Harmonic Feedback

“You freak out over little stuff.”

“I wouldn’t call getting caught stealing little.” I was happy when she’d taken the clothing and stuffed it in her dresser. Out of my sight.

“Uh, how about throwing the pipe at Roger because the bell rang?”

“I didn’t throw it at him. And I told you—I needed air.”

“Or how about freaking out over ice cream expiration dates? Plus, you’re pouty like Cameron is.”

“I don’t mean to be.” Lizzie made smacking sounds next to my ear. “Why is your cat eating my hair?”

Naomi hoisted the cat from her perch and kissed her head. “She likes you. Don’t you, Lizzie Wizzie?” Lizzie meowed in response, her dreamy green eyes blinking once.

Keys rattled in the front door lock. Lizzie scrambled out of Naomi’s lap and squeezed her chubby body under the couch.

“It’s just my dad. He went camping with some buddy of his.”

The door swung open and a tall man wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans walked in. He had sandy hair and thin arms—almost scarecrowlike.

I looked back at Naomi. She focused on the movie. Two parking attendants were stealing the red Ferrari.

“How are you, Kari?” Her father was peering at me from the dim entranceway.

“It’s Drea, Dad. Our new neighbor. I told you she’d be coming over.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” His voice was almost too soft to hear. “Naomi, I’m taking…” The roar of the car on TV drowned out his words.

Naomi hit the mute button. “You can come in here, you know. I can’t hear you.”

Her father cleared his throat and inched into the living room, giving us a tight smile. “I have to cover for Brenda this week, but I’ve got the first two weeks of October off. We’ll car hunt then, okay?”

“Why not leave me a check and I’ll do it myself?”

“You said you wanted me to help you.”

“Yeah, but then Lisa might need to go on maternity leave. Or Vickie might get pneumonia. Or maybe you’ll decide to work those two weeks just because. I’ll need a car regardless.”

He glanced at me before shaking his head. His eyes were a mess of shadows. “I’m not going to do this in front of your friend. We’ll talk later.”

“Yep, it’s always later. What if you wake up and find there’s no tomorrow, Dad?”

He ignored her and climbed the steps with slumped shoulders.

“Sorry about that. He really pisses me off sometimes.” Naomi nibbled on her thumbnail.

“Where does he work?”

“He’s a flight attendant.”

“That seems like a cool job.”

“Sure, if you don’t mind never being home.” She shrugged. “I could scream in that man’s face for hours and he wouldn’t even flinch. He responds to my words, but he never actually hears me, you know?”

“Maybe he doesn’t understand what you’re saying.”

“No, he just doesn’t care. Anyway, enough about him.” She smiled, but her eyes looked darker than normal. “If the pizza doesn’t get here in the next five minutes, I’m going to eat the delivery person too.”

“I doubt that would taste very good.”

She laughed and paused the movie. “It’s nine thirty. I bet Justin is off work by now.”

“So?”

“You should call him.”

“No.”

“Fine, give me your phone. I’ll call him.”

“Use your phone.”

“It’s upstairs charging. Come on, fork it over.” She made a grabbing motion.

I opened my lunch box and fished my black cell out. “Don’t do anything embarrassing.”

Naomi batted her eyelashes, taking the phone from me. “Never.” She pressed speed dial and put the call on speaker. I sank into the couch.

It rang three times before he picked up. “Hello?”

“Hey, baby.” Naomi made her voice higher. More breathy. More like mine.

I tried to grab the phone from her. “Stop!”

She pulled away and ran into the bathroom, shutting the door. “I’ve been thinking about you all night.”

I pounded on the door. “That’s not me!”