Page 23 of Half Dead

I couldn’t help but smile. “Salty or sweet?”

“I’m in a salty mood.”

“Always,” Ray said.

I retrieved a bag of pretzels from the pantry and poured some into a bowl. “Iced tea?” I asked, setting the bowl on the table.

“Water’s good.”

“Please,” Ray and Nana Pratt added in unison, not that Alicia could hear them.

“How are you feeling about your dad’s visit?” I asked, as I filled a glass with water and brought it to the table.

“Surprised. It seemed like it came out of nowhere. I didn’t even know they were speaking to each other.”

“How are he and your mom handling being under the same roof?” I sat next to her at the table and listened to her crunch on pretzels.

“Weirdly fine. They’re on their best behavior, I guess for my benefit. Mom’s at work most of the time anyway, so it isn’t like they’re stuck together in the same room all day.”

“Ask Alicia about her grades,” Ray said. “Tell her she needs to buckle down.”

I gave him a pointed look that said,gee, I wonder where Renee gets it.

“Ask her,” Ray urged. “The year will be over before we know it.”

I sighed. “Ray wants an update on your grades.”

She rolled her eyes at the empty air. “I’ll make the Honor Roll, Grampa. No big deal.”

“Ask her if her parents are sleeping in the same bedroom?” Nana Pratt asked.

Ray and I aimed our gazes at her. “What kind of question is that?” he demanded.

Nana Pratt shrugged. “What? We’re all thinking it.”

“I wasn’t,” I said. It was none of my business.

“It’ll confuse the girl,” Nana Pratt said, flicking a finger at Alicia.

“My grandbaby’s hard to confuse,” Ray said. “She takes after my side of the family.”

Alicia housed half a bag of pretzels and downed two glasses of water during her visit. By the time she left for her friend’s house, Ray was practically dancing a jig.

“What’s gotten into you?” Nana Pratt asked. “You see her every week.”

“I know, but Hakeem’s visit can only mean one thing—they’ve decided to reconcile.”

Nana Pratt and I looked at each other. “It could be that he wanted to spend time with his daughter,” I told him.

“Then he’d be staying in a hotel. The fact that he’s staying in the house is huge. I wish Renee would come by and talk to me.”

“Sounds like Renee barely has time to talk to her living daughter,” Nana Pratt groused. “I don’t see her making time to come here.”

Ray appeared unfazed by her remark. “Renee has always been a hard worker. Alicia is the same.”

“Says the ghost building me a library,” I said. Even in the afterlife, Ray didn’t know how to slow down.

“I have no problem taking a break,” Ray said. “Let me know if you want me to do anything with that cufflink.”

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