Starlee's Turn (The Wayward Sons 2)

Charlie kisses me one more time before grabbing his computer and headphones, stashing them in the backpack by the couch. I hold out my hand.

He frowns. “What?”

“I’m gonna need the key. If you want it back, ask and we’ll work something out.”

He grimaces but reaches into his pocket and hands it over.

“Thank you, and our first club meeting is next week, so I think the gaming rules are going into effect.”

He nods. “Okay.”

I kiss him on the cheek. “You go first.”

With a squeeze of my hands he’s out the door, and a few minutes later I follow, locking up behind me. I feel a thrill in going against the rules, but I’m doing it for Charlie—he needs more help than I realized.

Help I’m ready to give.

“Do you want to watch another episode?” Leelee asks after we finish our nightly Supernatural viewing.

“I need to finish my homework and I need to call Jake to help him with his.”

“Over the phone?” She picks up the popcorn bowl and carries it back to the kitchen.

“I have him read the pages to me over the phone. It helps him focus.”

She considers. “That’s a good idea.”

“Yeah, I guess. The struggle is going to be making sure he finishes that essay. Oh my god, I know it’s hard for him, but he’ll do anything to get out of homework.”

She walks past me and pats me on the shoulder. “Maybe think about calling your mom first.”

“Wait, what? Why?”

She makes a face. “She’s your mother. That’s why.”

“She hasn’t called me.” It’s a lame excuse.

My grandmother doesn’t say anything else and I watch her go to the coat closet and pull out her purple fleece. “Where are you going?”

“If you’re going to do homework, then I’m going to see if Tom wants to play a hand of cards.”

I don’t want to know if “cards” is a euphemism for something else, so I just don’t even ask. “Okay. Be careful walking across the yard. I saw Cassidy out digging holes the other day.”

“Thanks sweetie, be back in a few hours.”

I go back to my room and pick up the princess phone that was my mother’s in high school. I still don’t have a cell phone. My mother never let me have one and I haven’t had time to look into it since I got here. It’s not like Lee Vines has a cellular store.

I have a little sheet by the phone with all the boys’ numbers. I start to dial Jake but pause.

“Fine. I can be the bigger person,” I say out loud.

I call my mother instead. The phone rings three times before she answers.

“Mom?”

“Oh, Starlee, hi.” She seems a little flustered. “I didn’t expect this.”

This.