The minute school let out I hurried over to the pay phone. It wasn’t like I had to rush so I’d get to it before someone else did, since everyone else on the planet has a cell phone. But after watching Heather’s texting get more and more intense during drama, and then having her singe me with her infamous Psycho Evil Eye as she bolted out of the classroom, I was dying to know what was going on.
“Hey, it’s me,” I said when I heard Casey answer.
“You okay?”
He sounded stressed, which made me look around for Heather. “Yeah.… What’s going on?”
“Heather didn’t say anything?”
“She fried me with an evil eye, but that’s all. What’s this about?”
I could hear him take a deep breath, then let it out in a long, puffy stream. “Your mom and my dad.”
For a split second I panicked.
Were they in an accident?
Were they dead?
Apparently Casey can read minds, because he says, “They’re fine.” Then he adds, “But it looks like they’re getting married this weekend.”
“What?”
“In Vegas.”
I yanked my jaw off the ground. “How do you know? Did your dad tell you?” But before he can answer, I get totally ticked off. “This is so typical! Of course she wouldn’t tell me! Of course she has to go off and be secretive and sneaky and not even think about how this is going to mess with my life!”
“If it makes you feel any better, my dad didn’t tell me, either.”
“She’s a horrible influence on him!” Then I add, “But then … how do you know?”
“I overheard my mom talking to Heather about how she’d hired a private investigator.”
It takes a minute for that to really sink in. “You’re serious? Why’d she do that?”
He sighs. “She thinks he should be paying more child support than he is.”
“So she hired a private investigator? To find out what?”
“I don’t know. You know how she is.”
“And he found out they’re getting married?”
“He found out that my dad made a ‘sizable purchase’ at a jewelry store yesterday and bought two plane tickets to Las Vegas.”
“For today?”
“Yup.”
“But we don’t know they’re getting married.”
“It sure points that way, don’t you think?”
I let that sink in, too, then sigh. “Yeah, it does.”
“I tried confronting my mom, but she went into a tirade about eavesdropping and then accused me of still seeing you.”
“What did you say?”
“Well, you know I can’t admit it.”
I sigh. “I know.”
“So since she told me the usual nothing, I’ve been trying to reach my dad, but his cell’s been turned off all day. You can try your mom, but I’ll bet you won’t get through.”
“You think they’ve already left?”
“Yeah. And phones off is their Do Not Disturb sign.”
All of a sudden I’m just mad. “She hasn’t even told me who my real dad is, and now she’s sneaking off to marry your dad?”
“My dad’s not a bad guy, if that’s any consolation.”
“Well, your stepmom-to-be is going to take care of that! He’s already becoming just like her!”
He gives a little snort. “So true.”
“I wonder if Grams knows.”
“Would she tell you?”
“She may be good at keeping my mom’s secrets, but I can’t believe she’d keep this from me!”
“Okay. Well, if she tells you anything, can you let me know?”
“Via Billy?”
“Yeah.”
Then I ask, “So what’s your mom doing about it? Anything?”
“What can she do?”
“Fly to Vegas and cause a scene?”
He laughs. “She might if it would change things. But they’re divorced, so that would be pretty over-the-top, don’t you think?”
We’re both quiet, and then he says, “Sorry for the bad news.”
I hesitate but finally say what I’m thinking. “Is it going to weird you out too much?”
“Just don’t start calling me your stepbrother.”
I pinch my eyes closed. “I hate her.”
“Why don’t you find out if your grandmother knows anything.” Then he adds, “And, Sammy?”
I choke out, “Yeah?” because I’m on the verge of crying. I mean, why couldn’t I have a normal mom and a normal life? Why did things have to be so complicated and full of all this stupid drama.
And then Casey says something that pushes me over the edge. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I tell him in a really stupid blubbery way.
He laughs. “And don’t worry. Nothing’s going to change that.” Then he says, “Keep me posted,” and gets off the phone.
I was probably madder at my mom than I’d ever been, and believe me, that’s saying something. So my skateboard ride home was fast and furious, and even though I was careful like I always am when I sneak up the fire escape and into Grams’ apartment, there was steam coming off of me.
Now, the thing about living illegally in a place where the walls are paper-thin and the neighbors are nosy is that you can’t go yelling or demanding or banging around.
You have to be q-u-i-e-t, even when you’re steaming mad.
“Grams?” I whispered, dumping my skateboard and backpack.
No answer.
“Grams!” I snapped—in a hoarse, kinda whispery steaming-mad way.
No answer.
I checked around the apartment, and since there’s only one bedroom and one bathroom, it was quick.
No Grams.
No Grams, and no note.
Now, okay. Normally I meet up with Casey at the graveyard after school or hang out with my friends a little or, you know, get sidetracked on my way home. So yeah, I was home really early—so early that Grams would probably have been shocked to see me. But still. Her not being here seemed weird to me, and I couldn’t help wondering … did she know my mom was getting married? And if so, how long had she known?
Wait. Maybe she had gone to stop her.
Maybe she was on her way to Las Vegas right now!
Or … maybe she was going to be the maid of honor!
Or, you know, the old maid of honor.
But … she wouldn’t do that to me! If she were on her way to Vegas, it would be to put a stop to the wedding, not to be in it!
So there I am, in the kitchen, convincing myself that Grams wouldn’t go anywhere without at least leaving a note and a massive list of dos and don’ts, when all of a sudden the phone rings.
“Aaah!” I choke out as I jump about ten feet in the air. Then I just stand there, looking at the phone ringing off the hook, wondering if it’s Grams calling me from Vegas, or maybe my mother calling to confess that she’s eloping, or maybe Casey calling with an update.
Living in an ancient, run-down highrise with an old wall phone and no caller ID is no fun, believe me.
Anyway, I finally stuff my heart back down my throat and pick up the phone. “Hello?” I warble in my best old lady imitation.
“Is Sammy there? It’s Marissa.”
“Marissa!” I drop the old lady act quick. “Are you okay? Where were you during sixth period?”
“My life is such a mess,” she says.
“Tell me about it!” But she’s obviously really desperate about something, so I don’t say anything about my mom eloping with Casey’s dad. I just ask, “What happened?”
“My dad again, of course. Mom’s dragging me to Vegas. We’re getting ready to drop Mikey off at Hudson’s, then we’re going to the airport!”
To make a long story short, Hudson Graham is the coolest old guy you’d ever want to meet, and his house has become a safe haven for Marissa and her brother, Mikey, when their parents are in extreme crisis mode—which has been often lately.
Still.
This was extra extreme.
“Now?” I ask her. “But why is she taking you?”
“She thinks me begging Dad to stop ruining our lives at the blackjack table might shock him into seeing how his gambling is hurting everyone in the family.” She sighs. “But he already knows, and I really, really don’t want to go.”
“So don’t go.”
“She’s making me!” She takes a deep breath and says, “Anyway, I won’t be at the dance tomorrow, just so you know.”
I wanted to laugh and say, Well, at least you don’t have to worry about Rudy asking you to dance, but before I could, another thought booted that one right out of my brain. A thought that made me gasp. Made me feel light-headed.
Like any second I might fall over.
Or float away.
Her voice was in my ear but seemed miles away. “Look, I’ve got to go. Wish me luck.”
“Luck,” I whispered.
After she hung up, I tried my mother’s cell number.
Sure enough, a mechanical voice told me she was “unavailable.”
I hung up and stood there, trying to remember how to breathe.
Trying to stop thinking what I was thinking.
It was crazy.
I knew it was crazy.
Unfortunately, that’s never stopped me before.