Fallout (Crank 3)

ETA for her own pickup. Her phone

goes straight to voice mail. Wonder

who she’s talking to. I join Nikki

in the shower, admiring how pretty

her summer tan looks under white

soap foam. “Have plans, or can you

come out to the house for dinner?”

She thinks it over, some sort of back-

and-forth in her head, as if arguing

with herself. Finally she says,

I should spend the day with Mom.

Dad’s in Hawaii with his girlfriend,

and I don’t want Mom to be alone.

“Bring her along,” I offer. As soon

as the words fall from my mouth,

I realize that could be a bad idea.

Kristina. David. Donald. Summer.

Throw in Grandpa Bill, who’s eighty-

five, and all the regulars—Leigh, Jake,

Misty, and me. It’s already a formula

for family disaster. But Nikki’s face

lights up. Mom would love that.

Your parents won’t care?

I suppose I should have asked.

But hey, too late now. “The more

the merrier, Mom always says.

We usually eat around four.”

Initiation by fire, I guess. “I love you.”

Hope she still loves me after dinner.

THE AIRPORT