Page 71 of Miss Behaved
I’m sure there’s a lot more she wants to know than how he’s doing, but she’s waiting for me to tell her without pushing it.
“Good, still writing,” I say. “He lives in LA now.”
Every time I say that, it feels farther and farther away.
“I always liked that boy, even if your father thought he was a little troublemaker.”
“He was a troublemaker,” I remind her, and she laughs.
“You were better around him. He seemed to motivate you.”
He did motivate me, encouraged me to finally turn my crazy outlines into stories. He convinced me I had talent and should explore it.
But he also broke me for a while, or maybe permanently.
Not that I told my parents that bit of information. I didn’t want their sympathy or opinions. I wanted to lock him away and pretend it never happened. So, in their eyes, he simply moved states and didn’t come back again after my graduation.
“If you talk to him again, say hello from us,” Mom says.
She knows she just tossed a firecracker. She could tell from my tone that things didn’t go well with Carson. But she can’t help throwing it at my feet anyway.
“I will, Mom,” I say, quickly taking the opportunity to change the subject. “How are you, how are things? Merry called me last week, but when I tried to call her back she didn’t answer.”
“Ay, your sister is going to be the death of me. You were such a sweet, calm child,” Mom grumbles.
Merry and I might be related by blood, but we’re opposite in most ways. I’m disciplined, she’s fierce. I’m focused, she’s fearless.
“What now?” I ask, knowing Merry must be up to something good if Mom is in this much of a tizzy over it.
“She’s telling your father that she’s dropping out of college to go on tour with a rock band. What is she thinking?”
“A rock band?” I laugh. Merry’s always been a bit of trouble, threatening to run off with boyfriends, or saying she’s going to move to Amsterdam and never come back. Anything to piss off Mom and Dad.
“She’ll land on two feet,” I promise. “She’s just gotta figure out who she is first.”
Mom mumbles in Spanish and then sighs.
“Mom?”
“Sorry, enough about your sister,” she says. “I was calling about your father’s birthday, actually. It’s next weekend. You’ll be here for it, yes?”
“Yes, I’ll be there.”
“Good,” she says. “He bought a new grill, so he’s dying to cook on it.”
“Another one?” This has become an annual occurrence.
“Some men collect fancy cars or younger women, mine collects hot surfaces to cook meat on. I’m not complaining,” she says with a chuckle.
They’ve been married for thirty-five years, and I can’t help but be a little envious. How do they make it look so easy? Like all the little things would fall into place if I just met the right person.
“Whatever you say, Mom.” I laugh. “Promise I’ll be there.”
“And have a little talk with your sister for me, please. She’s a year away from graduating. She needs to finish college, not go on tour with delinquents.”
I roll my eyes. Not even I can talk Merry out of something once she’s put her mind to it. “I’ll talk to her,” I say, knowing it won’t do any good. “But I’m gonna run now and get changed. Got caught in the downpour at the airport.”
Mom blows air kisses through the phone before hanging up, and I finally find the energy to drag myself off the couch. But as I make my way toward my bedroom, my phone rings again.
