Read Online Operation: Normal by Linda V. Palmer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda V. Palmer
Tags: Paranormal, Young Adult
Ads: Link
vote and get married surely has enough sense to take care
of a baby. And it's not like I'm stranded on a desert island. Between Buddy and Esme, alone,
there are about a hundred years of child-raising experience just an elevator ride away." I referred
to Buddy Carlisle, another senior I sometimes ran errands for.
"Okay. You win." I heard Mom's smile.
Whew. "So how are things in London?"
She hesitated. "Very, very hectic."
"More than you expected?"
"Much more. The crowds inside and out have been so big and noisy and intense that I'm
honestly overwhelmed. And the band's just so...confrontational. I simply had no idea."
Tactfully, I didn't mention that I'd told her so. "I saw you and the band on MTV music
news Monday night, arriving at the venue."
"You did?"
"Yes. The whole thing looked a little scary."
"It was scary. But we're safe enough, and I'll be home before you know it."
I suddenly decided not to mention the letter. I mean, she had enough on her plate, right?
I changed the subject to something neutral. "You won't believe what Minka said today." I went
on to share my friend's idiotic belief that Heath had the hots for me.
Mom didn't laugh as expected. "Do you return his feelings?"
"Mom! Of course not, I don't want Heath as a boyfriend."
"I admit I've wondered."
That was not what I wanted to hear. "You have?"
"Yes. Not that either of you have ever said or done anything to make me think you're
looking for romance."
"Exactly. Because we're not. At least not with each other. He's just not my type."
"So what is your type?"
She asks me this now? In the middle of a long-distance phone call? "Could we talk
about this when you get home?"
"I guess I can take a rain check, but only because I need some sleep." She went quiet for
a second.
I thought I heard a sniff, which disconcerted me. Surely she wasn't crying.
"I miss you girls a lot," she said, her voice oddly husky. "Love you both, too."
"Kayly will be glad to hear it," I answered, suddenly certain Mom now regretted her
decision to go to the UK and naturally hoping to lift her spirits a little. I never could hold a
grudge.
My little joke worked, thank goodness. She rang off a couple of seconds later, clearly
feeling more upbeat. I set my phone in the charger, leaving it on as always since we had no home
phone. When I focused on Kayly again, still in her stroller, I found her slumped to one side, fast
asleep. Poor baby. I felt a twinge of guilt for leaving her in there so long and carefully put her in
her crib.
She'd probably wake up hungry in an hour or so, I figured, thinking I'd feed her some
real food then. I returned to the living area and settled on the couch, from where I watched
television after channel surfing for a bit.
I thought about my mother for a minute, about how she sounded past ready to come
home. In retrospect, that really surprised me. If she'd honestly experienced a change of heart,
would she now be more receptive to a discussion about a career change, as well? I hoped so
since that would certainly assist me in my ongoing quest for normal.
I thought of Zach, too, and immediately grabbed my cell phone from the charger. It rang
in my hand. Grinning, I flipped it open and saw that our psychic connection wasn't a fluke. That
took my breath, proving I hadn't really believed it until this instant. Unfortunately, I still didn't
know what it meant.
"Hi, Zach."
"Hi. You girls okay?"
"We're fine. Safe and sound in the apartment with the door locked and bolted."
"Great." I couldn't believe how relieved he sounded. "Can you spare a minute?"
I can spare forever . That crazy reply popped into my head so quickly and
clearly that for one horrifying nanosecond I thought I'd said it out loud.
"A minute, an hour... I'm all yours," I managed to squeak, which wasn't that much
better.
"I swear I won't keep you long," he said as if girls often told him they were all his. In a
way, that reinforced what I already knew. I was nothing more to him than
of a baby. And it's not like I'm stranded on a desert island. Between Buddy and Esme, alone,
there are about a hundred years of child-raising experience just an elevator ride away." I referred
to Buddy Carlisle, another senior I sometimes ran errands for.
"Okay. You win." I heard Mom's smile.
Whew. "So how are things in London?"
She hesitated. "Very, very hectic."
"More than you expected?"
"Much more. The crowds inside and out have been so big and noisy and intense that I'm
honestly overwhelmed. And the band's just so...confrontational. I simply had no idea."
Tactfully, I didn't mention that I'd told her so. "I saw you and the band on MTV music
news Monday night, arriving at the venue."
"You did?"
"Yes. The whole thing looked a little scary."
"It was scary. But we're safe enough, and I'll be home before you know it."
I suddenly decided not to mention the letter. I mean, she had enough on her plate, right?
I changed the subject to something neutral. "You won't believe what Minka said today." I went
on to share my friend's idiotic belief that Heath had the hots for me.
Mom didn't laugh as expected. "Do you return his feelings?"
"Mom! Of course not, I don't want Heath as a boyfriend."
"I admit I've wondered."
That was not what I wanted to hear. "You have?"
"Yes. Not that either of you have ever said or done anything to make me think you're
looking for romance."
"Exactly. Because we're not. At least not with each other. He's just not my type."
"So what is your type?"
She asks me this now? In the middle of a long-distance phone call? "Could we talk
about this when you get home?"
"I guess I can take a rain check, but only because I need some sleep." She went quiet for
a second.
I thought I heard a sniff, which disconcerted me. Surely she wasn't crying.
"I miss you girls a lot," she said, her voice oddly husky. "Love you both, too."
"Kayly will be glad to hear it," I answered, suddenly certain Mom now regretted her
decision to go to the UK and naturally hoping to lift her spirits a little. I never could hold a
grudge.
My little joke worked, thank goodness. She rang off a couple of seconds later, clearly
feeling more upbeat. I set my phone in the charger, leaving it on as always since we had no home
phone. When I focused on Kayly again, still in her stroller, I found her slumped to one side, fast
asleep. Poor baby. I felt a twinge of guilt for leaving her in there so long and carefully put her in
her crib.
She'd probably wake up hungry in an hour or so, I figured, thinking I'd feed her some
real food then. I returned to the living area and settled on the couch, from where I watched
television after channel surfing for a bit.
I thought about my mother for a minute, about how she sounded past ready to come
home. In retrospect, that really surprised me. If she'd honestly experienced a change of heart,
would she now be more receptive to a discussion about a career change, as well? I hoped so
since that would certainly assist me in my ongoing quest for normal.
I thought of Zach, too, and immediately grabbed my cell phone from the charger. It rang
in my hand. Grinning, I flipped it open and saw that our psychic connection wasn't a fluke. That
took my breath, proving I hadn't really believed it until this instant. Unfortunately, I still didn't
know what it meant.
"Hi, Zach."
"Hi. You girls okay?"
"We're fine. Safe and sound in the apartment with the door locked and bolted."
"Great." I couldn't believe how relieved he sounded. "Can you spare a minute?"
I can spare forever . That crazy reply popped into my head so quickly and
clearly that for one horrifying nanosecond I thought I'd said it out loud.
"A minute, an hour... I'm all yours," I managed to squeak, which wasn't that much
better.
"I swear I won't keep you long," he said as if girls often told him they were all his. In a
way, that reinforced what I already knew. I was nothing more to him than
Similar Books
