pattern for her. Maybe once things were settled she would sleep better. She thought about Logan. He’d been so sweet this morning, and she’d loved seeing him all ruffled just out of bed. He would be leaving for college in a few weeks. Would she really see him again after that? Would he text her? Would he come back on the weekends? Or he might meet some older college girl and forget all about Shelby. That didn't make her happy at all. She thought about Logan's mother, Iris. She had a soft heart and had let Mutt stay. If Mr. DeLuca returned, Shelby was sure her grandma would take Mutt if Mrs. Williams wasn't able. There was no way they were going to let that dog be homeless.
“Just a small snack,” Alice said, laying a tray of peanut butter toast for two and hot tea on the coffee table. She took a seat next to Shelby and poured the tea.
Suddenly starving, Shelby pushed herself upright and joined her grandmother for a bite.
"It's been quite an eventful morning,” Alice said, warming her hands on the cup. “Are you okay?”
"I am," Shelby said. She nibbled on the toast smothered in crunchy peanut butter that had melted slightly into the warm bread. "But everything's moving so fast. Pretty soon the summer's going to be over.” Suddenly Dana’s last phone call resonated in her ears. There’d been so many distractions. “Have you heard any more from Dana?"
"Oh my gosh," Alice said. She put her cup down on the table. "I completely forgot. She asked for us to call her today.”
"Wait. Before we do, I've been thinking."
"So have I," Alice said.
Shelby sat up straight. "I don't want to leave you and Moonwater Lake. I've made up my mind. Is it really all right with you if I stay here until I finish high school?”
Alice smiled. "Nothing would make me happier. But we do need to talk to your mother. She's the one with full legal custody."
Shelby’s shoulders dropped. She reminded herself she had options. “I'm sixteen now and I know there are legal ways to make this work. Maybe if we try to reason with Dana, and show her our side, she'll understand."
Alice didn't say a word. Shelby knew why. It would be a stretch of the imagination to think that Dana would put Shelby’s needs first.
Alice stood and retrieved her cell phone from the kitchen counter. "I think we'd better call Dana before discussing this any further."
Shelby agreed. She stood next to Alice, watched as she punched in the numbers and then put it on speaker. When it kept ringing, Shelby felt a wave of relief that they could avoid it until another day. But it was not to be.
"Hello, Dana. I hope we haven’t disturbed you,” Alice said.
Shelby listened as her mother gushed over the new house purchase. Alice barely got a word in.
"Yes, that is great news,” Alice said. "When is it going to close?"
When Dana told them the date, Shelby felt her stomach cave in like a sinkhole with nothing to grasp onto.
"That soon? I see,” Alice said. “You probably want to talk to Shelby now."
Shelby closed her eyes, praying the answer was no, but when she opened them, Alice was handing her the phone.
After saying hello, her mother jumped right in with all the details. Dana was in one of her highs about the house being in escrow.
“Just think,” Dana said, “you’ll live in a palatial house, have your own room and bathroom. And you can swim in the ocean anytime you want. I miss you. You know how much I depend on my little girl.”
There was a time when Shelby would've loved the idea. A family, a house, her own room. But now she had everything she wanted here in Moonwater Lake.
"I'm very happy for you, Mom,” Shelby said. It was now or never, she told herself. "But I still feel the same about staying here."
There was a tense silence before Dana answered. "That’s not possible, Shelby. Gus and I have already made plans to drive out in a couple of days. We’ll pick you up and have a few days for a little vacation before we need to get back and sign the final papers on the house. So you’d better start packing."
Shelby was stunned. She didn't know what else to say except no, no, no, no! Obviously “no” was not a word Dana understood when it came from her daughter. She had Gus to rely on now,