More Opinions

Mrs. Morgan didn’t believe everything was fine and that nothing had changed. She took Cadbury for second and third opinions with veterinarian heart specialists named Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Adelman. Over moo shu chicken and orange beef Mr. Morgan inquired, “Do Humphreys and Adelman agree with Harskirey?”

“Yes.”

“Shipt.”

“It is awful,” Mrs. Morgan said. “Please pass the dumplings and the Kleenex and don’t curse at the dinner table.” She blew her nose loudly and wiped more tears from her face.

“I didn’t curse. I almost did. But I didn’t.”

“Oh, Marvin, it really seems to be just a matter of time.”

“Your mother is quite a woman, you know that?” Mr. Morgan said, taking a dumpling before passing them on. “Juggling her patients, a dying dog, and managing to get second and third opinions.”

“Stop it!” Veronica said. The aggression in her voice surprised everyone. Including herself. But how dare they. All she had done for the last two weeks was try to protect Cadbury by thinking positive thoughts and here, in front of him, her parents were blatantly undermining her efforts.

“You’re upset, honey. And you should be. This is so upsetting. It is so upsetting,” her mother said. She got up from the table and came around to Veronica’s chair.

“It really is so upsetting,” her father said, and it wasn’t clear if he was speaking to himself or to Veronica.

They didn’t get it. She was Cadbury’s antenna. She was responsible for bringing him home. He was tuned in to one station only and that station played the show called Everything Is Fine and Nothing Has Changed. Her parents were messing up the signal.

*   *   *

The next day, Melody handed in the Monet project and barely looked at Veronica. She was proud of Melody for that. Melody had written an essay and Veronica bet it would be very good. So now the job of exposing Veronica for the negligent student and bad school partner she was belonged to Ms. Padgett. Veronica watched the clock, waiting for the other shoe to drop. She wanted someone to get mad at her. When would Ms. Padgett announce she was a bad girl? There would be a heavy price to pay for her behavior.

It would hurt. She was ready.

But class was dismissed.