The Universe Is Expanding and So Am I by Carolyn Mackler

Author:Carolyn Mackler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

We leave on Sunday night to avoid the traffic back to the city. It’s after nine but still dusky out. In a few days it will be the longest day of the year. Dad is driving and Mom is in the passenger seat. It’s weird the way Dad lectures me about the importance of being a driver, yet he dominates the wheel and rarely yields it to Mom. I’ve been noticing things like that recently, sexist things, and they’ve been bothering me.

Mom and Dad decided to have Byron stay in Connecticut this week. There’s a fence that needs painting, and the deck could use a coat of sealant. They figured it would be more therapeutic for Byron to fill his week with physical labor than to languish around the apartment. They left him with a fridge full of groceries, and there are bikes in the garage in case he needs to go anywhere.

We’re getting closer to Manhattan when Dad turns down the radio. “Gin, there’s something we need to talk about.”

“What?”

Mom takes out her Altoids case and pops a few in her mouth.

“I’m sorry to tell you this,” Dad says, “but the internship at Ciel isn’t going to work out.”

“Why not?” I ask, suddenly worried that Dad has lost his job.

Dad clears his throat. “Because of Byron’s situation and how the news got out … I need to maintain a boundary between my work life and my home life. It’s not the time to have my daughter at my workplace.”

“Oh,” I say.

There goes my dream internship with my fantasy rock star boyfriend, or at least a cool summer job with a pool table and concert tickets.

“The good news,” Mom says, “is that I called the manager at Whole Fitness today. You know Gerri, right? She can offer you a part-time job this summer. It’ll be good for you. Get some work experience.”

“No way,” I say. Whole Fakeness? No thanks. “No offense, but that’s not my kind of place.”

Mom shakes her head. “That’s a rash judgment. You haven’t even given it a chance.”

“Do I have a choice here?” I ask.

“The alternative is that we could look into Outward Bound,” Dad says. “Maybe they still have room on one of their hiking expeditions, or even white-water rafting.”

I don’t say anything. We both know he’s got me.

“Tomorrow,” Mom says, snapping her Altoids tin shut. “Gerri is expecting you at nine.”

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