Fallout (Crank 3)

so. Still, it never hurts to brush

up on your culinary skills, does it?

She flips a hotcake like a pro.

The weird thing is, I can only

remember her ever making them

maybe two or three times in

the past. “So what’s really going

on with you? Something to do

with all the late nights out the past

few weeks?” She’s been gone a lot

lately, and I’m pretty sure there’s more

to it than her working part-time at

Olé Tex-Mex and going to school

three days a week to learn massage

therapy. Better late than never,

she told Grandfather and me when

she embarked on her new career path.

I don’t want to wait tables forever.

What she didn’t say was she doesn’t

want to stay single forever either.

SHE DOESN’T SAY THAT NOW

But she does say, Well, you never

know. I just might want to make

pancakes for someone special

someday. Uh … not that you’re

not special. I mean … If her face

was red before, it’s pickled

beet purple now. The look

on my own face must communicate

something loud and clear, because