“All the time.”
“Andrea, I still don’t hear that vacuum!”
He laughed softly. “I dig your grandma.”
“Why? I want to buy her a muzzle.”
“I like how she just doesn’t care. But I can see how she’d drive you nuts.”
“You’ve never met her.”
“What can I say? The comment about garbage on the walls at the cafe won me over.”
Silence. He was probably wondering why I called him.
“You and Naomi still doing that movie night thing tonight?”
“I think so. She’s asleep.”
“Why?” His voice got softer. “You asking me out?”
My heart jumped in my chest. “Like on a date? No, I wouldn’t do that. I mean—I’ve done that, but I wasn’t asking you. Um…” It was official. I sucked at the phone thing.
“So let me clarify. That’s a no, right?”
“No. I mean—yes. Yes, that’s right.”
He chuckled again. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”
I swallowed hard. “Is that bad?”
“No and—yes.”
“Um…”
“No, because I really like that about you. And yes. For the same reason.”
“Huh?”
He sighed into the phone. “Nothing. It’s not bad, Drea.”
Grandma appeared in the living room, hands on her bony hips. “Mobile phones don’t vacuum living rooms. Get off right now.”
“Sounds like you should go,” he said. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay, bye.” I flipped the phone shut and looked at Grandma. “I can use this phone when I want to—it’s mine.”
“And that’s a big part of your problem. You’re used to getting your way all the time.”
“If that was the case, we wouldn’t be living with you.”
Grandma’s mouth dropped open, but Mom walked in before she could speak. “She didn’t mean it. Right, Drea?”
“She needs a good paddle on the behind,” Grandma said.
“Give me that phone,” Mom said, holding her hand out to me.
“What? No.” I hid it behind my back.
“I said give it to me!” Her voice made me jump. She rarely yelled like that.
I slowly held the phone out to her, avoiding her dark eyes.
Mom ripped the cell from my hands. “You’ll get it back when you finish your chores. And only then.” I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off. “Apologize to Grandma.”
“For what? She interrupted my phone conversation.”
“Say you’re sorry, or Naomi can’t come over later.”
What was the point of that? It wasn’t like I’d mean it. “But I’m not sorry.”
Grandma shook her head. “You should make her stay in her room for the rest of the weekend. And unplug her computer too.”
“Mother, please. Just let me handle this, okay?”
“I’m not going to tolerate this in my house, Juliana.” Grandma retreated into the kitchen, turning up whatever news program she had on.
Mom walked over and knelt in front of me. “Drea, please,” she whispered. “Stop pushing her.”
“Don’t make me say things I don’t mean.”
“Remember what we talked about in San Francisco? About letting things go? Apologizing to her will keep her out of your hair.”
“I don’t care.”
“Drea, she took us into her home, and she didn’t have to. Do you understand that? She’s tough to be around, yes. But right now, she’s all we have.”
I understood why I was supposed to appreciate Grandma. And I did—a little bit. But it didn’t mean she could
