The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski

Author:Jill Smolinski
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780307381545
Publisher: Crown/Archetype
Published: 2007-04-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

My dad was sitting on the front porch drinking a glass of wine and listening to Roy Orbison on a boom box when Deedee and I walked up carrying our overnight bags.

“Lawn’s looking good, Dad,” I said, and then I introduced him to Deedee.

He shook her hand hello. “We’re barbecuing steak for dinner—you like steak?”

“Sure. Love it.”

“I was afraid you might be one of those vegetarians.” Then he turned to me, apparently out of small talk. “Your mother’s inside.”

It was Thursday evening, and the ride-along with Troy was the next morning. I was spending the night at my parents’ house since they lived only a few miles from the Van Nuys Airport. If I had to report in at four-thirty a.m., I was cutting the drive as short as I could. I’d invited Deedee to join me—it wasn’t as if Lizbeth needed the seat anymore, and I thought the girl could use a special treat. Even if I had a chance to talk on air, I knew it wouldn’t be enough to wow Bigwood. But it might, I hoped, get his attention—not to mention cross two items off my list while I was at it.

“Honey, I’m home!” I shouted as Deedee and I made our way into the kitchen. My mom stood at the counter, chopping vegetables for a salad. Something spicy was cooking, and it smelled divine.

“Jeez, you look so much like your mom,” Deedee said quietly, and I guess on first glance we did—same wild hair, only she wore hers short. And Doris is where I inherited all those curves. I got her chin, too, which is slightly pointed, but thank the Lord I didn’t get the Delaney nose, which suits my mom but if you ask me is beaky on the rest of her family.

“So this is Deedee!” Mom exclaimed. She set down her knife and marched past me to give Deedee a quick hug. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. June tells me she’s been having so much fun with you.”

As we set our bags on the floor, my mom asked me, “How was the drive out?”

“I took the 405,” I said. “It was how it always is—a mess.”

She shook her head and then said in a joking voice, “I always say that traffic is like the weather. Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything.”

“I try!” I protested.

Ignoring me, Mom said to Deedee, “Are you excited about your helicopter ride?”

They started to talk about the morning to come—a safe topic. I’d primed my parents ahead of time. No talking about the baby. In fact, no talking about any babies or baby-related topics. As far as they were concerned, there was no baby. Deedee was six months along, and her belly was starting to pop. She was back in the oversize clothes, however, so you couldn’t tell. She said she hadn’t told anyone at school and, so far, nobody’d guessed.

Deedee, my dad, and I helped carry the food out to the dining room table and took our seats.

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