Anything but Normal - Melody Carlson [49]
“Little Susie Homemaker,” Carrie Anne teased. “Meet ya in the den.”
As they parted ways, Sophie knew she had to think of an excuse to leave. Maybe she could fake appendicitis. She wondered which side had the appendix and what the symptoms were like.
“I can take that for you,” Mrs. Vincent said.
Sophie surrendered the dish mutely, staring in horror as Mrs. Vincent introduced Dylan’s mom to Sophie’s mom. The two grandmothers . . . in the same room.
“Sophie, I see your chin recovered,” Mrs. Morris said.
Sophie reached up to touch her chin.
“From your fall at the lake. Remember?”
“Oh yeah.” Sophie just stood there dumbly.
“You go watch the game,” Mrs. Vincent said. “We’ve got plenty of helping hands in here.”
“But I could—”
“No, no,” Mrs. Morris said. “Go join the kids and the guys. We want to talk about things like menopause and Botox now.”
Sophie left the kitchen, but instead of going to the den, she went to Carrie Anne’s bedroom and sat down on her bed. What to do, what to do, what to do?
“What are you doing in here?” Carrie Anne asked. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Sophie just sat there.
“Are you sick or something?”
She nodded.
“Seriously? What’s wrong?”
Sophie didn’t respond.
“Want me to get your mom?”
She shook her head.
“Really, Sophie, what’s wrong? I mean, you actually do look sick—”
“I think I have mono,” Sophie told her. Yes, it was a lie. A big fat lie. But it was all she could come up with at the moment. It wasn’t like she could confess to Carrie Anne that (1)she was freaking that Dylan was downstairs, (2) she’d had sex with him, and (3) she was pregnant with his child. Seriously, Carrie Anne would totally freak. Or, worse, she wouldn’t believe her.
“Mono?”
Sophie just nodded.
“How’d you get it?”
“Probably from Wes.”
Carrie Anne giggled. “You’ve kissed Wes?”
Sophie started to cry.
“I’m sorry. I’m not making fun of you. But it’s just that you never told me.” Carrie Anne frowned. “I cannot believe you didn’t tell me, Sophie. We’re best friends and you keep something like that from me?”
Sophie flopped facedown on the bed and continued to cry.
“What should I do?”
“Nothing,” Sophie sobbed. “Just leave me alone.”
“Does your mom know you have mono?” Carrie Anne’s voice was quieter now. Like she didn’t want anyone in her family to hear her.
“No,” Sophie muttered.
“Did you go to the doctor?”
“No.” Sophie sat up, wiping her cheeks with the backs of her hands.
“So how do you know?”
“Because Wes has it. And I have all the symptoms. Remember how tired I’ve been?”
“Yeah, I guess. I mean, before, I did. You seem more like your old self lately. Well, except for now.”
“Right.”
“Why don’t you stay up here and have a little rest,” Carrie Anne suggested.
“Thanks.”
“I need to go back down. I promised Dylan that I’d whoop him in Ping-Pong.” Carrie Anne giggled again. “Don’t tell Drew, okay?”
“Tell Drew what?” Sophie shook her head. “Huh?”
“You know, I wouldn’t want Drew to think I was flirting with Dylan.”
“Are you?”
“Duh.” Carrie Anne stood up and went to the mirror, where she put on some lip gloss and fluffed her hair. “Wouldn’t you?” She held up her hand, examining her delicate gold purity ring. She paused to polish the small diamond on her slim-fitting jeans, checked it again, then smiled and looked at Sophie. “Feel better, okay?”
“Okay.”
As Carrie Anne left, Sophie thought about the purity party that Pastor Vincent had hosted when Carrie Anne turned twelve. Naturally all of Carrie Anne’s girlfriends were invited, plus their dads. And naturally Sophie’s dad declined the invitation. He had to work, he’d said, but Sophie knew that if it had been one of Bart’s ball games, Dad would’ve made the time.
Pastor Vincent had made a sweet speech about Carrie Anne, then he’d presented her with the beautiful ring and they’d danced together. The other fathers, all members of the church, followed suit. Then, as if he felt sorry for Sophie, Pastor Vincent made a little speech