Page 36 of The Art of Us

“How sweet. Remind me to get you a participation trophy.”

“Is there something you want to say to me?” Ireland had no intention of letting Mara pick on her without clapping back.

“I’m just not loving you moving into my house and taking over my life.”

“Awesome. I’m not loving it either.” Top-five lie. Ireland could not remember ever sleeping so comfortably in her life. Beingunder that comforter had felt like being swaddled in pillowy angel clouds. And the shower was magical in a way that only glittering pixie dust could compare to. They both got in the car. Mara slammed her door shut. Ireland closed hers normally because the Fiat still had those cute little eyelashes, and Ireland didn’t want to make the car sad.

“Then leave.” Mara started her car and shoved the stick into drive with more force than was strictly necessary.

“Would if I could. But apparently, it’s not legal for me to be living on my own until after I graduate. This wasn’t my idea. Mr. Wasden found out I was on my own, and he basically strong-armed me into this arrangement. As soon as we graduate and those caps fly in the air, I promise, I’m gone.”

Mara scowled and growled and ran a red light. “Fine. If you’re not leaving, then you better just stay out of my way. I have no idea how to explain any of this to my friends.”

“By friends, you mean the hag and the harpy?”

“Cut the dramatics. Just because you now have to sleep at my house doesn’t mean you can hang out with me at school.”

“Right. Of course you’d think I want to be your new bestie. I forgot you believe the world revolves around you. Don’t worry. I’d rather swallow slugs than spend any time with the hag and harpy.”

“Don’t call them that.”

“If the dark soul fits ...” The argument came to an end. Not because they were done arguing, but because Mara turned on the radio and blasted Taylor Swift at her. And then they’d arrived at the On the Rise, and, apparently, neither one of them wanted to be bickering when they got out of the car since Jarrod was unlocking the door to the restaurant. He grinned widely for them both and said, “There they are! Glad you could join us, Ireland. Grace left me a note saying you’d be here too.” He letthem in and then locked the door behind them so no one would try coming in while they worked.

Jarrod’s white durag covered the tight fade haircut that Ireland remembered seeing in the family pictures as she toured the Washington’s house. He wiped his hands on his white apron that already had spots of flour on it before he reached out and shook Ireland’s hand. A spot of flour dusted his brown cheek on the left. He looked every bit like a baker. “Sorry I didn’t get to meet you properly yesterday. Work was crazy,” he said. He’d arrived only an hour before them, but judging by the floured apron and the floured counter in the back kitchen, he had made good use of that hour.

Mara cut several glares in Ireland’s direction. Her dad caught one of those glares and whispered something in her ear. “Sorry, Ireland,” Mara said in response to what was obviously a scolding by her father. “I’m not trying to be rude. I’m just really tired.” She went to work and didn’t say another word to her, not while her dad explained the processes of making the breads, not while they worked, and not for the ride back to the house. Mara had apparently decided to ice Ireland out. Ireland couldn’t blame her since she’d been chewed out now by both parents and it was all because Ireland was in her life.

Ireland decided it might be best to stay in her room for the rest of the day and not get in anyone’s way, but Grace knocked on Ireland’s door. “How was it making bread?” she asked when Ireland opened it.

“Good. I had no idea how fun bread could be. It was like a science project that you get to eat afterward.”

Grace laughed. “Well, I’m off to our Trinidad location. I already asked Mara, but I was hoping you’d help out in keeping an eye on Jade.”

“Sure. Be glad to help.” Ireland had no idea what keeping aneye on someone meant but figured it didn’t mean she could stay holed up in her room.

She went downstairs to the living room where Jade was watching TV. When Jade saw Ireland, her plump little seven-year-old cheeks rounded out in a wide grin. “Want to play a hidden-objects game with me?”

“Sure.” Was Ireland going to say “sure” to every question someone asked her that day when she had no idea what the asker really wanted from her? Probably.

Jade switched to a different app on the TV, and the screen showed an animated scene with a mansion swathed in moonlight. The wordsMansion Mysteryfloated onto the screen. The plotline was that the lady of the mansion had disappeared, and her brother was trying to find her. There were puzzles and clues and hidden object boards. Ireland had never heard of such a game before but was having fun playing it with Jade. Until, that is, the room temperature dropped by fifty degrees when Mara entered.

“I’m going to Emily’s house. Don’t go anywhere, Jade.”

“Mom said you were supposed to watch me,” Jade said.

“Yeah, well, Ireland seems to be taking over that job. Like everything else.” Mara muttered the last part, narrowed her eyes at Ireland, and was gone.

“I don’t really like Emily,” Jade confessed with a shake of her head, making her beaded braids click together.

“I don’t like her either,” Ireland agreed.

“She treats people mean.”

“Right?” Even as Ireland agreed with Jade, it occurred to her that she had been guilty of treating people meanly as well. She hadn’t exactly been nice to Kal the night before. She had been cold and distant and ... well, mean.

She sent him a text while Jade solved a puzzle that wascompletely beyond Ireland’s ability to help with. “Sorry about yesterday. It was a pretty confusing day.”

Her phone chirped, indicating he’d responded immediately. “Tell me about it.”

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