Then I read his Wiki page and happened to see that he also attended your high school, which I recall because I already know everything about you. So, is there a juicy story there, Mari? A sordid love affair with the rock star before he became someone?” She’s trying not to smile and folds her hands under her chin.
“Oh, God! Rose, you’re off base here. And don’t smile, your face will crack.” I start looking for my keys. They should be on the counter, but they aren’t. Damn it, Mitchell!
Rose laughs. “Come on, you know something about him, or you wouldn’t be acting all squirrelly. Lay it on me. I’m an old lady and need to live vicariously through you young people.” She tips her head to the side and grins. I know if I don’t offer something she’ll hound me until I crack, so I throw her a bone.
I make a sound in the back of my throat and flop my head on her desk. “Yes, we were in high school together. We got locked in a closet once. Fun times.” I lift my head and grin. “I’ll tell you about it sometime.”
Her lips form a big O and her dark eyes nearly fall out of her face. “You did not do that to an old woman!”
“You’re not old, Rose!” I turn and start to walk away.
She calls out behind me. “And don’t I know it. I’m your younger, tanner sister from back in the day. We’re twins separated at birth.”
The corner of my mouth pulls up. I turn, walking backward as I say, “That means Dr. Hardass is your dad, too. I’ll be sure to get you a seat at the dinner table, right next to him.” No one likes sitting next to Dad when he eats. Everything has to be perfectly displayed—all outlines squared off to his napkin, plate, and placemat. When he eats in the cafeteria, he does the same thing—and yes, he brings a placemat, because he’s him.
Rose frowns and wags a finger at me. “I meant to say step-sister. Yeah. That makes more sense, especially considering you don’t like crawfish. Who doesn't like crawfish?” She shakes her head like it’s weird.
“Good night, Rose! I need to find Mitchell before he leaves. The guy has my keys.”
“Oh, he’s already gone, honey.”
I stop and look back at her. “And my keys?”
She shrugs. “He didn’t give them to me.”
“Crap.” Annoyed, I rush outside into the early morning air. The sun isn’t quite rising yet, so the sky is still that dark blue.
The cop that told me not to park at the entrance earlier is still there. He smiles and walks over to me, stepping lightly as if he were dancing. “Good evening, DOCTOR Jennings.”
I stare at him for a second and then blurt out. “You towed my car, didn’t you?”
He smacks his lips and makes a popping sound, before leaning in close to me. “I sure did. The Suffolk County police force is not your personal valet, Doc. I couldn’t leave my station, and you were in a red zone.”
“So I know whether or not to kick Mitchell's ass—did he come out here?”
He shoots me a wide grin, no teeth showing. The cop tucks his arms under his elbows and nods once. “I might remember someone trying to find the keys, but they weren’t in the ignition. Damnedest thing happened after that, a tow truck just happened to show up.”
I groan and stare at him. “Why do you hate me?”
“Why do doctors act like they’re better than everyone else?”
“I didn’t do that.”
“You tossed me your keys like I was a servant. Word to the wise—if you’re not careful, you’ll turn into your old man.”
I cringe. “Fine, you’re right. I was an ass before. Let me make it up to you. There’s a Dunkin’ Donuts down the street.”
He laughs. “Wiseass.”
“Maybe. Okay, I’m headed home, right after I call a cab. And, I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to come off like that. It’s been a really weird night.” As I finish the sentence, a limo pulls up behind me. The headlights shoot two narrow beams of light through the dark parking lot.
A tinted window slides down, and
“Oh, God! Rose, you’re off base here. And don’t smile, your face will crack.” I start looking for my keys. They should be on the counter, but they aren’t. Damn it, Mitchell!
Rose laughs. “Come on, you know something about him, or you wouldn’t be acting all squirrelly. Lay it on me. I’m an old lady and need to live vicariously through you young people.” She tips her head to the side and grins. I know if I don’t offer something she’ll hound me until I crack, so I throw her a bone.
I make a sound in the back of my throat and flop my head on her desk. “Yes, we were in high school together. We got locked in a closet once. Fun times.” I lift my head and grin. “I’ll tell you about it sometime.”
Her lips form a big O and her dark eyes nearly fall out of her face. “You did not do that to an old woman!”
“You’re not old, Rose!” I turn and start to walk away.
She calls out behind me. “And don’t I know it. I’m your younger, tanner sister from back in the day. We’re twins separated at birth.”
The corner of my mouth pulls up. I turn, walking backward as I say, “That means Dr. Hardass is your dad, too. I’ll be sure to get you a seat at the dinner table, right next to him.” No one likes sitting next to Dad when he eats. Everything has to be perfectly displayed—all outlines squared off to his napkin, plate, and placemat. When he eats in the cafeteria, he does the same thing—and yes, he brings a placemat, because he’s him.
Rose frowns and wags a finger at me. “I meant to say step-sister. Yeah. That makes more sense, especially considering you don’t like crawfish. Who doesn't like crawfish?” She shakes her head like it’s weird.
“Good night, Rose! I need to find Mitchell before he leaves. The guy has my keys.”
“Oh, he’s already gone, honey.”
I stop and look back at her. “And my keys?”
She shrugs. “He didn’t give them to me.”
“Crap.” Annoyed, I rush outside into the early morning air. The sun isn’t quite rising yet, so the sky is still that dark blue.
The cop that told me not to park at the entrance earlier is still there. He smiles and walks over to me, stepping lightly as if he were dancing. “Good evening, DOCTOR Jennings.”
I stare at him for a second and then blurt out. “You towed my car, didn’t you?”
He smacks his lips and makes a popping sound, before leaning in close to me. “I sure did. The Suffolk County police force is not your personal valet, Doc. I couldn’t leave my station, and you were in a red zone.”
“So I know whether or not to kick Mitchell's ass—did he come out here?”
He shoots me a wide grin, no teeth showing. The cop tucks his arms under his elbows and nods once. “I might remember someone trying to find the keys, but they weren’t in the ignition. Damnedest thing happened after that, a tow truck just happened to show up.”
I groan and stare at him. “Why do you hate me?”
“Why do doctors act like they’re better than everyone else?”
“I didn’t do that.”
“You tossed me your keys like I was a servant. Word to the wise—if you’re not careful, you’ll turn into your old man.”
I cringe. “Fine, you’re right. I was an ass before. Let me make it up to you. There’s a Dunkin’ Donuts down the street.”
He laughs. “Wiseass.”
“Maybe. Okay, I’m headed home, right after I call a cab. And, I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to come off like that. It’s been a really weird night.” As I finish the sentence, a limo pulls up behind me. The headlights shoot two narrow beams of light through the dark parking lot.
A tinted window slides down, and
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