669小说网

第13部分（第3页）

“What？”　“Yeah；”　she　laughs　again。　“Thats　what　I　said。　But　he　meant　it　in　a　nice　way。”

I　looked　at　Juli　and　tried　to　picture　my　grandmother　as　an　eighth　grader。　It　was　hopeless。　I

mean；　Julis　got　long；　fluffy　brown　hair　and　a　nose　full　of

freckles；　where　my　grandmother　had　always　been　some　variety　of　blond。　And　my

grandmother　had　used　powder。　Puffy　white　powder。　Shed　put　it

on　her　face　and　in　her　hair；　in　her　slippers　and　on　her　chest…。　That　woman　powdered

everything。

I　could　not　see　Juli　coated　in　powder。　Okay；　maybe　gun　powder；　but　the　white　perfumy　stuff？

Forget　it。

………　Page　40………

I　guess　I　was　staring；　because　Juli　says；　“Look；　I　didnt　say　it；　he　did。　I　just　thought　it　was　nice；

thats　all。”

“Yeah；　whatever。　Well；　good　luck　with　the　grass。　Im　sure　itll　e　up　great。”　Then　I　totally

surprised　myself　by　saying；　“Knowing　you；　youll　get　em

all　to　hatch。”　I　didnt　say　it　mean　or　anything；　I　really　meant　it。　I　laughed；　and　then　she

laughed；　and　thats　how　I　left　her—sprinkling　her　soon…to…be

sod；　smiling。

I　hadnt　been　in　such　a　good　mood　in　weeks。　The　eggs　were　finally　behind　me。　I　was

absolved。　Relieved。　Happy。

It　took　me　a　few　minutes　at　the　dinner　table　to　realize　that　I　was　the　only　one　who　was。

Lyta　had　on　her　usual　pout；　so　that　wasnt　it。　But　my

fathers　idea　of　saying　hello　was　to　lay　into　me　about　the　lawn。

“No　sweat；”　I　told　him。　“Ill　do　it　tomorrow。”

All　that　got　me　was　a　scowl。

Then　Mom　says　to　my　granddad；　“You　tired　tonight；　Dad？”

I　hadnt　even　noticed　him　sitting　there　like　a　stone。

“Yeah；”　my　father　tosses　down　the　table　at　him。　“That　girl　working　you　too　hard？”

My　grandfather　straightens　his　fork　on　his　napkin　and　says；　“‘That　girl’　is　named　Juli；　and　no；

she　isnt　‘working　me　too　hard；’　as　you　so　callously

put　it。”

“Callous？　Me？”　My　dad　laughs　and　says；　“Developed　quite　a　soft　spot　for　that　girl；　havent

you？”

Even　Lyta　let　her　pout　go　for　a　minute。　These　were　fighting　words　and　everyone　knew　it。

Mom　nudged　Dad　with　her　foot；　but　that　only　made