Truly, Madly, Sweetly by Joanne Macgregor

Author:Joanne Macgregor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joanne Macgregor
Published: 2021-01-26T00:00:00+00:00

22

Frozen

Luke

The last twenty-four hours have been craptastic, and I figure things are about to get worse. Might as well get it over with.

Mom or dad?

Mom is in the living room, gazing with unseeing eyes at the TV where a documentary on Antarctic wildlife is showing. Dad is on his computer in the study. I know he hates to be disturbed when he’s working and I don’t think I could handle another lecture about the importance of his job given the strained finances of our family. So … Mom, then.

I’m about to hand her the letter when I see that her eyes are brimming with tears. I’m guessing it’s not the whales on the screen who have set her off. She’s lost inside herself again.

I give her shoulder a soft squeeze and head to the study instead.

“Hey, dad?” He looks up when I place the envelope on the desk beside his keyboard. “You need to read this and sign it.”

“What’s this?” he says, extracting the letter. Even before he begins reading, he’s frowning.

Banjo runs in and leaps up against my legs, demanding to be picked up. Dad’s scowl deepens at her yelps.

“Can’t you keep her in the kitchen?”

“No.”

Neither of my parents is happy about the new addition to our family. Dad says dogs are expensive and where will we find the money for her food and vet bills. Mom hasn’t said anything directly, but she flinches at the noise and motion, and steers clear of engaging with my puppy. I don’t understand how this is even possible, because Banjo is the cutest, sweetest, softest creature there ever was. She melted my heart the first time I saw her. But maybe mom’s is more frozen, like one of those icebergs she’s watching.

I’m ignoring their negative reaction to Banjo. Saving her is the best thing I’ve done all year. I’m beyond bummed out that I can’t save them all. Last night I wanted to adopt all the doomed animals from the shelter, but no way would my parents have allowed me to bring home two dogs and three cats. So all I could do was go with each animal into the procedures room and hold them while they got sent into the sleep that they would never wake from.

On the way home, it all just felt too heavy to hold inside. I wanted to cry. I wanted to break something or hit someone. I did not want to have to make dinner and watch while mom didn’t eat it and listen while dad described his last game of golf.

I was still feeling really down this morning when Sloane came in the classroom, rubbing hand-sanitizer between her palms and fingers. What is with her? Her hair was still wet from swimming, and that reminded me irresistibly of what I’ve been trying to push out of my mind for the last few weeks. Images from that damn gym class flashed through my mind – her impossibly long legs, the feel of her body against mine

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