Recycler by Lauren McLaughlin

Author:Lauren McLaughlin
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: David_James Mobilism.org
ISBN: 9780375892929
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2009-03-15T05:00:00+00:00

Since they’re paying, I pick the most expensive brunch place I can think of, which, ironically, is housed in an ancient rusty diner car in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge. I order the lobster omelet ($22.00), a large freshly squeezed orange juice ($6.00), and a double-shot cappuccino ($5.50). I intend to order dessert as well ($7.00–$11.00). And another cappuccino ($5.50).

After ordering, we all sit in silence for a long time, which is fine by me because I have nothing to say to them.

“So Ramie’s going to Paris,” Dad says finally. “That’s a beautiful city.”

“She’s going to dump me,” I say. I look at my mom. “You’re welcome for that.”

Mom takes a deep, calming-down breath. “Jack, I don’t think Ramie’s a bad person,” she says. “I just think …”

“You think she’s a, quote, worshipper of chaos.”

Mom nods. “Yes, I think I’ve used those words. But …” She takes a calming-down sip of water. “I know this may be hard for you to believe, Jack, but your pain is not my joy.”

“It’s not?” I say. “Are you sure?”

“What makes you think she’s going to dump you?” Dad says in a bold attempt to hijack the conversation.

I shrug. In all honesty, I was being dramatic. But now that he asks, the idea of Ramie dumping me is suddenly tinged with a halo of plausibility.

“Have you been fighting?” Dad asks.

“No,” I say. “But …” I stop myself. Why would I share any of this with them? What are they going to do about it?

“Go ahead,” Dad says. “We used to be young once. Remember, Helen?”

Mom laughs wistfully.

I almost puke at the thought of them being anything other than old and used up. But then I figure if I don’t start talking about a subject I care about, Dad’s bound to make us share our feelings or something.

“She spends a lot of time in the city,” I say. “With that Marguerite girl, the one who’s taking her to Paris for some stylist job. Apparently Marguerite’s been introducing her to people who are ‘really doing it,’ whatever ‘it’ is.”

Suddenly a vague Jillmemory comes to me. Not something she did, but something she thought. Ramie’s outgrowing us.

Us. Not just her. Jill was thinking of both of us.

The waitress comes with our plates, each one brimming with a gigantic omelet.

“Mmm, that smells good,” Dad says. “Good choice, Jack.”

“Yes,” Mom says. “Food we actually want to eat.”

I’m starving, so I dig in. I’ve never eaten lobster before. Jill has. She didn’t like it. When I get a bite in my mouth, it’s like an explosion of flavor. “Oh my God,” I say with my mouth full.

“You like it?” Dad says.

I quickly suppress my pleasure and shrug sullenly. “It’s all right.”

After that, we eat in silence for a while, both of them making periodic mmm’s of approval. I keep rolling over in my head whether there is any plausibility to the Ramie dumping me scenario. She seems happy whenever we’re together. But now that I think of it, she does get this faraway look sometimes.

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