Faking It with the Frenemy

“You’re not into…? Oh.”

She sighs. “My grandfather is ultra-conservative, and he has a bad heart. So I’m kind of faking it until he, you know”—she shrugs delicately—“passes away.”

I feel bad for her. “Why are you telling me this? Aren’t you afraid I’m going to out you or something?”

She shakes her head. “You seem like a decent guy, and I don’t want to string you along. At the same time, I don’t want to date you, either, not even to trick my granddad. I already met somebody I love, even though it’s sort of a secret at the moment.” Her expression softens, going a little dreamy.

“Well… Appreciate your honesty,” I say. “I hope we can be friends, though.”

“Of course.” She smiles.

She insists on paying for her own meal, and I let her because I can sense it’s important to her.

The date ends up lasting longer than my previous ones, since Miri and I actually enjoy each other’s company. It’s nice to chat with somebody decent who has no expectations or ulterior motives. But I still make it home by nine, when it’s time for Rachel to leave.

She’s a pretty, twenty-something brunette. She used to nanny for a wealthy Hong Kong family, but they went back to Asia. Right now, she’s doing work for a bunch of different parents. She isn’t cheap, but she’s very nice and capable. Most importantly, Vi likes her.

“Vi’s already done her homework and is texting with her friends right now,” Rachel says with a smile, gathering her phone and purse. “She came home early and stayed with Kim until I got here.”

What? “She did? Her school schedule says she doesn’t get home until ten after four.”

“They apparently had a special short day.”

Except I haven’t heard anything about that. I asked Melanie to sync Vi’s school calendar with mine, but obviously that hasn’t been done yet. Still, wouldn’t Vi have said something? Maybe she did and I forgot, I think as a sliver of guilt slides into my gut. “Thank you.”

She hands me a printout. “This was in her backpack. I think she forgot to give it to you yesterday.”

It’s a notice about an emergency plumbing check today. The note said the school is sending this as well to ensure every parent is informed, in case the email alert didn’t reach us.

Shit. I didn’t see the alert, but then, I have more new emails than I can ever read in my inbox.

I pay Rachel and lock the door behind her.

Then I head to Vi’s room. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“Hey,” she says distractedly, her back resting against the headboard of her brand-new bed and her legs stretched out on the sheet. Her gaze is glued to her phone.

“How was your day?”

She still isn’t looking at me. “Eh.”

I sigh. Talking to Vi can be harder than pulling a shark’s teeth. “Rachel told me you got out early today.”

“Uh-huh.”

Frustration starts to bubble up. I’m not certain she even heard what I said.

“I saw that you didn’t give me the paper from the school yesterday.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It’s important you give those to me, Vi,” I say, while vowing to check the academy’s website every day, just to be sure.

“Sorry. But it’s not a big deal. Kim was home.”

I g

uess she is listening. “Yeah, but if Kim hadn’t been home, you wouldn’t have had a place to go. I wouldn’t want you hanging out in the hall until I get home.” Maybe I should get her a key, but I don’t like the idea of her being home without adult supervision.