You, Me, and a Dead Guy (Breaking Even Book 2) by Maxine Jackson

Author:Maxine Jackson [Jackson, Maxine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Maxine Jackson
Published: 2017-03-02T18:30:00+00:00

vi. A mess

I see what Anna meant about Ellen as soon as I see her. Ellen will always be pretty, but she’s lost a noticeable amount of weight, her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes, and her hair isn’t even straightened. In typical Ellen fashion, she pretends nothing’s wrong and rushes to hug me as soon as I’m in the door. I feel like crying when I hug her back and feel how skinny she is.

“You’re going to say that I’m too skinny,” she says, reading my mind. “But I’ll have you know that I ate literally all day yesterday, and I’m having some of whatever you guys cook today. I’m okay, it’s just that the cafeteria sucks. You know how that goes.”

“I do, but I still eat,” I retort. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay? I guess? Everything’s okay. Maybe I just needed to come home and see everyone again. I miss Ricky, but I already asked Mom and Dad if he could come with me for spring break. I really want you guys to meet him. Megan might even warm up to him by then.”

Megan appears like she was summoned. She looks more alive than Ellen does, but not by much. I hug her, too, but it feels a little reluctant. “I never said that I didn’t like him. Stop spreading falsehoods.”

“Sure, whatever you say,” Ellen says, rolling her eyes in such a way that only I catch it. “Anyway, you guys can go have your cooking date. We’ll be upstairs. I finally feel like playing my violin. It should make my teachers happy when I go back to school and show them that I actually did something. Call us when there’s food!”

I watch them both walk up the stairs, Megan trailing Ellen by at least three steps. I try to make sense of anything that just happened. Anna nudges me in the side. “Do you see what I mean?”

“Yeah. That was weird. I don’t want to say that I expected more of a welcome than that, but I expected more of a welcome than that.”

Anna shrugs. “I got nothing. I’d ask if they’re having relationship issues, but I don’t know if I’m really in the mood for the answer. I’ll try talking to Ellen before everyone leaves.” She holds up the bags of groceries we just bought. “But for now, let’s get in touch with my Indian roots.”

We decided to make chicken curry to keep things simple. Anna is brave enough to try deviating from the recipe at times (like seasoning the chicken breasts with more than just salt), so I let her handle most of the complicated parts. Ellen plays the violin upstairs while we cook, and Anna’s dad comes through the kitchen to tell us that it smells good. I’m all nice and prepared to have a nice dinner with my not-girlfriend and my best friends, but Anna’s phone rings as she’s taste-testing the curry.

“Can you grab that for me?” she asks. “I think I need to add a little more salt.

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