You ever go out to eat with dad?
I dropped my plastic fork in the carton and whipped my head around. Hell no, I said. Why? Did he go out to eat with you guys?
Sure. All the time.
You got to be kidding. I don’t think I ever saw him in a restaurant in my life.
What did you guys eat, then, when he would visit?
Whatever he told Mama to make special, I said. His homecoming was always a big to do. She must’ve slaughtered fifty chickens in his honor over the years.
He always wanted Chinese when he was with us. That’s how I first got the taste for it.
Maybe he didn’t like Mexican food.
My mom never cooked Mexican food.
Then what did she cook?
Same stuff she cooks now. Steaks, burgers, and hotdogs. And sometimes chili beans without any spice to them.
I meant to find out more about Elliot’s tastes, but the show was just starting to get good. Sheriff Moseby had tracked the Mexican drug cartel to an underground bunker in the Mojave Desert, and was faced with the choice of waiting for reinforcements to show or going down to confront the gangsters on his own. There was a tight close-up on his face as he descended the ladder rungs down into the bunker. All the space below was hidden in darkness, and before the commercial break you could really hear his breathing getting louder as each step brought him closer to the danger inside. Then the show cut out and we were back in the real world, fishing pineapple chunks from pools of red sauce as a local car salesman hollered about financing options for the latest Korean sedans on his lot.
When the phone rang, I jumped up and hurried to the kitchen before it could wake up the whole house.
Evening, Ellie, Katie said when I answered. Sorry to disturb you all so late.
It’s no trouble, I said. What’s up?
I was just wondering if Beth was over there with you guys.
No, it’s just us.
Okay. Did she say when she expected to get back?
Sorry. We left before we could talk to her.
That’s fine. The dance ends at ten, right?
Yeah, but I think she might have left early. Probably getting a bite to eat with Eric.
Right. That makes sense. I won’t wait up for her, then. Thanks, babe.
No problem. Have a good night.
You too.
As I hung up the receiver, I could tell from the sounds of gunplay that something pretty spectacular happening inside the living room. I sprinted to the sofa and plopped down on the cushion next to Anthony, who was bent forward with his eyes on the screen.
What I miss?
He gestured to the TV with his fork. Moseby snuck up on em while they were cleaning out the lab, he said. Now he’s pinned down in the corner.
Shit. There’s not enough time. They’re going to carry it over to next week.
Anthony nodded and stuck his empty carton behind the end table. Sure enough, the To be continued caption appeared on screen right as Moseby was laying down his sidearm. After that there was nothing but news on all four channels, so we switched off the set and broke out the card deck. We played gin rummy and blackjack until after midnight, when we both started to doze off. We may not have been cool enough to break curfew, but, damn it, it was Friday night, and we weren’t going to bed any earlier than we had to.
Hope you didn’t get Beth into trouble with her mom, Anthony said.
I switched off the kitchen light. Oh, that girl, I said. Causing scandals left and right.
Settling down for the night was always tricky. I shared a bedroom with Jessie and Gracie, and unless I wanted to have to coax one or both of them back to sleep, I had to be quiet as possible unrolling my sleeping bag. There was one queen-size mattress for the three of us, and from the start I let the girls have it and settled for sleeping on the floor like a kid in a Japanese cartoon. It was rough at first, learning to sleep with the floor under my back, and in a new house no less. After a while, though, I got used to it. Later that night, in fact, when Dawn came to knock at our door, I was sleeping like a baby.
What’s going on?
Dawn held her yellow bathrobe over her shoulders with one hand, staring at me deeply. Katie’s here, she said. You better come out to the kitchen.
I staggered down the hallway rubbing the crust from my eyes and found the mothers all seated around the big table where we ate most meals. Mama and Claudia were both wearing their nightgowns, long and shapeless pieces that made them look older than they were. But Katie appeared to be wearing the same clothes from that day. Jennifer had sweatpants on and her hair in a clip, the first time I’d seen her looking so ordinary. It was three in the morning and cold out, and I was afraid to know why they were all awake and in our kitchen. Anthony stood alone in the corner, looking over at me with so much concern in his eyes I barely recognized them as Daddy’s.
Sweetheart, Mama said. We need to ask you some questions about Beth.
I sat down and laid my hands flat on the table. Where is she?
Dawn set a cup of coffee down in front of Katie. She still hasn’t come home, she said.
Did anybody try calling Eric?
Yeah, Katie said. His parents said he left the dance hours ago. He told them she got a ride with some other people. He wasn’t sure who.
Katie took a sip of coffee and kept her face down over the mug. She seemed to be trying very hard to stay calm.
I only saw her for a minute at the dance, I said. I’m not even sure if she was still there when we left.
Did you see any other boys talking to her?
Shush, Claudia, Jennifer said. Beth is a responsible girl. I’m sure she wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her future.
Katie looked up suddenly. I don’t care if she comes home pregnant, she said. So long as she comes home safe.
The other mothers traded looks and closed in around Katie to comfort her more closely. All except for Mama, who’d taken hold of my hand and seemed incapable of letting go. I touched her wrist and stroked the short white hairs along her arm. I hadn’t told her yet about my plans for spinsterhood, and wasn’t sure if they would ease her fears or make her more worried than ever.
We might be fretting over nothing, I said. She probably fell asleep on somebody’s couch. Sometimes there are house parties after the dances.
She would’ve called, Katie said. It’s not like her not to.
Claudia glanced around the table with a nervous grimace, and then looked straight at me. You’re a good girl, she said. Tell us the truth. Do you know if she’s started drinking?
I already told you, Anthony said. Beth’s not into that sort of thing.
As far as you know, Jennifer said.
That’s right, I said. As far as we know, Beth hasn’t done anything wrong.
Jennifer threw out her hands. And yet here we are, she said. Here her mother is worrying herself sick.
You’re not listening to me, Katie said. I’m not worried about whether or not she’s experimenting with alcohol. She could come through that door right now plastered out of her mind and I wouldn’t even chew her out till morning. All I care is that she’s safe. That nothing bad’s happened to her.