Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans

Author:Justine Pucella Winans
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2023-04-11T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty

Therefore I Lie With Her

There are currently sixty-one items on my ever-growing list of fears, and yet it’s hard to imagine a nightmare worse than Elaine Yee sitting at our kitchen table with my mother hovering as I convince her to help us with a weird murder book.

Which might have something to do with the people who want me dead.

Fantastic.

“Anyone want a snack?” Mom asks, already putting together a plate of cheese and fruits. She sets it on the table between Elaine and Anderson. “Oh, let me grab some cookies.”

If she learned anything from her mother-in-law, it’s that you must have cookies on hand for when people come over. Dad may be the better cook, but Mom isn’t a bad baker. Nonna said she’s basically Italian after she taught Mom to make pizzelles. Since then, one Sunday a month, she’ll go ham on the pizzelle iron and make like a hundred or so to keep in storage. Always vanilla, never anise.

She makes a plate, adding some chocolate chip biscotti.

“Mom, you don’t have to be so extra,” I say, trying to keep my voice low so Anderson and Elaine don’t hear over at the table.

She gives me a look. “You never have friends over besides Anderson, and he’s basically family. You’re giving me this.”

It’s the kind of look she has when she pulls out my middle name. Or worse, the confirmation name I had to get as a sham to keep the grandparents happy, despite Dad and me both being atheists and Mom mostly claiming she’s “spiritual.”

The whole confirmation do you believe in God still check yes or no thing was kind of weird, but looking at saints was cool. When I picked a name, I went with Saint Francis of Assisi because I read online that he was gay.

I shut up and let my mom fill the table with snacks.

“So,” Mom says finally once she gets everyone to eat something. “You’re all studying Shakespeare?”

“Well—” Elaine starts.

“Yes,” Anderson interrupts. “Yes, we are. And we love him. The control of language, the deep emotions . . .” He looks at me for help.

“The dick jokes,” I add. Helpfully.

Mom rolls her eyes but smiles. “There are plenty, that’s true.”

I look at Elaine, hoping she can gather from my expression that we will explain more later. Anderson must have the same thought as me, which is that my mom will be less than thrilled to know we’re still investigating the murder that caused a threat to be left on my doorstep.

Our parents didn’t exactly say to stop trying to investigate the murder, but I think they assumed that was implied.

Their mistake.

Looking into Elaine’s brown eyes makes my heart practically flutter, but she gives a small shrug, and I guess she’s going to go along with it.

And Elaine Yee is in my house. This might be a dream.

She looks so good.

I quickly snatch a pizzelle and try to hide my shame.

“Basically, we want to know about sonnets,” Anderson says. “Bianca thought, since you’re a theater professor, you could probably help.

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