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"Are you sure Tyler is happy with this new arrangement, Alice?" she asked almost as soon as we started away. "That's not a very big house. You're probably stumbling over each other, and I'm sure they
value their privacy."
"He seems very happy about it," I said. "They
have their privacy, Grandma. I'm downstairs, and now
I'll have the studio and be in their way even less." "Besides, she'll make new friends and get into
some new activities here," my grandfather said.
"She'll have plenty to do outside of the house." New friends? I thought. I didn't have any old
ones.
"Zipporah and Tyler are very involved in that
cafe of theirs. They're not going to be able to devote
all that much time to you, Alice," my grandmother
warned.
"I don't need a babysitter, Grandma. I'm nearly
seventeen."
"She's right, Elaine. Stop bugging her." "Are you feeling all right?" she asked me,
ignoring him as usual. "No pains? No headaches?" "I'm fine," I said. "If anything bothers me,
you'll be the first to know."
Dissatisfied with my answers but unable to
shake me out of my determination to remain, she
settled back and finally relaxed. We had a great lunch together. I couldn't help looking to the door every time someone entered, as usual half expecting, and hoping, to see Duncan come in, especially today, so he could see and meet my grandparents, but he didn't come. At one point, Missy paused to whisper in my
ear.
"Where's Mr. Weirdo these days? You give him
his walking papers?"
"I don't know," I said. "Lucky you," she replied,
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smiling.
Why did people take such pleasure in the
unhappiness of others? I wondered. Was it simply
because it wasn't their unhappiness, or were we all
sadists deep down inside? Or could it be jealousy,
