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“That’s why some of the pieces look good and the others don’t,” Tina explains. “He had to practice not cutting them so jagged and chunky. The trick is to cut each slice evenly.”
“I didn’t see Aunt Melody letting you cut in,” Ryan snaps back.
“Are you trying to pun?” Tina asks as I take a deep breath.
“Are you trying to mansplain?” Ryan snaps.
I don’t know why it takes more than one attempt to regain my composure, but it does. I try once more and blink away the glare I’m currently throwing through that ingrate of a woman’s bedroom window.
“Hey, hey, settle down. It’s…” I check my phone. “Seven-fifteen. That’s way too early for fighting.”
I don’t want Tina or Ryan to have any idea about last night. The girl already knows enough, and I’m not proud of being a part of a secret that was forced upon her.
“We know about last night,” Ryan blurts, and all my arm hair stands on end. I feel hot and cold at the same time. Did I just hear what I think I heard? “And a couple other ones, too.”
I close my eyes for a moment too long. “How much did you hear? What did your—”
“I was going to tell him, Ryan! It was my secret to keep, not yours!” Tina whines, interrupting me as my palms go from dry to clammy.
“Well, keep those secrets better next time, and I won’t steal your thunder.” Ryan gives me a look that says, ‘sister, am I right?’
“Is this about the honeydew?” Tina asks. “Because your slicesaresubpar. It’s not an insult. It’s a fact. Tell him, Jaromir! Tell him he’s not being nice. He’s practically in love with you, so it’ll hurt coming from you.”
“You’re two are on fire today, aren’t you?” Melody’s voice makes me choke mid-swallow. I thank my lucky stars Ryan and Tina jump higher than I do.
Her hair’s still damp, hanging in a long brown bundle over one shoulder. The image leaves me wondering what her shower looks like from the inside. Could it fit the two of us?
Read the room, Jaromir,the reasonable part of me whispers, and I take the advice.
“Because she was jealous she didn’t get to cut Jaromir’s breakfast. I think she might be in love with him, Aunty.” Ryan glowers at his sister.
“Stop it, Ryan! This is serious. We have to confess something.” Tina rubs her arms, and I wonder if there’s a kid alive capable of a guiltier expression.
“She has to confess something to you,” Ryan corrects. “It’s not my secret to tell.”
“I told him.” Tina gestures to her brother. “I didn’t mean to. I just couldn’t keep it any longer. And I…” Tina closes her eyes, most likely to focus on the correct words. I feel guilty. All of this angst to keep a simple kiss under wraps?
“It was wrong of us to ask you to keep it, got it?” I say, hoping she really hears me.``None of this is your fault. I definitely would have told Ryan, too. And a long time before you did.”
“And who else would youtell, Jar?”
The implications of her words aren’t lost on me. But before I can respond, Melody hangs her head. She covers her face with her hands and I like it. She should be embarrassed. What kind of example is she setting?
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“That’s alright, Melody.”
I hope using her name has an effect on her. Any effect really. It warms my heart to know she made a mistake. Maybe if she can admit this small slip-up, she can come around to the idea that Verog would never, and I mean never, send secret love notes, let alone to her. And he definitely wouldn’t destroy her office. She should know that.
“But it’s not. That’s the point.” Tina studies her feet and fiddles with the sleeves of her nightgown. I’m about to ask her if she wants a hug when she continues. “I didn’t want to think it at first, but there might be someone else who knows about you guys.”
“Who?” Melody and I say in unison.
“Mr. Grey,” Ryan says. “He was coming down the stairs outside when Tina told me.”
“He sort of looked at us funny,” Tina explains. “But I just thought it was cause we were eating outside instead of the cafeteria.”
“Looking back, it was weird he didn’t call us out,” Ryan admits.
