Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

Author:Katie Finn
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Social Issues, Emotions & Feelings, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Marriage & Divorce, Friendship
ISBN: 9781250060570
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2014-05-13T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

“Okay!” I said an hour later, trying as hard as I could not to sound as frustrated as I was. “How about we play a game?” The twins just looked at each other, then back at me, their identical blasé expressions still in place. It had been a very long hour, and one that was causing me to doubt my babysitting prowess.

When they had first disappeared, I’d tracked them down in the kitchen, all too close to the knives, attempting to get something down from the highest shelf— and getting sand everywhere in the process. I had immediately moved us to the TV room, where they had flopped onto the couch and basically refused to move or engage in anything. They didn’t want to read a book, or go back to the beach, or watch TV. All they wanted to do was complain about how bored they were. And it was getting annoying. I was also checking my phone with increasing frequency, hoping that Hallie would text me and let me know she was on her way. I was all too aware that Josh was going to be picking me up in a few hours for what was clearly not a date, and I needed to get ready for it.

“No,” one twin— I still hadn’t been able to get them to tell me who was who— sighed. “Nooooooo,” the other whined. “Games are boring.” You’re boring, I wanted to snap back at her. But I restrained myself. I hadn’t yet sunk to insulting kindergarteners, and saw no reason to start now. “All right,” I said, determined to be cheerful if it killed me. “How about—” My phone beeped with a text, and I pulled it out, happy to be spared from trying to convince them how fun it would be to vacuum the kitchen.

Hallie Bridges

4:45 PM

Hi! Things are taking a little longer to sort out than I thought.

Might be another hour, so sorry! L

Tell the twins I said to behave!

“Who texted you?” one of the girls asked, sitting up slightly and looking the tiniest bit interested for the first time all after-noon. “Your boyfriend?”

“No,” I said, looking over at her, a little surprised by the question. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Why not?” the other one asked.

“Because,” I said, wondering why I was defending my love life— or lack thereof— to someone who still used a lunchbox. “It’s a complicated situation. And . . . well, the thing is . . .”

“Hallie has a boyfriend,” the other one said, a little pityingly.

“And he’s—”

“So if it wasn’t your boyfriend, because you don’t have one, who was it?” the first twin asked, leaning a little closer to try and see my phone’s screen.

“It was from Hallie,” I said. “She said she’s going to be another hour, and that you both should behave.” The twins just looked at each other for a long moment, but neither started freaking out about the fact they were under my care for another sixty minutes, which I took as a good sign.

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