Page 53 of A Wolf After My Own Heart
“And your mom?”
Nothing. Nothing for a full twenty seconds… Lila kept half an eye on the kitchen clock.
“I think…theymustbe together. I think that’s the other reason he’s so late.” Sally’s anxious glance was skittering all over: Lila, Macropi, the tabletop, Oz. She cast another longing look toward the room with the TV, then added, “Because Daddy wouldn’t have left Mama. He couldn’t.”
“Because she’s been sick,” Lila guessed. “And still is, maybe?”
Oz straightened so suddenly, he nearly fell out of his chair. “What was that?”
Lila thought back to the night Sally had come back on her own.
Mommy’s been sick, too… It’s really important I get back to them.
Daddy’s taking care of her and all… She’s tired all the time.
Sally’s chin wobbled. Lila pretended not to notice. If hugs were required, Garsea and Macropi had the requisite comforting arms and bosoms. “Mommy’s got some kind of cancer thing. We only found out a few weeks ago. He wouldn’t have left her.”
“And you think that’s what’s delaying him.”
“Sure.”
“Howdid you talk to him, exactly?” Lila asked. “Do you have a cell phone?”
“No.” This with a scowl. “Dad says I’m too little to have one, which is wrong and dumb.”
“Okay…”
“Do you have to go to school to be a teddy bear surgeon?”
“Yes, for at least fifteen years. Sally, did you borrow someone’s cell phone?”
“Fifteen y—oh. No. Those’re private. And people don’t want to borrow them to kids anyway.”
“Lend them,” Garsea interjected, because she couldn’t help herself.
“Right,” Lila continued. “So if you don’t have a cell, and you didn’t borrow one, how were you able to talk to your dad?”
Sally shrugged and was suddenly interested in her feet.
“Did you have help?” Dumb question. The kid was ten and (temporarily) alone in the world. Of course she had help. “Are you trying to keep someone from getting into trouble?”
“…no.”
“You know I don’t give a shit either way, right?” Lila leaned back and shrugged. “For me, it’s more like a crossword puzzle. Something to do, but it’s not the end of the world if I don’t finish it. You are the Fourteen Down of my crossword, Sally. And I’m not gonna give whoever helped you a hard time.” Damn right. Let the IPA flunkies handle it.
“You don’t have any fur in the game,” Sally said, which was one of the strangest things to come out of the kid’s mouth. “Okay, so. The thing is, they said not to lie but not to volunteer, either.”
They?Lila started to laugh.
“I’m lost,” Oz confessed.
Garsea looked unamused. “Sally, who helped you speak with your father and how did they do so?”
Cornered (finally!), Sally sighed and flicked a glance at Lila, who said, “Better go get it.”
“Be right back.”
“Getwhat?” From Oz, who seemed torn between annoyance and amusement as Sally rushed out of the room.
