Living Backwards by Tracy Sweeney Read Free Book Online Page B

stranger. “Maybe I am as insane as I look.”
    “Well, if it’s any consolation, my wife is an amazing cook and she uses the dry tofu,” he added smiling.
    “You’re a life saver,” I replied breathing a sigh of relief.
    “Not a problem at all. My wife’s writing a cookbook. I eat, sleep and breathe recipe ingredients. Tonight is osso bucco night.” He seemed very excited and I was a little jealous. My mom wasn’t the best cook around. She tried, but her flavoring was always pretty bland.
    “Well, enjoy your osso bucco and thank you again,” I replied with a small wave.
    “Good luck with the Pad Thai.”
    I brought all of the items to the checkout and headed home. I needed to remember that although my situation was ridiculous, I need to refrain from assaulting people in the grocery story.
    Back at Casa Cross, there were no cars in the driveway. I had yet to see my mom since she was already at the hospital when I got up this morning. I assumed she’d be home but no one was around. It was the perfect opportunity to raid the liquor cabinet that in my adolescence I never even imagined opening. In the den, I opened the bottom door to my mother’s hutch and inhaled the intoxicating scent of commingled alcohols. Come to mama . But as I perused the selection, it became apparent that the bottles inhabiting the liquor cabinet must have been gifts from people who clearly did not like my parents: Seagram’s VO, Midori, a couple random bottles of wine and my nemesis, Captain Morgan. I was desperate. Captain, I’m willing to call a truce if you are. I grabbed the brown bottle and headed to the kitchen as the phone rang.
    “Hey, honey,” my dad greeted.
    “Dad, why aren’t you home? And where’s mom?” I asked, clutching the bottle to my chest.
    “That’s why I’m calling,” he began. “She got stuck at the hospital because one of those yahoos called out sick. I’m gonna pick her up after my shift and head over to Capanelli’s for dinner. You want to come along?”
    I did a little dance in place. Capanelli’s was in Tacoma. They’d be gone for hours.
    “Oh Dad, I wish I could,” I replied, sounding as disappointed as I could. “But I asked Danielle Powers and Megan Dunn to come by and study for our World Lit final.”
    “Don, who?” He snapped into the phone.
    “Relax, Dad. Megan Dunn. Megan’s a girl.”
    “Oh. Okay. Well, we’ll miss you, but we’ll try not to be late.”
    “No worries, Dad. You’ll just be coming home to a bunch of giggling, obnoxious teenage girls. Take your time.”
    “In that case, we should probably go to a movie too!” he laughed.
    It didn’t surprise me that he wasn’t concerned leaving me alone. I had never given him any reason to believe that I wasn’t one-hundred-percent trustworthy. I felt a twinge of remorse as I realized this would be the first time I broke any of their rules. But it was only a twinge.
    “Have fun, Dad. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
    “Have a nice night, honey.”
    Hanging up, I looked at the clock to see that it was almost five. I grabbed a large pan from the kitchen cabinet because I knew they wouldn’t have a wok and began my preparations. Fortunately, part of my prep was to sample the rum to make sure it was suitable for my guests. I was a thorough hostess.
    At five, the doorbell rang.
    “Jillian!” Danielle beamed, embracing me in the doorway. “You know Megan.” Meg walked through the door and gave me a half smile, her eyes narrow. I knew that look well. It was the look she gave Val every time we’d run into her. My best friend just gave me the Val Smile. This was not good.
    “Hi Megan,” I said, pretending I didn’t know she was obviously unhappy to be there. “Come on in. I was just having a beverage.” I raised the bottle of rum, and I thought I saw something spark in her eye, but it was probably her body’s automatic response to its proximity to alcohol. She was partially to blame for my corruption in college,