Hey! Believe it or not! It’s hot as shit!
We pulled off to pick up passengers in St. Petersburg, which is pretty much just another part of Tampa as far as I can tell, and the hot air poured, poured, poured into the bus.
I need to change my freaking clothes, Aleah.
I bought a Snickers bar in the bus station. It was so melted I threw it out, but not before chocolate got spread all over my shorts. I look like I pooped the front of myself. Nice, huh?
Onward. We’re rolling again.
• • •
Andrew was not acting like Andrew. When Tovi and I got back from the beach, the Golden Rods were done practicing. We went up to Andrew’s room, but Tovi’s key card didn’t open the door.
“What the hell?” she said.
We went down to the lobby, and the front-desk person said, “Mr. Andrew has changed rooms.”
“Well, Mr. Andrew is an idiot, because I’m paying for the room, so you have to tell me what room he changed to,” Tovi barked.
“Fair enough,” the front-desk dude said.
Andrew had moved two rooms down the hall. We went back up the elevator with the new room key in hand.
“Andrew’s giving me a big headache,” Tovi said.
When we got up there, Gus was hanging out in the room watching TV and Andrew sat in the corner on the floor reading that same fat Spinoza book he’d had in Bluffton. (Library book! Fines!). He didn’t look up at all.
Gus lifted his hair wad out of his face, gestured with his eyes at Andrew, and shook his head really fast (I believe saying, Crazy).
Tovi didn’t care if Andrew was crazy. She started screaming immediately. “You think you can just do whatever you want? You think you’re entitled to just run and hide from me?”
Andrew looked up. “I’m not running from you.”
“Did you tell me you were moving?”
“I knew you’d tell Felton if I did.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out?”
“It was a flawed plan, I admit,” Andrew said. “I need to register with my brother the seriousness of my anger.”
“So registered,” I said.
“Don’t talk to me,” Andrew said.
Then Gus said, “Hey Felton, can we talk?” His eyes were wide, his skin sort of gray.
“You two stay in here. I’m going to take Andrew into the hall and beat the shit out of him,” Tovi said.
“I’m not moving,” Andrew said.
“Now, you little ass, or I’ll call your mother!” Tovi screamed.
Andrew put down his book, stood, pushed past me, and followed Tovi into the hall.
When the door slammed behind the two of them, Gus jumped off the bed, fast. He said, “Okay. Okay. Felton, man. We have trouble on many, many fronts. First of all, my dad called Hector Johns, that professor, who said he hadn’t heard from me. Then dad looked at his credit card statement on line and saw gas stops all the way from Iowa to Florida. Mom is out of her mind. They’re trying to get ahold of Jerri.”
“Oh shit!”
“Secondly, Andrew is a total lunatic. I don’t even recognize him, man. He almost took a swing at me in the lobby. I swear to God. That big, old dude singer with his band had to lift him up and carry him away from me. After he calmed down, he told me he’d take me out if I blew his plan. I don’t even know what his plan is, man, but I think I’m going to blow it.”
“Okay, okay,” I said, trying to get anchored. “What’s going on with your parents, first? Do they know where Jerri is?”
“I don’t know where Jerri is,” Gus said.
“She’s in Chicago until Tuesday. She’s with Aleah’s dad.”
“Oh yeah. Why?”
“I don’t know why.”
“Does anyone else know?” Gus asked.
“Maybe Grandma Berba. Would your parents know how to get ahold of her?”
“I don’t think so.” Gus shook his head. “They want us back in the car immediately, Felton. Mom said she’d call the cops if we’re not home tomorrow.”
I thought about Andrew’s reaction to me being there. I thought about the possibility of Jerri finding out about my treachery. I thought about having to meet my grandfather who hated my dad (and me). I said, “Okay. Okay. Let’s go.”
Gus squinted at me. His eyes watered. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I don’t know, man.”
“Seriously. Yes.”
“You don’t have to go, Felton.”
“I’m ready.”
“But, you have some stuff going on.”
“Yes. Some.”
“Really, man,” Gus said. “I totally underestimated the shit you have going on. I sort of forgot about your dad this spring…”
“It’s okay,” I said.
“No,” Gus shook his head.
“We can leave.”
“You’re family is totally screwed,” Gus said.
“Yes,” I agreed. I wanted to leave very badly.
“Oh man.” Gus shook his head more. “I’m so sorry I punched you. I’m sorry I checked out on you this spring. I got pissed because you weren’t paying enough attention to me? That’s so weak…Why wouldn’t I be happy for you for finding your…destiny or whatever?”
“We can leave, Gus. Let’s do it.”
Gus shook his head a little. “You need to deal with this.”
“No. No. This isn’t real. This isn’t mine, man. This is Andrew’s war. I don’t need to be here. I have a life of my…of my…”
“Listen,” Gus spat. “This is the shit you’ll be running from forever if you don’t deal with it.”
“Really?” I said. Was it true? Horror movie!
“I’m going to get my ass grounded. I drove you all the way here. This is huge, man. The time is now. You need to stay.”
“Okay.”
“Okay,” Gus breathed deep. “Okay. I’m going to help you.” Gus nodded.
“Holy shit,” I said.
Gus and I stared at each other for a moment.
Then Gus said, “Are we supposed to hug or something?”
At that moment, Tovi came crashing through the door. Andrew crept in behind her, his head hung low. “Here’s the deal. Listen. Right now, Felton, you and Andrew are going to get a hot dog. You’re going to talk. Tomorrow morning, we’re going to Papa’s house. Felton, you’ll wear a disguise. We’re going to do this. Do you understand?”
I looked at Tovi. I looked at Gus. Gus nodded at me.
I said, “Okay.”
Andrew grimaced.
Tovi said, “And you. Whoever the hell you are.”
Gus said, “Me?”
“We’re going swimming. Right now. I’ve totally had it.”
“I don’t know,” Gus said.
“Come on,” Tovi shouted.
Gus shrugged and looked at me. I shrugged.
He went swimming, Aleah.