Dr. Dad by Judith Arnold Page A

father reminded her. “You shouldn’t confuse Susannah with the character she played on TV. She isn’t really a doctor. She’s an actress.”
    Lindsey pursed her lips. “Duh. I know that,” she said, then regretted her sarcastic tone. “Anyway, she probably never wants to talk to me ever again because of the way I bolted after dinner. She probably thinks I’m like a creep.”
    â€œNo, she doesn’t.”
    â€œShe probably thinks I’m obnoxious.”
    â€œLindsey.” Again he looked on the verge of putting his arm around her, but he didn’t. “She probably thinks you were done eating and wanted to be excused.”
    Lindsey snorted. She hadn’t made a good impression on Susannah Dawson, and she knew it. “If she comes over again, I promise I’ll be better,” she said, hoping that Susannah would come back at least once more, if only so Lindsey would have a chance to stick around after the meal was done, and act like a proper hostess.
    And she would. She swore to herself she’d be as good a hostess as she could, just for the chance of getting Susannah Dawson to like her.
    â€œMaybe it’s time for you to start practicing being better by climbing the stairs and getting into bed,” her father said with a teasing smile. “It’s late, Lindsey. Time for you to get some sleep.”
    â€œI’m old enough to stay up till ten-thirty. Everyone else in my class…” She bit her lip to silence herself. She knew what her father thought about everyone else doing something: he didn’t care. And if he felt like it, he could give her a very long speech about why he didn’t care.
    She hoped he would spare the speech tonight.
    He did. “I’ll be heading up to bed myself soon. I’ll give you a five-minute head start, okay?”
    â€œMaybe you should stay up and watch Mercy Hospital. ”
    â€œIs it on tonight?”
    â€œNo, but I’ve got it on tape. It’s always on too late, so I have to tape it.” She eased her legs out from under the T-shirt and stood. She could have found a better way to argue about her bedtime, but not tonight. Notwhen her father was looking so wistful. Not when he was missing her mom.
    â€œDon’t forget to brush your teeth,” he reminded her.
    â€œYeah.” Her teeth had chocolate grit in them from the brownies. “Good night, Dr. Dad.”
    â€œGood night, Hot Stuff. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
    She went upstairs, brushed her teeth, used the toilet and went back to her bedroom. Checking through the window, she noticed that the lights were off downstairs in Susannah’s living room and the dining room, but Cathy’s old window was still bright. Lindsey couldn’t see Susannah, though. She couldn’t even see MacKenzie.
    She tugged the string to lower her shade, then sprawled out in bed. The house was as quiet as midnight. She closed her eyes and listened for her father’s footsteps on the stairs, but she never heard them.
    He was probably still in the study, staring through the window at the house next door.
    Â 
    O VER BREAKFAST Saturday morning, Lindsey announced that she wanted to go to the supermarket with him. According to her, the music store two doors down from the supermarket was selling a CD by the latest sixteen-year-old singing sensation at a three-dollar discount. “She is so cool,” Lindsey rhapsodized. “Everybody at school has her CD. I’ve got to get it.”
    â€œIf everyone already has it, why don’t you borrow someone’s CD and tape it,” Toby suggested.
    She rolled her eyes. “It’s not the same.”
    â€œIt’s at least ten dollars cheaper.”
    â€œBut it’s not the same. Don’t you know anything?”
    The girl who had been so open to him last night, so generous and friendly, had disappeared. The surly Lindsey Beast was back.
    He sighed.