo clock sings five. Normally I like the bird, although today I’m mad at it for interrupting. Alex pulls away.
“I suppose I should be going,” he says.
“Right.” My lips still tingle. “My dad will be home soon. I take it you missed football practice.”
“Uh-huh. I’ll probably have to do wind sprints for a week. Maybe two. But it was worth it.” He kisses me on the nose.
I walk him to the door but I don’t watch as he drives away. I don’t want to see him go. It would make me feel even more alone.I sit down on the piano bench, blushing as I think about what we did here. I pick out the notes to “Wildfire,” close my eyes, and try to imagine that Alex is still here with me.
I get a carrot for Chester, wondering how many more times I’ll be able to do this.
“Hey there, little—”
Chester limps toward me from across the field. As he reaches the fence I see that his leg is swollen.
“It’s not getting any better, is it?” I say, rubbing the side of his head. I offer him my carrot. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get to a vet,” I promise. “Once you get some medicine, I bet you’ll be as good as new.”
Chester nudges my shoulder.
I pull out my cell. Even though I’m sure that Mr. Jenkins is home by now, he doesn’t pick up. I leave a message.
“Hi, Mr. Jenkins? This is Sara, your neighbor. I just wanted to let you know that Chester’s been limping pretty badly. I really think you should—you really need to get a vet out here to take a look at him. And get him some medicine.”
I rub Chester on the nose and feed him another carrot. “Well, I did it. I called.” I wish I could say I thought it was going to do any good.
Chester crunches the last bit of his carrot and limps away.
I go back inside, my heart heavy.
In the living room, I turn on The Winds of Change .
Julia starts to remember her real husband, Robert. This is it! She’s going to break free from Ramón! I give a cheer. A quiet one, so as not to disturb my dad. Only instead of escaping, instead of runningfar, far away, Julia tells Ramón about the memory. He just laughs and says she’s thinking about an old movie they once saw together. Somehow she believes him and she stays.
I wonder how long it will take for Julia to figure out that she needs to go. To get away from Ramón. I hope it doesn’t take her as long as it took my mom. Because if it does …
It might turn out to be too late.
CHAPTER 7
Friday
T he next morning the birds wake me up before my alarm. I open my closet and look through my clothes until I find the two shirts that still have tags on them. I bought them a few weeks before, at the Brookton Mall. It’s not much of a mall. It’s got a Sears and a Dollar Store and a dozen or so stores in between, including Zone, the only clothing store that carries anything remotely interesting. This is Mom and me at the mall:
Mom: “This would look cute on you.”
Me: “It’s a turtleneck.”
Mom: “It’ll keep you warm.”
Me: “I’ll feel like I’m choking.” Translation: I’ll never get another date.
Me (again): “Check out this purple one.”
Mom: [Face all scrunched up.] Translation: It’ll show off too much of your boobs.
Me: [Twirling my ponytail.] Exactly. I can wear the turtleneck under it. Kind of a layered look. Then I can take the turtleneck off in the bathroom when I get to school.
Mom: [Big smile.] “Perfect!”
I have these weird thoughts, like maybe if I wear that
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