More silence.
"So," I continued in a rush, "do you think you might be able, if it's not too much trouble, come and pick me up?"
Long pause. "Now?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, actually the sooner the better." I tried to sound chipper. "I'm all ready, and I've got the salad and desserts. It's just that –"
"Hang on," he said.
In the background, I heard muffled voices. I could almost see him, covering the phone like he used to when my parents were still married, and another bill collector had tracked them down at our latest rental.
It was nice to know I rated in the same category as collection agencies.
A moment later, I heard jostling on the other end, followed by Loretta's clipped voice. "I should've known you'd pull something like this."
Oh God. Why had he putheron?
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Like what?"
"Don’t sigh at me," she said. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"What?" I asked.
"Youstillcan't stomach the thought of sharing your Daddy, can you?"
Daddy? I hadn't called him that since – well, never, at least not that I remembered. "No," I said. "It's nothing like that. It's just that my car won't start, and –"
"And what?" she said. "You want to pull him away? You want him all to yourself? Is that it?"
"No," I stammered. "Of course not."
"Well, I'm not falling for it."
"Honest," I said, hearing a hitch in my voice that made me feel about five years old. "I wouldn’t be calling if I had any other choice."
"Chloe," she said, in that overly patient tone of hers. "In life, there arealwayschoices."
What the hell did that mean? If I chose to shove a turkey up her ass sideways, was that a choice? Even in the relatively cool car, my face was burning. From rage or embarrassment, I didn't know. Desperately, I searched for a solution that wouldn't send Loretta over the edge.
Obviously, my dad wouldn't be coming, and I knew better than to ask Loretta. Other than Josh, who was way too young to drive, this only left one person – Lauren, Loretta's natural daughter.
Lauren was about my age. We'd never been friends, but we weren't exactly enemies either. I'd once given her a ride to the airport. That had to count for something, right?
"Is Lauren there?" I said.
"Are you forgetting? She goes by Lauren Jane now."
"I'm sorry. But maybe she could come get me?"
"Oh, so now you want to pullheraway too? Well let me tell you something. I'm not sending my daughter out on a day like this."
"A day like what?" I looked around. The air was cool, but the sky was sunny. "It's the warmest Thanksgiving I can remember."
"Thank you, Chloe, for that weather report."
I choked down the bile and tried one more time. My voice sounded very small as I said, "Can't anyone come and get me?"
"The only person left isme," she said. "And I've been cooking since the crack of dawn. So now you want me to run a taxi service too?" She made a sound of disgust. "I told your Dad you'd try something like this." She sighed into the phone. "What have I ever done to deserve this?"
