“Grandma, hey!” What’s that tone in her voice?
“I’m sorry, dear, I got off track. What were you saying again? Oh, how did you find out about your keepers anyway?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’m not busy. The girls got into the champagne punch again.” I told her from beginning to end, even the bits about Susie.
“I see. Does this mean your grandfather knows about what happened there tonight?” Now that’s more like it. The best way to get her on my side is to let her think the other three were holding out on her. Then, no matter if she agreed with me or not, she’d fight to the death to get me what I wanted. She can be kind of ornery that way.
“I’m not sure. Susie’s mom did mention something about a deal with her husband, the senator, and grandpa.”
“I see. And what is it that your mother has done to send you running to me?”
“Grandma, I….” Drats, I should’ve thought of what I was going to say before I called.
“Is it about your Cody?”
“Yes, sorta.”
“What kinda sorta?” I told her about the apartment and what I’d planned.
“How sure are you about your young man?”
“Very sure. Like you and grandpa, sure.”
“That might not be a good analogy right now, dear, seeing as how he’s not long for this world, and I’m the one who’s going to bring about his demise.” Oh boy!
“Leave your mother to me. She’s there; I take it.”
“Yes!” Come get her.
“Since it’s the weekend, there probably isn’t much that can be done.” Since when?
“I’ll just get her out of your hair for a bit, and we’ll discuss this again on Monday.”
“Thanks, grandma.”
“Grandma loves her baby.” I’d like to say that was the alcohol talking, but it’s not. That’s the way she’s signed off on the telephone since I was three.
“Love you too, grandma.” I hung up and hoped for the best.
“You’re done?”
“Uh, yeah.” I’d forgotten he was in the room; he was so quiet. And what is that look? I took his hand and headed back into the room where mom and the others waited. It doesn’t pay to leave Blaire alone with her own thoughts for too long when she’s on the hunt.
“Very good, Annalisa, just splendid.” She grabbed her purse and headed for the bedroom. Dad was trying not to laugh, so I knew whatever it was, it couldn’t be that bad. She came back out with her overnight bag, which I guess was all she could grab on her way to interferenceville.
“What’s going on?” I asked dad since mom was wearing her ‘do not disturb’ face.
“Your grandmother has an emergency.” Grandma is so lame. She knows that mom knows I was on the phone with her; what kind of emergency could she have come up with?
“What kind of emergency?” I whispered the question to dad as mom disappeared through the door again.
“From what I gathered, she and her friends threatened to go skinny dipping in a car.”
“What? Dad, that makes no sense.”
“I don’t know how to say this to you.” He was actually blushing. I gave him a look and waited.
“They’re going to drive around topless in the city. Up and down the carderock-palisades is what I heard. And take pictures.” Mom would die.
CODY
They’re either highly intelligent or nuts. I’d overheard her part of the conversation on the phone and the little byplay with her dad afterward, and that’s my final conclusion. I think I did hear somewhere that the Uber-rich can be kind of eccentric, but this is my first time seeing it up close and personal.
Though eccentric might not be the right word here, it’s more like they’re speaking a different language, but I think I’m catching up. I’d better, or I get the feeling Blaire the bulldozer would flatten my ass before I even knew she was behind the wheel.
Lisa also seems like a different person. Each time she interacts with her mom, I get the sensation of being at the ringside of a heavyweight bout, but when she talks to her dad, she’s much softer, more relaxed. I still don’t know who the hell was on the phone with her grandmother just now because that was a whole other person as well.
I’m not sure about my father-in-law. I wouldn’t say that his balls had been taken. In my dealings with him, short as they were, I didn’t get that vibe, but the guy had hardly said anything since they arrived. He wears that silly indulgent smile I’ve seen on my dad’s face when mom was having one of her moments, which leads me to think that this one is soon going to have me looking goofy as hell with her crap.
Her mom doesn’t look nuts, though; in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more well-put-together person in my life. She acts like the CEO of a Fortune five hundred company; every word is precise and meant to get results. I get the feeling that if I make the wrong move, she’d swoop down and take me out.