Page 63 of Finding Jack
“Even an apology? Apologies make everything better.”
“Except I already apologized. It was the last thing I said to him before he hung up. That I was sorry.”
“Okay, but was it a sincere apology?”
I glared at her. “Ranée. Seriously? I know how to apologize. I learned in preschool, same as you.”
“In my preschool, the teacher would make us say we were sorry, explain why what we did was wrong, and tell what we would change in the future, then ask for forgiveness. Did you do any of that? Like this. I’m sorry I ate all your peach vanilla yogurt. It was wrong because it didn’t belong to me. Next time I’ll ask first. Do you forgive me?”
“I guess I didn’t get specific. But it was totally clear from the context that I meant I was sorry for snooping.”
“What were your exact words?”
“I’m sorry.”
She stared at me like I was dumb, but I felt the first sputters of purpose rumbling to life in my chest, and I didn’t care.
“I need to be specific in my apology so he knows I really get it,” I said.
She gave me two exaggerated thumbs up. “Good job. But also, you didn’t answer the question.”
“What question?”
“Do you forgive me?”
I blinked at her, waiting for my brain to catch up to her words. Then I got it. “The peach vanilla yogurt wasn’t a hypothetical. You ate it all.”
“In my defense, it was really good.”
“You’re right. That yogurt was just asking for it. How can you be held responsible for it sitting there in the fridge, just out in the open like that?”
“You get me.” She hopped off the bed. “Next time I’ll let you know before I eat it all. See? That’s how an apology is done.”
“I don’t think you get it. You’re supposed to apologize and say you’ll buy me more.”
“I’m teaching the apology lesson here, not you, and I went to the best preschool in Elko, so I’m sure I’ve got it right. I’m going to hit the shower.”
Only now did I notice that she was in her riding clothes again. “How’s it going with the horses?”
“The kids are great with them,” she said. “It’s amazing to me how the horses seem to get these kids and the kids know it. They feel it. And it knocks off one or two of their hard edges. I was mostly in it for the free riding, but the joke’s on me.”
“That sounds pretty awesome. How’s Paul doing?”
“He’s amazing with horses. Who would’ve thunk, huh?”
“I meant with life in general.”
The tops of her cheekbones went pink, and my radar finally went off. That was interesting. Very interesting.
“He’s fine, I guess,” she said, heading for the door.
I let her get away with it. “Bye, yogurt thief. Thanks for listening.”
“Sure.” She shut the door behind her, and I picked up my phone and stared at it.
It stared back. I blinked first. It was still blank.
What to say? And how to say it?
