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I GUESS IT PAYS TO make a stink sometimes. Dad’s taken me out for ice cream, on a school night, when it’s not even his regular night to see me. Mom said good riddance. Yelling and crying work, even if people tell you not to. Jaden’s going to be sore about missing out since he’s at his Cub Scout meeting, but he’ll be glad Dad fixed his bike.
I get Dad all to myself for a change plus two scoops of chocolate Häagen-Dazs with sprinkles. It’s warm out tonight, so we sit at a table outside. Dad’s being super nice, even if he did make me pay for Miss Perfect’s lipstick. But he’s watching me with a weird expression, like his ice cream tastes sour. He wants to know why I blamed Robin for Jaden’s bike. “Because” is all I tell him. And whether I took her stupid bird statue. I shrug. He asks why I don’t want to see the dumb therapist.
“It’ll give us a chance to talk about our feelings,” he says.
Barf on that.
The doctor might be interested in hearing my feelings about Miss Perfect, but Dad sure won’t. Still, I keep quiet and try not to spoil the good time we’re having—I’m having.
“Hey, Dad?” I ask. “You know that lady Gloria? Mom’s friend with the sick kid?”
He used to know her, he says, and wants to know why I ask.
I explain how she offered to take Nina for a bath if Mom says it’s okay. “Don’t you think that’s nice?”
He’s not happy. “Did your mother say Gloria could do that?”
“She said she’d think about it.” I mush the sprinkles into my ice cream.
“Has Gloria been coming around the house lately?” Dad stares at me, waiting for my answer.
I get the feeling he might not like the idea of her visiting. “Not so much.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “Well, we can take care of our own dog.”
Except we don’t. Dad said he would pay to get that poodle groomed after Jaden and I gave him a makeover, but he never says anything about Nina, even though her fur is a mess. It makes me sore. I hope Gloria takes her to be groomed, but I don’t say so to Dad. I see he’s hardly even touched his ice cream.
“Amber, one thing we might discuss in therapy is all of us taking a vacation together, maybe over the holiday break. Would you like that?”
I’m not dumb. He’s trying to bribe me. Probably the ice cream is a bribe, too, I realize. “Who’s all of us? Would Mom be coming too?” I wonder if he’ll take us to Disney World.
He clears his throat. “I meant you and Jaden with Robin and me.”
“She wouldn’t,” I mumble. My stomach hurts.
Dad frowns. “Wouldn’t what?”
“Want to come.” My ice cream is melting.
He sighs. “Sweetheart, that’s something the therapist could help us with.”
I feel kind of sad for him because he doesn’t get it. No therapist anywhere is good enough to convince Robin to go on a vacation with me and my brother. I bet she would hate Disney World. I feel even sadder for me because I know Dad really wants her along, probably more than he wants me. I’m lucky to even get ice cream with him. No way would I tell that to some goofy doctor. He really would think I’m crazy for caring about stuff like that.
I really want to talk some more with Gloria, even if Dad might not like it. She’s nice to me. I get a brilliant idea. I’ll sneak and get ahold of Mom’s phone and find her number. I can call and tell her Mom said sure, go ahead and take Nina to the groomer. I could even do it tonight. It’s not that late, not for calling a grown-up.
I push away my ice cream. “Dad? Can we go home now? I’m kind of tired.”