talk you into wrapping it all, too?” Emme pleads, her eyes sparkling.
“Sure, as long as I can write Love, Auntie Sonnet on all of them,” I agree. “And your Bambi eyes don’t work on me, so shove off. I’ll see you later. Come by tonight; I’m sure Prue has something we can stick some candles on for Joe. Bring him and Bea, we’ll have a party.”
“Perfect. Thanks, Sonnet. You’re a good friend.”
“I’m your only friend. See you later.”
After Emme is gone I line up all her packages in a row in the front counter that faces the street. There are bar stools that swivel and look out into traffic. It’s the favorite place for little kids to sit and spin in circles while their moms and dads drink coffee, and I sit and spin now as I wait for what I hope will be the massive rectangle of blue that is my ride home.
********************
“Thanks for the ride,” I tell Israel meekly, as I climb in the passenger seat. All of Emme’s gifts are piled up in the back.
“You’re welcome. Who are all these for then?”
“Joe,” I want to tell him that Bea isn’t Joe’s mother, but it isn’t my secret to tell. “They’re coming over later. Do we still have ice cream?”
“We should have since Matthias isn’t around to eat it in the middle of the night.” Matthias was a bit of an ice cream fiend.
“How was your day?” I ask, again meekly. I still feel guilty over the theft of his car and for our conversation concerning medicine back in the kitchen.
“Busy,” Israel answers, stopping for a red light. “You?”
“Fine.”
“How was the rest of your night last night? With, what was his name, Larry?”
“Luke. It was fine. Nice actually. Well, until the end. I think he thinks I’m nuts for chasing after Rose, plus when he brought me home the cops were bringing in Dad.”
“Well, I’m sure he isn’t much of a loss.”
“You didn’t like him?”
“Well, he’s not my type but I guess if he’s yours…”
“I don’t even have a type!” I feel my face flushing. Israel’s smiling which means he was egging me on. “Well, he doesn’t much like you either. He said you look like something I won in a raffle.”
“What does that mean?” he scowls. “He looks like the cover of a hunting and fishing catalogue.”
“What does that mean?” I can’t help but laugh. “I don’t think he hunts or fishes!”
“You know,” his scowl deepens. “All flannel and scruffy and stuff.”
“Well, you’re all scrubs and scruffy and stuff.” I reach over and scrape my knuckles against his five o’clock shadow. Normally Israel is shaved and smooth; you can always tell when he’s working too much by the length of his prickly facial hair. Instead of laughing with me, he bats my hand away like a fly.
“We’re home,” he says gruffly and almost runs over the curb as he parks. He leaves me to carry in all the packages myself. I wish he had tried to open the door for me just so I could plow him down flat the way I did Luke; only with Israel I’d do it on purpose.
********************
Prue takes it literally when I ask her to put candles in whatever she can find and put together at the last minute. By dinner time there is a fish casserole (with candles in it), a pepperoni calzone (with candles in it), chicken fried rice (with candles), chocolate pudding (candles), a bowl of potato chips (candles), and an entire loaf of raisin bread (candles). Where she got all the candles I’ll never know, but I just hope the same cranky policeman doesn’t show up tonight along with a fire marshal. Since it’s an official party now, we are all looking our best and even Dad is looking bright eyed and put together. I haven’t spoken much to him since the police incident. His baby face and clear, fresh skin never show a trace of his nights. His bowtie is straight and triangular and he’s wearing his favorite argyle cardigan. He really does look like a college professor, and not like a tipsy pickpocket.
Prue is wearing her best apron, the one she wears for special occasions. She likes it so much I have even caught her wearing it over her nightgown. She’d never admit it, but I think she wants to bring it with her when we travel next.
Israel has gone to shower and says he won’t be able to stay for the party. I am wearing