AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After he climbed in and started the engine, Carly said, “This car looks shinier today than it did on Saturday. Did you wash it again?”
“No, but the sunlight brings out the true color,” Wyatt said, glancing back at her. “Did you have a good day at school?”
“Pretty good,” Carly said. For the next several moments, she rattled off a few conversations she’d had. “Mr. Davis will be happy that I took his advice.”
“What advice was that?” Anita asked. Why didn’t she know about this?
“He told me to talk to three people I hadn’t before,” Carly said. “He gave me some questions to ask, and well, it worked. I have new friends.”
“What questions?” Wyatt asked.
That was what Anita wanted to know too.
“If they grew up here,” Carly said. “Ask about the teachers they like, and then ask if they’re into music and what kind.” She paused. “Mr. Davis said to always have topics for conversation, even if you have to write them down and memorize them. He said people like to talk about themselves, and all you have to do is ask the questions.”
Anita smiled. “That’s pretty smart of him.”
“I didn’t realize Gramps had a method that he used,” Wyatt said. “It makes sense, though. Whenever I’ve gone anywhere with him, he strikes up conversations with people. He doesn’t care who the person is, he just talks to them, and pretty soon, they find things they have in common.”
“It’s a gift,” Anita said. “I don’t think I could do it.”
Carly cut in. “Mr. Davis said it takes practice. And preparing your questions. You should try it, Mom.”
“Okay . . . Do I need that sort of help?”
“Yes,” Carly said immediately. “I mean, you’re not friends with the moms of my friends. And they all do stuff together.”
She bit her lip. Was Carly talking about her old friends, or her new friends—whom she didn’t even know yet. And she couldn’t do lunch dates or tennis matches with the other women because she had to work and support—
“I think Gramps had great advice,” Wyatt said. “We should all try it.”
“On each other?” Carly asked.
“Sure,” he said. “I can start.”
Everyone went silent, waiting for his question.
“So, Carly, how was school today?”
“Nooo...” she said. “It has to be something that doesn’t have a one-word answer.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Okay, okay. Carly, what do you hope we find at the library?”
“Oh, that’s a good one.” She leaned forward in her seat. “I hope we find out who Susan really was and more about what high school was like when Mr. Davis went. I think it will be fun to tell him what we learned.” She tapped Anita’s shoulder. “Your turn, Mom.”
Anita cleared her throat. “All right. I’ll ask Wyatt a question.” He glanced over at her, a half-smile on his face. “What was your favorite part about work today and what was your least favorite?”
He tugged at his collar. “Are you sure this isn’t a job interview?”
She smiled, and Carly giggled.
“Uh, today the best part was finishing a report that’s taken three days to compile,” he said. “The least favorite part was getting a flat tire on the way to work.”
“Oh no, this car?”
“Yeah. This is my second shirt of the day and second pair of pants. What I originally wore is at the cleaner’s, and I can only hope they’ll get the road oil out of it.”
“Road oil? What’s that?” Carly asked.
