Page 27 of Spindrift

Junebrought the first June bug. Nell started up from her bed on the porch andwatched the fat beetle with interest as it flung itself at the light.

“Nobugs,” she told her dog, her mind on internal parasites, but Nell ignored herand stalked toward the insect on stiff legs. The bug vanished in a crunch.

Herphone rang as she reprimanded her unrepentant companion. “Hey.”

“Sisterfrom another mister.”

“Areyou ever going to get tired of that?” Emilia asked as she leaned back in herchair and let her stepsister’s voice wash over her.”

“Probablynot. How are you doing?”

“I’mfine.”

“Don’tbullshit me. I have toddlers, remember?”

“Howare the twins?”

“Drivingme nuts. April’s chewing on everything. She’s worse than the dog, and Ruby onlychews on her sister. Little cannibal.”

“AndMark?”

“Iwill kill the next person who congratulates him for being a good dad justbecause he switched to working part-time to be home with the kids more.”

“Don’tdo that. You’d go to jail, and I’d end up with the girls,” said Emilia.

“I’llgive them to you for free now if you want.”

“Nellisn’t ready for babysitting.”

“Anyway,”said Anna Maria, “Mom says you’re painting or something? It’s really irritatingthat you don’t post anything. It makes it hard to stalk you. Although maybeit’s for the best.”

“Haven’tgotten that far yet.”

“Youknow I’d be there in a heartbeat if you need me, right?”

“Iknow.”

“Sohow are you doing? Really. No bullshit.”

Shelet out a deep breath. “I’m okay. It’s hard.”

“Youdon’t need to do it alone.”

“Ido, though.”

“Yousure?”

“Yeah.And it’s peaceful up here.”

“Well,that’s something. Oh, Christ.” A child’s wail nearly shattered Emilia’s eardrumas Anna Maria paused to coo over her offspring.

“Doyou need to go?”

“Ina second.”

Somethingabout her tone alerted Emilia to trouble. “What?”

“Look,I don’t want to tell you this, but I don’t want you hearing about it fromanyone else, either.”

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