Read Online Shucked by Megg Jensen - Free Book Online Page A

"Look, I know you and my
mom used to date." I paused, debating whether or not to tell him about the
picture I'd found of the two of them, then decided against it. "I hope
that won't affect my grade or anything."
    Illinois
Jon laughed as he flipped on his signal to turn onto Mimi and Gramps' country
road. The chipped rock crunched under his car as he slowed down. "You
don't have to worry about that. I'm a professional. If my feelings about my
students' parents mattered, I never would have gotten the job. I went to high
school with almost all of them. New families aren't common in this area."
    That
was true. I'd barely interacted with them over the past few summers, but Mimi
always had the same friends over for tea and bridge. Other than my mom, the
only time someone left was for college or when they died.
    "Okay."
I breathed a little sigh of relief disguised as a yawn. "That's good to
know. I mean, it's not like failing me because my mom dumped you is kosher.
You'd probably lose your job."
    He
turned into the quarter-mile gravel driveway. "Is that what she told you?
That she dumped me?"
    I
paused. I guess no one had ever officially told me the story of why they broke
up. I'd just assumed it was because she left him behind. "Um, no, I kind
of assumed..."
    Illinois
Jon turned off the engine and opened his door. What was he doing? Staying? No,
no, no, this couldn't be happening. I jumped out of my side, dragging my
backpack behind me. "Thanks for the ride. I'll see you at school tomorrow,
I guess."
    I ran
up to the front door, peeked behind me and was horrified to see he was still
following me up the sidewalk. What was his problem?
    Mimi
opened the door before I could put my key into the first lock.
    "Jon!"
She pushed past me with her arms wide open. She gave Jon the biggest hug,
wrapping her hulking arms around him and squeezing tighter than a python.
    "Birdie,
I'm sorry I haven't been out to visit since last spring. I thought I'd drop off
Tabitha and stop in and say hi." He smiled at her. It was genuine too. And
he called her Birdie. Everyone called Mimi by her given name, Bertha, except
Gramps. Where did he get off calling her Birdie?
    My eyes
narrowed. This was weird. All the summers I'd spent here and he hadn't visited
once. Now they were old friends? I was missing something.
    "Come
on in, Jon. I just made a batch of fresh cookies." She turned to me.
"Do you have homework Tabitha? I suggest you run upstairs and get started.
I already set out a plate with a couple of cookies on it. You can take it to
your room."
    Jon
rubbed his stomach. "Best cookies in the county. Your mom and I ate them
all the time when we were kids." He winked at me. "Don't worry about
your math homework for today. I won't require you to do it since you haven't
had your first tutoring session yet."
    Mimi
patted Jon on the shoulder. "Such a good man, don't you think,
Tabitha?"
    They
both stood on the porch smiling at me like pod people. Someone had to be
playing a joke. This was just bizarre. "Um, yeah. Thanks." I ran into
the kitchen, grabbed my cookies, and bounded up the stairs. I slammed the door
shut, and then opened the grate in the floor. All the old houses around here
had them. Back when they were built, that's how they made sure air circulated
through the house before central heating ducts. I used to use them to spy on
Mimi and Gramps when I was little. Today they'd come in handy.
    I
kicked off my shoes, making as much noise as I could so they'd think I was
doing homework like I was supposed to. Then I laid down on the threadbare
carpet with my ear up to the metal grate. Their voices wafted up into my room.
    "How
much does she know?" Jon asked, his voice a little muffled. I imagined
he'd taken a bite of a cookie. I reached behind me, pulling the plate closer
and took a nibble of my own. Crumbs tumbled into my open palm. I couldn't risk
letting one of them fall on the off chance they might see the cookie shower and
bust me.
    "Nothing.
My daughter