against the door to prevent any attempt on Ashley’s part to open the obviously lethal can of peas.
“I see you’re really becoming a great influence on my daughter.” I hadn’t heard this note of disgust in Diane’s voice since I’d cut off her bangs in high school. And I mean cut off. To the scalp.
“You’re just lucky I was there,” I answered, frowning into space. “If she’d beaned the clerk with the peas--no pun intended--you’d be looking at assault charges on top of truancy.”
Ashley’s eyes widened at my words, like she’d seriously considered clocking Geoff.
But all Diane said was “peas” in vacant tone of voice. “She loves her damned peas.”
I shrugged, not that she could see me. “So the kid has a fetish. So what? It’s not like you haven’t conducted a commando raid on every purse department in town.”
Diane’s gasp filtered through the phone line, and Ashley pulled herself up straighter in her chair, smiling. I winked at her. So what if the move wasn’t part of the support-parental-authority handbook. It felt right. Hell, it felt good.
“When will you be bringing my daughter home?” Diane asked. “Or was there another party you two planned to hit on the way back?”
I smirked, wanting very badly to say a few choice words to my friend, but drawing the line at saying them in front of her daughter.
“In about a half-hour.” I leveled my gaze at Ashley. “We’ve got a few things to talk about first.”
I expected Diane to tell me a half-hour was too long. I expected her to tell me she needed to see her firstborn immediately. But, that’s not what she said at all.
“Listen, Macy’s is having a one-day sale, so if you get to the house before me, use your key.”
I blinked. Not that I was the poster child for rational thinking, but my old friend had her priorities completely out of whack.
“Got it.” I hung up the phone and sat down across from Ashley.
“The peas?” Her eyebrows shot up hopefully.
“We’ll stop at 7-11 on the way to your house and get some more. Fair enough?”
She nodded. “Was she mad?”
I nodded back. “A bit. We’ll meet her at home. She has to stop at the mall for something.”
Ashley sighed and my heart hurt for her. She was old enough to realize her mother was more than a little distracted by her pregnancy.
“It’s normal for women to get a little weird when they’re pregnant.” I reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. “She’ll snap out of the purse thing, honey. You’ll see.”
“It’s not that.” Ashley’s voice dropped low, flat.
“What then?”
“She’s moved on to outfits that ‘accentuate’ her belly.”
My stomach caught for a variety of reasons, and I tried to ignore them all.
I shifted my grip to hold her hand, and she amazed me by not pulling away. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged, but the sadness around her eyes was undeniable.
“Ash?”
“She’s so busy showing off the baby, she doesn’t know I’m alive.” The words spilled out of her as if she’d held them bottled up for weeks.
“That’s not true. She loves you like you can’t believe. We all love you.”
Poindexter moved to the corner of the kitchen and let out a loud, window-rattling sigh.
“Just look how you’ve captivated the dog.”
I spotted the slightest lift at the corner of Ashley’s mouth.
“I saw that.” I pointed.
“What?” She narrowed her gaze, her features falling serious.
“The smile.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t smile.”
I shrugged. “Wouldn’t kill you if you did.”
Her gaze darted from me to the tabletop to the pantry.
“Forget it.”
She blew out a frustrated breath.
“Listen.” I gave her hand a squeeze. “I know things are kind of crazy right now with your mom being pregnant.” And insane, but I didn’t say that. “You’re at a tough age.” I smiled. “Just remember. If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. Talking is good. Expressing yourself is good. Keeping everything inside is not. Got it?”
She nodded, looking as if she had her doubts but she’d humor me by agreeing.
“But--” I shifted my tone to serious, very adult “--don’t lie to me again, and don’t cut school again. Hear me?”
Ashley looked as if I’d slapped her hand instead of holding it.
“If anything had happened to you, no one would have known where you were, and we all love you too much for that, okay?”
Her throat worked and tears glistened in her eyes. “Aunt Bernie?”
“What, honey?”
“Do you think I could have a hug? I’ve kind of had a rough week.”
A