Three Girls And A Leading Man Read Free Page B

disposal? Where did he get off bossing me around in the first
place? I didn’t get paid enough for this shit.
    “All done!” Justin said proudly,
appearing in the doorway to the bathroom and holding up his clean hands. I
looked at him closely. I could definitely make out a few smudges of green
around his mouth, but I guess it was better than nothing. “Alright, buddy,” I
sighed, taking his hand again. “Let’s go see what mess Sandra has made in the
last five minutes.”

 
    ***
    Two hours later I collapsed in my
desk chair. The kids had finally all left, though several of the parents had,
of course, been late. Most of the kids in our program were from this
neighborhood, which meant that most of them came from single-parent homes. Most
days, I was just happy that their parents could get them here at all.
    I looked down at the pile of crap
Grayson had left for me to finish before he left. He wanted me to work on a
program proposal for the local high schools. Great. Just what I felt like
doing.
    Before I could get started, my cell
phone rang. I looked at the screen and groaned. My mother.
    “Hey, Mom,” I said, closing my
eyes.
    “Hello, Annie, dear,” my mother
said. “How are you?”
    “I’m good,” I told her. “How are
you?”
    “Oh, fine, fine,” she said. “I just
finished my afghan, you know the one I was knitting for Beth? It turned out
just lovely, very warm and cozy. I was thinking I would start on yours next,
dear; it would be just the thing for you and Jen in that drafty old house.”
    “I have plenty of blankets, Mom,” I
told her, rubbing my throbbing temple. “And our house isn’t that old.”
    “Well, if you’re sure, dear,” she
said, sounding doubtful. “But I’d be happy to make you one if you change your
mind.”
    “Okay, Mom,” I said, trying to tamp
down my irritation. Had she really called me just to talk about afghans?
    “So what are you up to today?” she
asked.
    “I’m still at work,” I told her. “I
had a few things to do after camp was over.”
    “Are you sure you aren’t working
too hard?” she asked. “It seems like every time I talk to you you’re either at
work or running around with the girls. Won’t you wear yourself down this way?”
    “I’m fine,” I said, struggling to
keep from snapping at her. My mother was so annoying.
    “Well, I just don’t know how any of
your friends have met their young gentlemen when the three of you are always so
busy,” she said.
    I sighed. Here we went again. If I
ever had a conversation with my mother that didn’t end up being about my lack
of boyfriend, I might just drop dead from shock.
    “It’s a mystery of modern society,”
I muttered.
    “Well, it just surprises me is
all,” she said. “Dear, did you happen to get that book I sent you last week? I
was worried because I hadn’t heard from you about it…”
    “I got it, Mom,” I said. “I didn’t
call because I assumed it was a joke.”
    “Why would it be a joke?” she
asked.
    “Because I thought you would know,
after countless conversations on the subject, that I’m in no hurry to get a
boyfriend. I’m very happy with my friends and my life and the men that I date
and I don’t see any reason for any of that to change now, or any time in the
near future. Does that make it clear enough?”
    On the other end of the phone, my
mother sniffed. “I just don’t understand why you don’t want a nice man in your
life. I know you say you’re happy, but what girl doesn’t want to get married?”
    Because
that worked out so well for you, I thought angrily .
    “Mom,” I said, breathing heavily.
“Please, please drop it, okay? I am perfectly happy. I don’t need dating tips
from some book. Okay?”
    “But doesn’t it ever bother you
that Ginny and Jen are both so happy with their gentlemen, and you’re…you’re…”
    “All by myself?” I asked. “Turning
into an old maid? Becoming a spinster?”
    “There is no reason for you to take
that