Little Lies by Cherie Bennett

Author:Cherie Bennett [Bennett, Cherie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-98566-9
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2012-10-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“So, what did you really think of last night?” Gemma looked down at me, eyes shining, as we walked together through the church parking structure.

Did she have to ask me that here? We were supposedly on God’s turf. I was already carrying around one big lie. Was the right thing to be honest, or to tell a lie of kindness?

It was the Sunday morning after Gemma’s showcase, and I was dragging. We’d awakened at seven to catch a ride with my mom. There was a Wait/Great planning meeting at nine. Then we’d go to the late service. At least I didn’t have to work again until Tuesday, since Whitehall was closed Sundays and Mondays. When I told Alex that I thought closing two days a week was civilized, Alex said civilization had nothing to do with it.

“First law of Angeleno restauranting: the harder it is to get a reservation, the more people want to come. Whitehall could book every table seven days a week, but why give people what they want when they can want what you have?”

Interesting logic, no?

I looked at my sister and took a deep breath. Then I opted for nonresponsive truth. “I thought … I thought the crowd really loved you.”

Gemma was delighted. “Really? That’s what I thought, too! I think I can do this! Don’t you?”

“When’s your next class?” I answered her question with a question.

“Tuesday morning. I can’t wait.”

Our Wait/Great meeting was in the church courtyard, because the building on Sundays was a Christian Grand Central Station. There were the regular services, Sunday school, music ministry, Christian group meditation, adult Bible discussion, and day care, all under way at the same time.

“Hey, Sheltons! What a zoo! Am I late?”

Mia came running up behind us. She wore a long red skirt with a pink top; her dreads were held back by several red barrettes. Gemma had on a simple gray T-shirt dress, and I’d chosen more of my Threads threads—a polka-dotted skirt, black tights, and a slightly-clingy-but-still-tasteful ribbed black top.

“Nope, right on time,” Gemma told her confidently. “You look great. Thanks again for coming to my showcase. I mean it.”

“You’re very welcome,” Mia told her. “It was fun.”

We were the last to arrive for the meeting, and slid into the last empty chairs that had been arranged in a circle in the center of the courtyard. The same people were there as had been for our first meeting, but there were also a few guys. There was Fitz, the guy I’d met on the homeless shelter project. Also, a guy named Lars and another named Jonny. Lars was very tall and skinny, with a prominent Adam’s apple, while Jonny was short and powerfully built.

Sandra called the meeting to order.

“Hi, and welcome to Wait/Great,” she said after a brief opening prayer.

“We’ve got just one more meeting before we go public on Saturday night.”

Saturday night? Oh no.

I don’t know how I hadn’t thought of it, but I hadn’t thought of it. I would probably be scheduled to work that night.

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