Page 42 of Hide and Sneak
Gloria beams at her. “I’m great. Your brother was just telling me about his job. You had to work at the daycare on a Sunday?”
“Not exactly. Let me grab a plate and I’ll fill you in.” Her smile is forced and there’s no excitement in her voice.
When she returns from the buffet, she has no choice but to slide in beside me. She hasn’t looked at me or acknowledged my presence. When she starts eating, her mother speaks up again.“I’m so glad you both made it. I don’t get to see you enough. And isn’t it lovely that Sutton came along?”
Lila seems to realize the question was aimed at her. She takes a quick drink and nods. “Lovely.”
“Do you mind if he rides back with you?” Amos asks. “I just got a message from work offering overtime if I can come in tonight.”
Her expression remains impassive as she nods again. I wonder if she sees last night replay in her head when she looks at me because I sure as hell do.
“Amos tells me you have some big news,” Gloria says.
“I do. I’m going to be starting my own business. An indoor playground.”
Gloria’s eyebrows rise. “Like one of those soft play centers?”
“Partly. I’ll have a room that’s soft play, inflatables, a ball pit. Another room will have a large playset with a jungle gym, tunnels, slides, that sort of thing. Plus a sensory area with different options like kinetic sand, rice, and water beads.”
Since Lila said she’s been dreaming and planning this for a long time, I’m surprised her mother knows nothing about it.
“Do those make a lot of money?”
I can see Lila’s body tighten before she answers. “I’m sure it won’t make me rich, but the overhead expenses are low once you have all the equipment installed.”
“Where are you getting the money? It must cost a fortune. Did you take out a loan?”
“No, I’ve been saving for years. Our town has nowhere to take kids to play when the weather is bad. With no competition, I think it’ll do well.”
“Maybe,” Gloria says, shoveling in a bite of food.
An uncomfortable silence settles over the table while we eat. Maybe? What the hell kind of response was that? Lila isn’tpursuing it and I can see why when Gloria blurts out another question.
“What if it doesn’t, though? You’ll be giving up a stable job for something that might be very temporary. It could put you in debt and?—”
“I have it all figured out, Mom,” Lila interrupts. “You don’t have to worry. There’s an attached apartment so I’ll even be able to live in the building.”
Gloria snaps to attention, her gaze focused on Lila. “You’re going to move? What about your brother?”
Is she kidding right now? Amos is a grown man. He’s older than Lila.
The question doesn’t seem to surprise Lila at all. “I arranged it with Maren that he can take over my lease at the trailer park when I go if he wants. The rent is based on income and is the lowest you can get in town.” She looks up at Amos. “I was going to tell you about that later. You and Sutton can stay until his house is ready, then you can keep the place if you don’t want to move with him.”
Amos grins at her. “That’s great. Thanks for hooking that up.”
Gloria’s lips press together and she mumbles, “I don’t like this idea. Have you already quit your daycare job?”
“No, I’m going to keep it until I get the playground ready to open.”
“Thank god for small favors.”
Silence resumes and I’m fuming. What happened to congratulations? Amos couldn’t be less interested. I don’t think he’s asked her one thing about it since she told him yesterday. That isn’t as bad as the outright disappointment from Gloria. It’s something she’s worked toward for years and is clearly excited about. Would some encouragement have killed them?
“I think we’re overlooking the most important question,” I announce and Lila glares over at me. Maybe she thinks I’m about to pile on but it’s the last thing she has to worry about. She looks so damn sad, I can’t stand it. “Can we come and play in the ball pit after hours?”
Her lips twitch up. “It kills you that you can’t get in Dusty’s, doesn’t it?”
“A little bit, yes. Congratulations on your new business. It’s going to be great.”
