“You’ll distract her.”
Before it gets heated, I butt in. “He’ll just stay until your mom agrees to let me stay here. I need him.”
Milo chews his lip, and then nods.
I pull out my books to impress Mrs. Nelson. If she thinks I’m eager to study, it’ll give me brownie-points to win her over. But, let’s face it, I’m not learning anything while I have an opportunity to chat with Kai.
“Hi everyone,” Mrs. Nelson says, walking through the dining room with a bag of groceries. “Oh my gosh, Kai, are you sitting down to study? Has the world flipped upside-down?”
“Chill out,” Kai says as his mom continues on toward the kitchen. “I’m just hanging with Jamie while Milo bores her to death.”
That remark brings Mrs. Nelson back into the dining room, which in turn sends Kai grinning.
“It would do you some good to learn from your brother.” She then turns her attention to me. “How’s everything going, Jamie? Is it all sinking in?”
I nod. “Yeah, kinda. I’m just getting distracted because of Aunt Maddy’s trip.”
Intrigue pulls Mrs. Nelson in. “Maddy’s going on a trip?”
“Her first ever,” I reply. “She’s going to Hawaii and leaving me alone for seven days.”
“Wow,” Mrs. Nelson says, stunned. “Hawaii. That’s amazing. But wait, you’re not going with her?”
I shake my head. “Her boyfriend is whisking her away. I have no idea where I’m gonna go.”
“Come on, Mom,” Kai pipes up. “Give her a break. Just tell her she’ll stay with us next week.”
“She can’t stay next week,” Mrs. Nelson replies, and it’s like a gut-punch. “Do you have a sieve for a memory? Your grandparents get here tomorrow night and are taking the guest bedroom.”
“So?” Kai argues. “She can stay in my bedroom. It’s not like she hasn’t before.”
Mrs. Nelson sighs, exasperated. “That was when you were little kids. I told you, once you became teenagers, no girls in your rooms.”
“Please,” Kai splutters, gesturing at me. “I don’t even think of Jamie as a girl.”
I scoff, folding my arms. “Geez. Thanks.”
Kai huffs. “You know what I mean.”
Mrs. Nelson focuses on Milo. “How do you feel about Jamie staying with us?”
Milo shrugs. “I don’t care. It’s fine.”
Kai leans forward, pointing at Milo. “Mom, he’s the one who suggested to Maddy that Jamie stays with us.”
Milo leans back in his chair, eyes wide. “It was just a suggestion if they were in a bind. I didn’t think it’d be a big deal.”
“I can sleep on the couch,” I say to Mrs. Nelson while clasping my hands together.
She shakes her head. “No way. You can’t sleep on a couch for seven days.”
Kai groans. “Then where else is she supposed to go, Mom? You want her to live alone when she doesn’t have a car and lives on the outskirts of town?”
“No, of course, I don’t want her to be alone. Okay, if Jamie’s staying here,” Mrs. Nelson says in a steady tone, “then you boys will share a room.”
“Huh?” the twins respond at once.
Mrs. Nelson pat’s Milo’s shoulder. “Milo, honey, you’ll move into Kai’s bedroom.”
