The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek(16)

“It’s great to see you,” Janine said.

“Yeah,” Donna said, staring at the ground. “You too.”

For the first time in twelve years, Janine didn’t feel angered or hurt by her cousin. She just felt bad for her. She wanted to give her a hug but wasn’t sure how that would go over. “Come on in,” she said instead.

Donna nodded and shuffled past her. “Hi, GamGam,” she said as their grandmother met her in the middle of the room.

“Hi, Donna dear,” GamGam said, kissing her on the cheek and wrapping her up in a big hug that made Janine regret not following her own impulse. “Oh, my two little granddaughters, all grown up and standin’ in my livin’ room together. Y’all have no idea how happy this makes me.”

Janine felt an unexpected wave of emotion. They’d shot one of their Gnome Girls shorts in this very room, GamGam making a brief but memorable cameo as the Gnome Queen. Janine wanted to bring it up, but much like the hug, she didn’t know how.

“Take a seat, girls,” GamGam said. “I’ll bring the chicken over.”

“I’ll get it,” Janine said, concerned for her grandmother but also not wanting to have any alone time with Donna, who had already deposited herself onto the couch.

“Nonsense.” GamGam slowly hobbled toward the kitchen table. “I need the exercise. I’ve been sittin’ for my close-up all mornin’.”

The plastic covering on the couch crinkled as Janine took a seat next to Donna, who was staring straight ahead at nothing in particular.

“So,” Janine said. “Been a while.”

“Yeah,” Donna said. She seemed to be biting her nails, though Janine didn’t know for sure since Donna’s hands were concealed in her sleeves.

“What’s…Uh, what have you been up to?”

Donna thought for a long moment before answering. “Not much. Work.”

“Oh, cool. GamGam said you’re still at Li’l Dino’s, right?”

“Yeah.” It seemed to be the main word in Donna’s vocabulary.

“Great, great,” Janine said. “Has their pizza gotten any better?” When they were kids, they’d joked constantly about how horrible it was.

Donna looked at her for the first time since she arrived. “Better than what?” she asked, completely serious.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Janine said. This conversation was somehow even more excruciating than she’d anticipated. “Better than it used to be.”

“I don’t really eat the pizza much,” Donna said, turning away.

“Excellent,” Janine said, nodding to herself. “Glad we’ve got that all sorted out.”

“It’s chicken time!” GamGam said as she placed the plate of cold leftovers on the small table near them. “Eat up, my little chickadees.”

Janine wanted to point out how gruesome it was to imagine little birds feasting on a chicken, but, once again, she didn’t think it was the right audience. She grabbed a drumstick.

“You like dark meat. Just like me,” GamGam said proudly.

“Twins,” Janine said as she took a bite.

Donna took the smallest wing.

“See? Puttin’ that plastic to good use!” GamGam said, pointing at the couch they were dropping crumbs on before grabbing a drumstick and lowering herself into the floral chair.

The room was quiet except for their chewing.

“So I went to film school,” Janine said. “Did you know that, Donna?”

“GamGam said that, yeah.” Janine had been hoping to see a flicker of something in Donna, but it was as if Janine had referenced a trip to the dentist. She was at a loss for what else to say. She was very ready to be back in New York.

“It’s been wonderful havin’ Neenie in town again,” GamGam said. “She’s makin’ a movie, just like you girls used to do. You remember those, Donna?”

Donna shrugged.

“Oh, you must, dearie,” GamGam said. “You two were always runnin’ around here with cameras on your shoulders, causin’ a ruckus. Just like those kids at the pig pickin’ yesterday. That was a real mess!”

“What happened?” Janine asked, eager to talk about anything other than The Gnome Girls.

“Oh! Most excitin’ thing all summer! Yes sir, poor Mr. Whitewood ended up at the ER…”

“I need to get to work,” Donna said, jumping to her feet like the couch had shocked her. Janine felt a palpable sense of relief. She didn’t care what Li’l Dino’s pizza tasted like these days; in that moment, she felt immense gratitude for its existence.

“It was great to see you,” Janine said, rising from the couch to say goodbye.

“Now, hold on a sec,” GamGam said. “I just thought of somethin’, Neenie. You should get a ride with Donna over to Li’l Dino’s with your camera, get some footage for your movie.”

“Oh,” Janine said as her insides screamed GOD, NO! “I don’t think that’s necessa—”

“No, listen,” GamGam said, her voice rising and speeding up in that way it did when she got excited. “Big Gary—he’s the owner over there—he just passed a coupla kidney stones last week! And they ain’t his first. He’d be a perfect interview!”