The Things You Kiss Goodbye by Leslie Connor Read Free Book Online Page B

little girl. I had thought Nonna was her name so I had called her by it. She’d grabbed me by my wrist and she’d set me straight in front of a room full of people while I blushed like a cinnamon candy. After that, I had been equally scared and mesmerized by her.
    “Does she still live upstairs from you?” I asked.
    “She does. She’s real sick though.”
    “Oh, Tony.” I hesitated then asked, “What is it?”
    “The big C. She’s fighting. But it’s not going so good,” he said.
    “Oh my gosh. I’m sorry. Regina? Really?” I said. “It doesn’t seem possible.”
    Regina Colletti was beautiful—
never
vulnerable. I’d sensed that even as a little kid. Instead of a Madonna statue, Regina had a statue of a little pissing boy in her yard. He filled up her fountain where the neighborhood cats came to drink. She’d been both queen bee and rebel of that old neighborhood.
    “Hardest part is keeping her cheered up,” Tony said.
    “Hmm . . . well, she always liked a crowd.” I was thinking aloud.
    “You’re right. And she doesn’t have the energy for big parties now, but she likes when people visit. Hey, why don’t you come by?” Tony faced me. “She’d love that!” he said. “Walk home with me one day. I’ll take you up to see her.”
    “Oh, Tony, of course I will.” I heard myself say it, and immediately wanted to backpedal. Regina didn’t even like me. I didn’t want to see her. “I don’t know when—”
    “Hey! Hey, P’teen-uh!” Suddenly, Brady was coming across the toppled grass like his ass was on fire. When he reached us, he put on the brakes and gave Tony a pseudo-convivial nod. “What’s up, man?” he said in that way that lets the person know you don’t really expect an answer. Tony extended his hand, and Brady eyed him before he gripped it.
    “Just catching up. Old friends,” Tony said.
    Brady cupped my elbow. “Come on. Let’s take a walk,” he said. I gave Tony a weak smile and Brady pulled me away, my boots catching on tangles of long grass. He stopped abruptly and gave me a big, territorial kiss.
    My face went hot and my hair prickled. I wiggled out, whispering, “Stop it!”
    “Stop it? Oh, that’s nice. I can’t kiss you?” Our breath mingled in the cold.
    “Not like that.”
    “Like what?”
    I glanced back toward the spot where I’d been talking toTony Colletti. I lowered my voice way down and hissed at Brady. “Like you’re trying to drench me in piss!” I tried to take a step but it was like that damn grass had me tied down. I swore under my breath and ripped my foot free. I put a few paces between Brady and me. Found a little breathing space of my own.
    Well, Brady got quiet after that, and I guess I did too. We didn’t stay much longer at the glider field. I never got to ask him if he’d dance with me. As we drove along the dark roads toward home, he asked me if I was okay.
    “Yes. Fine.”
    But Brady pulled over and shut off the car. He turned to me. “Look, the thing is, you act so shy all the time,” he began. “It’s like you never talk to anybody. Then you finally do and it’s a
guy
. . . and it’s
that guy
, and I don’t know. I don’t think I get that.”
    “Well, first, if you haven’t noticed, I am just a little outside your circle of friends. So, yeah, around them, I feel shy.”
    “Aw, you just have to keep coming out with me. Get to know them better.” He brushed my shoulder with the backs of his knuckles.
    I nodded. “And I will,” I said. “But about Tony, he is an old friend. I already told you that, and now he’s told you that, too—”
    “So what? That means you’re going to talk to him nomatter what?” Brady stared forward, maybe looking hurt, I wasn’t sure.
    “Listen, Brady . . .” I thought for a second. “His nonna—his grandma—is super sick. That’s what he was telling me tonight. He just wants me to come see her. It’s nothing more. You and I are rock solid.”
    I leaned across the split