Page 42 of Compared
“You already told Tessa?” Why didn’t she tell me?
“Yeah, she helped me look Anna Mae up on the Facebook this morning.”
I swipe at the tears on my cheek, leaning forward to my laptop. “I’ve got my computer right here,” I say as I open Facebook. “What’s her last name?”
“Anna Mae Covey.”
I type the name into the search bar, and then I see her. My hand goes to my mouth as I stare at a beautiful woman who looks exactly like my mother. I can hardly believe what I’m seeing. They could be twins.
“Did you find her?”
I drop my hand. “This is weird.”
My dad laughs. “I know. I did a double take when she walked into the dance last night.”
I keep scrolling through her Facebook page, looking at every picture and post. It doesn’t get better. She looks like my mom in every single one.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to go out with someone who looks exactly like Mom?”
“I don’t see what the problem is.”
The problem is I can barely breathe.
“My friend from the cemetery says that I have atype,and this must be it.”
How reassuring.
“I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but she’s a wonderful person,” he says.
“Yeah, you said that already.”
“I’ll let you know how it goes.”
I nod but don’t say anything.
“Well, I better let you get back to your school stuff. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay, bye.”
I hit the speaker button and grab the picture of my mom, holding it up to the computer screen.
“Is this some kind of joke?” I say to the picture. “Mom, there’s no way you’re happy about this.”
There’s only one thing worse than my dad dating again, and that’s my dad dating someone who looks exactly like my dead mother.
I throw her picture down on the bed and rub both hands over my face. First my mom dies, then Zak breaks up with me, and nowthis.I’m barely hanging on to the rope of life. In fact, I don’t even have hold of the actual rope. It’s more like I’m grasping at the frayed thin pieces that are unwinding at the bottom.
I pick up my phone and text my siblings.
Meg:How many of you know about Dad’s lunch with another woman this Tuesday?
Matt:Are you talking about his lunch with our off-brand Mom?
How does Matt know about this before me? He doesn’t even live in Florida.
Brooke:Off-brand. That’s funny. I think it’s cute he asked someone out.
Tessa:Who knew Dad was such a player?
