Page 76 of Intermission
“Umm... I think so.” I rummage through the plastic bin where I store my nail polish supply. “Here. I’ve got hot pink, black, and... white.”
“Okay, start the movie. And don’t tell mom we had nail polish in a room with carpet. She’ll kill us both.”
“No kidding.”
Who is this girl? I can’t remember the last time Gretchen was actually nice to me, but tonight there’s a tenuous camaraderie between us. It’s so rare that I enjoy my sister’s company or that she even considers mine an option, that I’m not sure how to respond to her casual openness. I’m cautious, but eventually I relax. For whatever reason, at least for tonight, Gretchen is... nice.
We eat junk food, give each other pedicures, and watch movies until the wee hours. It’s almost like being with a friend.
The sectional sofa is big enough that both of us can sleep comfortably without getting in each other’s way, which we do, at last, and stay there until almost eleven Saturday morning. We might have kept on snoozing into the afternoon if not for the incessantly loud vibration of Gretchen’s phone on the glass-top coffee table.
From Gretchen’s tone, I know she’s talking to a guy. Probably her new boyfriend, Justin. When she starts giving directions to the house, I head upstairs. “Sister time” is apparently over.
I hurry through my shower and normal routine, hoping to keep the peace with Gretchen by clearing out of the bathroom we share by the time she’s off the phone.
Grabbing my makeup bag, I head to my room, wrapped in a towel. Gretchen is waiting for me there.
“Justin’s coming over this afternoon.”
“I figured.” I nod, wondering if last night’s sister-bonding will continue into the new day.
“So... I was thinking,” she says with the hint of a smile, but it’s a last-night-Gretchen smile instead of the usualI’ll-eat-you-for-breakfast, Cheshire cat grin. “I know Mom’s been kind of rough on you lately.”
She does? Most of the time, she barely acknowledges my existence until I’m in her way.
“I had lunch with Ryan and Danielle last week, and they kind of filled me in.”
Ah.
“Since she left me in charge, I thought maybe... maybe you’d like to hang out with Noah tonight.”
I blink. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I’m the adult in charge, right?”
“Ri-ight.” Yes, Mom put her in charge, but I assume she did it because she knows the joy Gretchen usually gains by making my life miserable—which allies them in the anti-Faith cause.
“But Mom said—”
“That I’m in charge.” Gretchen crosses her arms.
True, but I’m pretty sure Mom would revoke Gretchen’s authority if she knew the two of us are getting along and that me hanging out with Noah is suddenly on the table.
But she doesn’t know.
And Mom did, after all, leave Gretchen in charge, so who am I to question the adult in authority?
“I’m in charge,” Gretchen asserts again, “and I’m giving you permission to go see your boyfriend. Not here, of course. Justin’s going to be here, and that would be... weird. But I’m sure you two can figure something out.” Gretchen frowns. Her brows drew together. “Just don’t do anything stupid that will get us both in trouble, okay?”
“I won’t. I promise.”
I’m going to see Noah.
I’m going.
To see.
Noah!
