Strangely Normal - By Tess Oliver Page 0,12
naming them.”
“Or better yet, you could bring in the psychic before you name them.”
“Good idea.”
We turned the corner again and landed in a kitchen that glistened with shiny granite counter tops and stainless steel you could see your reflection in. There was even a small sitting area with a wide screen television and plush green couches. The dogs stretched out on the rugs in front of the couches, and Some Pig curled up next to them.
The house was truly magnificent. Every fixture sparkled. Every rug looked lush enough to sleep on. Every piece of furniture looked expensive and imported. But aside from the small herd of cool pets, the whole place lacked the magical element that made a house feel like a home. As luxurious as it was, it felt unfriendly and cold. Just like Finley’s brother, Jude.
“I don’t eat critters of any kind.” Finley reached for a cupboard handle. The door swung open and revealed a huge refrigerator stocked with food and beer. “Are grilled cheese sandwiches all right? Sorry, but that’s all I really know how to make.”
“Grilled cheese sounds divine.” I had no idea how much Mrs. Vickers had told Finley about me or how much my school counselor really even knew about my life. But the way Finley looked at me from beneath the curtain of long white bangs, it seemed she knew that I’d grown up on cereal, peanut butter sandwiches, and free school lunches. And I sensed that none of it mattered to her. I was just going on first impressions, and I could have been totally wrong, but it seemed that this was a girl who had grown up with everything but who would never look down at someone who had less. There was something truly genuine and trustworthy about her.
Finley searched around for a frying pan in one of the bazillion cupboards lining the walls.
I helped her butter bread and she dropped the sandwiches onto a heated pan. My intuition told me that we could become close friends. And truthfully, I’d moved around so much, I’d never really had a true friend. The only hurdle so far was the cold greeting from her brother. In those few seconds, he had made me feel unwanted and uneasy. Down the long stretch of hallway from the gym, I’d engaged in a mind debate on whether or not to mention it. I figured there was still time to back out of this if necessary.
“Your brother was definitely not pleased to meet me.” Up until this point I’d been feeling pretty positive about the whole adventure, but her brother had put a spoiler on the whole thing.
“Don’t mind Jude. He thrives on being an asshole. He’s cranky because he’s been under house arrest for four months. Once he gets the ankle monitor off, he’ll be out of here. He rarely stays around.”
She had talked freely about her life since I’d arrived but she obviously had no intention of telling me why Jude was under house arrest. He definitely looked like the kind of guy who lived for trouble.
CHAPTER 5
“Ta da,” Finely sang out as she flipped the sandwiches onto plates. “Half-burned but plenty of gooey cheese.”
“Gooey cheese is definitely a bonus.” I hopped up onto one of the stools that lined the granite counter. I picked up the hot crisp sandwich. “I just realized I’m starved.”
Finley poured us each a glass of lemonade, pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, and sat next to me.
“How long have you been a vegetarian?” I asked around a mouthful of sandwich.
“Since I was five. Jude, Dad, and I were in the back of the limo on the freeway and we drove past a giant stock trailer filled with pigs. I smiled and pointed at the pretty pigs and asked if they were going to a farm. Dad assured me they were, but Jude chimed in to let me know that he thought they were going to the ham factory. I haven’t eaten meat since.”
“I guess it’s easy to figure out why your brother calls you Doolittle.”
“Jude has tons of nicknames for me. About the only name he doesn’t call me is Finley.” Her bracelets jangled as she lifted her sandwich and took a bite. She sipped her lemonade. “I’ve been blathering on like a grocery store tabloid about my life. Tell me more about yourself. What do you like to do? Do you have a boyfriend?”
“I’m kind of a book nerd. I liked to read, and I was