Page 110 of Deja New
solemn most of the time, to hear her laugh was to be charmed.
“Thank you for telling me about the baby. Who, regardless of who she was,isgoing to be your daughter. I think if you can hang on to that, the rest might be... not easier, exactly, but...” She realized she had no business giving anyone parenting advice, never mind a woman pregnant with her mom. Speaking of parenting... “I’ll keep it to myself until you say otherwise. But right now I need to talk to Jack.”
“He’s in the backyard experimenting with the grill. Except he didn’t take matches. Or food. And we all had supper. And the grill is closed. And he’s been sitting on the back steps for half an hour.”
“Ah.” They all had their code words for wanting to be left alone. Sometimes the code was ignored. More often, it was honored. Unfortunately, Angela couldn’t oblige this time. “Back in a bit. If Mom gets back, tell her I cordially hope she drops dead. Oh, and that we’re out of milk. I see no reason why she can’t helparound the house more.”At least, while we’re all still here. Which won’t be for long, I think.
•••
ANGELA SAT DOWNbeside Jack on the steps. Their small backyard had a wooden ten-by-ten platform that Jordan and Mitchell had cobbled together one weekend, and the rest was lawn. They all feared and hated gardening, though occasionally Jack would get ambitious and plant herbs in pots. Then they’d spend the summer drowning in mint and thyme and he’d swear off gardening of any kind. Until winter hit. Then he’d start thinking about thyme scones and mint macarons.
She cleared her throat. “So this is my cue to say something inane—can you believe how warm it’s getting?—and then say something to acknowledge the fact that our world view has gone tits up in twelve hours, while also reminding you that life goes on and telling you to cheer up, l’il buckaroo.”
He didn’t laugh, but she got a smile. And though she’d been careful to leave some room between them, he shuffled a little closer to her and stared down at his knees.
“How could she?”
“Oh, Jacky. I don’t know. She explained the whole thing and I still don’t get it.”
“How couldhe?”
She shook her head.
“I can’t stay here,” he said in a low voice. “I don’t want to see her. I don’t want to cook for her or take care of her anymore.”
“Understandable. You probably don’t need me to tell you this—”
“But you’re gonna anyway.”
“You’re entitled to be upset. You’re entitled to befurious. Christ knows I am.” Angela studied her hands, flexed her fingers. “I thought about drowning her in Lake Willowmere. Then myself. And then being reincarnated and tracking her down and drowning her again. And Paul’s so upset he hasn’t asked anyone to measure him since this morning.”
“That’s how you recognize the depth of his trauma,” Jack agreed.
“Mitchell’s plotting something that involves chicken feathers, Mom’s bed, and several neighborhood dogs.”
“Yeah, I know, he left the schematic in the bathroom.”
She cleared her throat. “You knew he was sad.”
“What?”
“Jason Chambers. You’d only seen him twice. And you didn’t touch him either time... Did you?”
He said nothing.
“But you knew about his dysthymia, the same way Leah did. It made a big enough impression on you to comment on it. And I notice you and Leah have gotten tight in a short time.”
“We talk sometimes,” he said cautiously.
“I’m glad you’ve had someone to talk to. But given that you live in a house full of people and have fifty friends, I have to assume you wanted to talk to her about a specific issue you had in common. So unless you’re pregnant, I assume you were worried about being an Insighter.”
“I’m not pregnant.”
“Whew! Don’t get me wrong, you’d be a great dad, but you’re too young.”
“Very funny,” he said, smiling a little. Then he looked away. “I like talking to her. She’s interesting. And nice.”
“You don’t have to sell me on Leah Nazir. I was practically the president of her fan club. I’m glad you went to her.”
