Hadley & Grace(82)

“Really?” Grace says, clearly annoyed. “Are you kidding me?”

“What?”

“We haven’t had a decent meal in two days. Today or tomorrow we are probably going to be facing a lifetime of prison rations. And you’re dieting.”

Hadley feels a blush in her cheeks. She’s always dieting. Since she turned twelve. She didn’t even think about it when she ordered.

“Who the hell are you trying to impress?”

Hadley blinks, then blinks again, uncertain what she is asking. No one. Everyone. She has no idea. Being thin is like having good dental hygiene. It’s simply expected.

Embarrassed, she shoots back, “Not all of us are blessed with a metabolism that allows us to inhale infinite calories and none of it sticks.”

Grace rolls her eyes, and Hadley has a distinct desire to stick her tongue out at her, but Jimmy’s smirk stops her.

She looks from him to Grace, then back to him, then back to her.

“What?” Grace says.

“Oh my God. That’s it. The reason you can inhale infinite calories and none of it sticks.”

Grace cocks her head.

“You’re pregnant.”

Grace’s eyes bulge, and her head shakes.

“I can’t believe I didn’t realize it,” Hadley says as the past five days cycle through her mind. “It explains it all: the sickness, the bottomless appetite, the constant grouchiness . . . though it’s possible that’s just your personality—”

Grace’s face has drained of color while Jimmy’s has brightened, a shit-eating grin spread wide across it.

“Are you really?” he says, interrupting and looking, misty eyed, at Grace.

Hadley feels a bit misty herself and gives herself an invisible pat on the back for figuring it out as Grace slides from the booth and runs for the door.





59





GRACE


Grace’s breath comes in short bursts that don’t reach her lungs, her mind spinning to calculate the possibility and timing. Her knees go weak, and she grabs hold of the railing as she tells herself it can’t be true.

Though it can.

She swallows and shakes her head against it. One time, when Jimmy was home for his mother’s funeral and she was too tired to put in her diaphragm. Only one time. She looks up at the sky, thinking God must hold a special place in His sadistic heart just for her. She imagines Him looking down and laughing. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Joke’s on you. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, look what I can do. Aren’t I grand?

Her right hand moves to her belly as she suddenly notices how taut it is. How could she not have noticed? Hadley’s right: it’s obvious—the hunger, the sickness, the exhaustion.

The wind has picked up, icy gusts that prickle her skin. On the ground, leaves swirl, and she stares at the dancing cyclones, angry with herself and with Jimmy and with God. It’s one thing for Him to allow her to bring a child into the world when He had no idea how inept she would be as a parent, but to allow her to bring in a second, knowing how badly she has failed, is wrong and entirely irresponsible.

The door opens behind her, and she looks back to see Hadley limping toward her. “Congratulations?” she says, more question than statement.

Grace turns away and looks back at the swirling leaves.

Hadley steps beside her and bumps her shoulder. “Come on, it’s awesome. Miles will have a brother or sister.”

Grace shakes her head.

“Okay, so maybe the timing’s not ideal—”

Grace’s scathing look stops her.

Hadley sighs, straightens, and says, “Well, anyway, your pasta’s here.” She takes a step, stops, and, unable to resist, adds, “And you’d better come eat. After all, you are eating for two.”





60





HADLEY


Hadley watches as Grace slides into the booth. Jimmy reaches out to wrap his arm around her, then reconsiders. He lowers his eyes sheepishly, but it is an act. Pride and joy radiate like the sun’s glow around him.

“Champ, put that down and eat,” Hadley says to Skipper, who’s playing on his PlayStation.

“But First Base is talking to me,” he says, not looking up.

Hadley’s fork freezes halfway to her mouth.

“Who’s First Base?” Jimmy asks.

Hadley snatches the game from Skipper’s hands, and Grace leaps from the booth to lean in beside her so she can see the screen as well.

champ i need to talk to blue

“How do I do this?” Hadley says, flipping the device back and forth as if looking for a hidden keyboard.

Jimmy takes the device and gives her a demonstration, showing how you get to the touch screen keyboard.

mattie im here where r u, Hadley types.

i got away in a town called mccook Hadley types, how, her heart beating triple time and her hands shaking.

i took uncle tonys car when we stopped for gas and dad and uncle tony were in the store u drove

yes

Grace fist pumps the air, and Hadley looks at her, confused, then turns back to the small screen.

where in mccook

parked behind giant silos

stay put im on my way i love u i love u too

“Where’s McCook?” she says, her eyes still fixed on the screen and Mattie’s words.