how concerned he is that he doesn’t butcher my name. “Yeah, I’m fine. Listen, any chance you can take a ride up toward Atkins Farm? I’m going to have to get the car towed, it’s not going anywhere.”
“Yeah, yeah. After I told them about the accident, Barrington rescheduled the meeting.”
“Well, that’s a minor miracle.”
Tyler chuckles. “You aren’t kidding Matty. All right, I’ll be there sometime tonight.”
“Tyler…”
“Twenty minutes.”
“Thanks.”
We hang up just in time for me to get a ticket for improper entry into the traffic circle. The girl is getting back in her van as a female UMASS cop talks with her. All the local jurisdictions getting in on the act. Must be a slow day. I want to walk over there and apologize, though I’m not sure what for. I’m too late. She starts the undamaged minivan, fastens her seatbelt and drives away.
Thirty minutes later a tow truck is hauling my Toyota away and I’m in Tyler’s car, headed back home.
“So who hit you?” Tyler asks. “Was she pretty?”
Tyler’s real subtle.
“Yeah,” I say. “A real knockout, she ran me right over.”
He gives me a strange look, then it hits him. He lets out a surprised guffaw. “That’s pretty good! Matty, when did you get a sense of humor? And more importantly, did you get her number?”
“Shut up, Tyler.”
“You did! High five!” He raises his right hand for a high five, even as he steers up the winding road with his left. We’re halfway up the hill to the Notch, a pass just east of Bald Mountain and the primary road from Amherst to South Hadley. I see another car coming down the highway as Tyler swerves.
“Tyler, watch the road for Chrissake!”
He laughs and returns his right hand to the wheel. “Christ. Always serious. Is this why they appointed you to do the negotiations with the school board?”
“Yeah. It’s because I have no sense of humor, Tyler. You know that.”
“What’ll you do if people ever learn the truth about you, Matty?”
“What truth?” I ask.
He laughs. “Like I’d know. I do know one thing though.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“I know we’re going out for drinks tonight! Nine o’clock at McMurphy’s.”
I frown. McMurphy’s Tavern is tiny and often packed full of college kids from Amherst and UMASS on the weekends.
“Tyler, we’re not twenty-one anymore,” I say. Never mind the fact that tomorrow is the first day back at school for teachers.
“Who cares? The girls are!” He laughs and I shake my head.
Chapter Three
What are your plans? (Zoe)
“Are you sure she should even start school yet? It seems so soon.” Nicole’s voice sounds a little tinny on the phone. She’s out on patrol I think, so she’s probably using a headset. The sun glares off the glass in the minivan, right into the house—it’s going to be another hot, humid day. The light streaming through the windows looks wavy where it lights up uneven rectangles on the bare floor. Some of the windows are original handmade glass. All of them are dirty. Mom and Dad were both always too busy with academics or their personal pursuits to worry about the fine details of housework.
I sigh. In some ways Nicole is right. Maybe. Part of me feels like it is too soon for Jasmine to go back to school. But there is no right answer for Jasmine. “I’d agree, but she asked to go back. Which is a lot coming from an eight-year-old. I think she needs some normality in her life.”
“I get it,” Nicole says. “I just wish I could go back in time a week, and … well, you know.”
“I know,” I whisper. “I do too.”
“What are your plans?” She asks.
I shrug, even though she can’t see me. “I don’t know. I’ve got a meeting with the Veterans Services office at UMASS tomorrow. It’s too late for this semester I’m sure, but maybe I’ll go back to school.”
Nicole’s response is predictable. “You know, there’s an opening in the department. I’m sure you would be a shoe-in for the academy.”
“Nicole, I’m not interested in being a cop.”
“Why not? You were a great MP.”
I snort. “Bullshit. I went along with it because that’s what you wanted to do. I liked the civil affairs work. Riding around in a patrol car and dealing with traffic violations and drunk college kids? No thanks.”
“So what’s your plan then?”
“I don’t know,” I snap. “Right now it’s to get settled and get Jasmine back into school. I haven’t even buried my parents yet, all right?”
“Jesus, Zoe, I’m sorry.” Nicole’s voice is low