was her homemade this or her family recipe for that.
“You’re right!” Merry almost shouted. It was a relief to break the moment, which was stretched thin as elastic wrap.
Slipping Campbell’s opera cape around her shoulders, Drew told Mally, “Your coach awaits!”
Drew’s Toyota, the Green Beast, still kicking at 185,000 miles, had once been silver but now was painted perhaps the ugliest color anyone had ever seen on anything that wasn’t in a test tube or a horror movie. But Drew treated it with pride and care—and more than once, it had been a welcome sight for the twins in one of their life-and-death spots when there seemed to be no hope left.
It all seems so long ago, thought Mallory.
The night was glorious. The stars were out, and although she could see her breath, it wasn’t frigid. They sang with the radio all the way to Bell Fields, where Grandma and Grandpa Brynn owned a spacious ranch, not at all like the deluxe mansion-ettes that multiplied in size the farther up and out you went into the concentric half-moons of the more upscale Haven Hills. One was Neely’s house on Pinnacle Way, sprawling like a cream-colored castle at the very top, overlooking the whole town and the hills that surrounded it.
It was for the acre of land that their grandparents bought the new house. Their old house, where Mally and Merry lived, with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half stories, was just too much for them. They’d sold it to Tim after he and Campbell had the twins.
The twins knew they could count on their grandfather to point out at least three times that everything except the shrimp and the flour came from his and Grandma’s own gardens—yep, they would practically be self-sustaining if they had a cow. (“And a pipeline to Alaska,” Mallory sometimes whispered when Grandpa Brynn got all wound up.) He did, but tonight it was comforting instead of annoying.
Whenever they were around Grandma, Mallory got nostalgic. She thought about things she never thought about otherwise.
Grandpa and Grandma were getting older.
Mally and Merry might go to different colleges, although that was basically unthinkable.
Owen would soon be talking in sentences. Adam was already as tall as his sisters.
As Grandma brought out strawberry shortcake, she leaned over and whispered to Mallory, “Hush now. Every girl feels that way. Like your mom says, it’s just biology. By the way, will you tell your mother I’m not about to keel over? I don’t know what her problem is. Actually, I do know what her problem is. Campbell’s always had a mind of her own. I think she’s afraid I’ll alphabetize the canned goods. I can watch Owen every day for a year or more if need be. Tell her to forget about adding that Melissa Hardesty.”
“Melissa Hardesty isn’t just one sitter too many. It’s all of them,” Mally said.
Grandma went on, “Tell you the truth, I have to agree, Mallory, and I’m not one to put an honest person down. I don’t like a whole bunch of people taking care of my grandson, especially now that he’s feeling a little poorly. I’m not that cool with it.”
“You’re not that cool with it?” Mally asked, trying not to laugh.
“No. Plus, I’m a lot cheaper. I’ll do it for nothing. I swear Campbell treats me like an old woman. Dr. Hardesty is my doctor, and I happen to know that Melissa Hardesty smokes—and not just cigarettes. Wacky tobaccy too.”
“Grandma!” Mallory said, losing the battle to keep her laughter inside.
“You didn’t think our generation knew about anything but elderberry wine, huh?” Grandma put her hands on her hips and mimed holding a long cigarette holder and pushing an invisible hat brim down over her eyes.
“That’s not it. But I’ll tell Mom. I’m relieved. Merry will be, too. It’s not just everyone prying into our lives. It’s Owen. Like you said.” Mallory followed her grandmother into the kitchen, carrying some of the serving plates. “I don’t want so many
“You’re right!” Merry almost shouted. It was a relief to break the moment, which was stretched thin as elastic wrap.
Slipping Campbell’s opera cape around her shoulders, Drew told Mally, “Your coach awaits!”
Drew’s Toyota, the Green Beast, still kicking at 185,000 miles, had once been silver but now was painted perhaps the ugliest color anyone had ever seen on anything that wasn’t in a test tube or a horror movie. But Drew treated it with pride and care—and more than once, it had been a welcome sight for the twins in one of their life-and-death spots when there seemed to be no hope left.
It all seems so long ago, thought Mallory.
The night was glorious. The stars were out, and although she could see her breath, it wasn’t frigid. They sang with the radio all the way to Bell Fields, where Grandma and Grandpa Brynn owned a spacious ranch, not at all like the deluxe mansion-ettes that multiplied in size the farther up and out you went into the concentric half-moons of the more upscale Haven Hills. One was Neely’s house on Pinnacle Way, sprawling like a cream-colored castle at the very top, overlooking the whole town and the hills that surrounded it.
It was for the acre of land that their grandparents bought the new house. Their old house, where Mally and Merry lived, with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half stories, was just too much for them. They’d sold it to Tim after he and Campbell had the twins.
The twins knew they could count on their grandfather to point out at least three times that everything except the shrimp and the flour came from his and Grandma’s own gardens—yep, they would practically be self-sustaining if they had a cow. (“And a pipeline to Alaska,” Mallory sometimes whispered when Grandpa Brynn got all wound up.) He did, but tonight it was comforting instead of annoying.
Whenever they were around Grandma, Mallory got nostalgic. She thought about things she never thought about otherwise.
Grandpa and Grandma were getting older.
Mally and Merry might go to different colleges, although that was basically unthinkable.
Owen would soon be talking in sentences. Adam was already as tall as his sisters.
As Grandma brought out strawberry shortcake, she leaned over and whispered to Mallory, “Hush now. Every girl feels that way. Like your mom says, it’s just biology. By the way, will you tell your mother I’m not about to keel over? I don’t know what her problem is. Actually, I do know what her problem is. Campbell’s always had a mind of her own. I think she’s afraid I’ll alphabetize the canned goods. I can watch Owen every day for a year or more if need be. Tell her to forget about adding that Melissa Hardesty.”
“Melissa Hardesty isn’t just one sitter too many. It’s all of them,” Mally said.
Grandma went on, “Tell you the truth, I have to agree, Mallory, and I’m not one to put an honest person down. I don’t like a whole bunch of people taking care of my grandson, especially now that he’s feeling a little poorly. I’m not that cool with it.”
“You’re not that cool with it?” Mally asked, trying not to laugh.
“No. Plus, I’m a lot cheaper. I’ll do it for nothing. I swear Campbell treats me like an old woman. Dr. Hardesty is my doctor, and I happen to know that Melissa Hardesty smokes—and not just cigarettes. Wacky tobaccy too.”
“Grandma!” Mallory said, losing the battle to keep her laughter inside.
“You didn’t think our generation knew about anything but elderberry wine, huh?” Grandma put her hands on her hips and mimed holding a long cigarette holder and pushing an invisible hat brim down over her eyes.
“That’s not it. But I’ll tell Mom. I’m relieved. Merry will be, too. It’s not just everyone prying into our lives. It’s Owen. Like you said.” Mallory followed her grandmother into the kitchen, carrying some of the serving plates. “I don’t want so many
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