Page 86 of Just Like Starting Over
“No, it isn’t,” Carson argues. “Not since you started it right beside me.”
Sierra loses the stare-down and I fight my smile.
“Are these your friends?” she demands of me.
“Yes.” I keep it simple. “Carson and Bryan. This is Sierra.”
Carson offers his hand but Sierra doesn’t take it.
I clear my throat. “Small town lesson number one. You never know when you’ll see someone again, so be nice.”
Sierra’s eyes narrow. “Hi,” she says to my friends. Then she gives me a look as if to ask whether I’m satisfied.
“You might see more of them in the fall,” I tell her. “They both teach at Havelock Central High.”
“I only care if one of you teaches math.”
Carson raises a finger. “That would be me. You like math?”
“I tutor math. Ilovemath.”
“Good. Always looking for tutors for my classes. It’s better if they’re girls.”
“Why?”
“Because a lot of girls think that math isn’t for them.”
“Math is for everyone,” Sierra informs him and his grin widens.
“Exactly. They need their expectations challenged. I’ll be counting on you to help, Sierra.” He offers a fist and she hesitates only a moment before bumpingit. Carson grins.
She smiles back, as he is apparently forgiven. I notice that she’s already hiding her mouth with her hand when she smiles, a sign that she’s becoming self-conscious about that snaggle tooth. Abbie used to do that, when she wanted her teeth fixed and Dad refused. It was Candace who argued in her favour and won, insisting that teenage girls need every bit of confidence they can get. Orthodontics need to go to the top of the list.
Carson lifts his menu. “So, I’m going to talk to Bryan here – History and Geography, by the way – while you have your private conversation with Mike.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Carson turns and does just that, asking Bryan about Yves’ technique in scoring his second goal. She listens to him consider the angle of the shot and I know he’s going to work in the square of the hypotenuse somehow. He usually does.
“Problem?” I remind her and she turns back to me, but not after a quick glance toward Sylvia.
“We went last Saturday to that place and those trailers rock.”
I’m pleased but just nod. “Thus far not a problem.”
“But Mom hasconcerns.” She says this word as if it has quotes around it. I’ll guess it was Sylvia’s choice of word. “She thinks they’re too expensive – not overall, but for us. She was supposed to apply for a mortgage this week but she hasn’t done it. She said she didn’t have time, but she’s nervous. I can tell.”
“Why would she be nervous?”
“Mom hates banks. She says they like saying no to women.”
I think that a bank might not be too keen to offer a mortgage to someone working part-time in a restaurant. Bankers like people with full-time jobs, ones with pensions and benefits.
I’m starting to understand the income disparity between myself and Sylvia a little better.
Sierra sighs. “Merrie then says a lot of stuff aboutpatriarchy andwe still have one bathroom.” She holds up a finger. “One, Mike.One.”
I nod sympathetically so she continues. “Lynn said it’ll be okay to put the trailer at Una’s place, but Mom wants to be sure. She doesn’t know how she’ll move one to Una’s either, even though Mindy said she’d deliver it.” She raises her hands. “It’s like she doesn’t want to move out of Una’s placeever.”
