Free Indigo Blues by Danielle Joseph Page B

thumb." I look
over at the TV. The farmer is wearing overalls, tall black
rubber boots, and a wide-brimmed straw hat. He's totally in his element, but plop him in the middle of the city and
he, too, would be a sore thumb.

    "Hey, I saved you. Your mom's first choice was Prudence."
    "Eww. Well, I used to like my name until it was blasted
all over the place."
    "Have you ever told Adam how you felt?"
    "Isn't it a little late for that?"
    "I meant more for you. To help you deal."
    "Oh, I never thought about that." Weird. Not sure if
that's like opening Pandora's box. But Dad's trying, I'll give
him that.
    I lay out three possible stones on the coffee table to put
in the center of Mom's necklace. A cobalt blue polished
one, an ivory-looking flower, and a smooth pearl drop.
    Dad's still looking at me, five o'clock shadow dominates his usually smooth face. He points to the flower. I
like it, too. "Well?"
    "I'll think about it. I've been trying to distance myself
from all things Indigo."
    "You can't hide forever." Dad suddenly frowns. "Ohh."
    We both turn our heads back to the show. We've missed
the actual birth. The calf's not breathing. There's no sound
coming from the TV.
    I turn up the volume, thinking it might be muted. Still
no sound.
    "This is so sad. Is he dead?" I ask.
    Yes.
    "Even The Learning Channel is too depressing for me. Life sucks." I get up from the couch and head to the
kitchen.

    "In a few years you'll laugh about this," Dad calls after
me.
    I pull out a jar of peanut butter and a sleeve of Saltines.
I tuck them under my arm and grab a water bottle. "Well,
I'm not laughing now. I'm going to my room."
    After I finish my feast, I pick up my cell. There's a
voicemail. If it's from anyone that lives out of state, I'll
scream.
    "Hey, Indigo, it's Tripp. Just calling to say hi. Call me
back."
    Just calling to say hi? How cute is that! I didn't know
that guys called just to say hi. I feel like a freshman againgetting all psyched that a guy called. But come to think of
it, I don't think people ever grow out of that. Plus, Adam
used to call so much that sometimes I'd just stick my cell
in a drawer.
    Tripp called at 9:14 p.m., about the time the dairy farmer
announced that the cow was pregnant. A wave of panic flows
through me. What if Tripp really called to cancel our date
tomorrow night? He's playing it nice on the message and as
soon as I call him back he's going to lay it on me: "Sorry,
Indigo but it's a no-go. I don't like you anymore. Never did.
See ya!"
    I stare at his number and prepare myself for the ultimate letdown. Get it together, Indigo.
    I flop down on my bed and hit send. He answers on
the first ring.

    "Hey, Tripp. It's Indigo."
    "Hey! Hi!"
    "Sorry I missed your call. I was watching a calf being
born."
    "Huh?"
    Great, now he thinks I'm a total freakazoid. I try a different approach. "I didn't have my phone on me."
    "No prob. I called because Coach added a practice
tomorrow. Doesn't end until five."
    "Okay." I pick up the teddy bear, Fred, that I've had
since fourth grade and toss him against the wall. "Another
time then. Or not."
    Pause.
    "Actually, I was just going to say, I'll pick you up at six."
    I walk over to Fred and pick him up. I mouth "sorry"
to his sad little face and pat his fur.
    Long pause.
    "Indigo?" Too long.
    "Of course. That's fine. So, how was the game today?"
    He takes a deep breath. "Man, Abingdale rode our asses.
It was close. We won 21 to 20. A missed point. My back is
killing me right now."
    I've never seen Tripp without a shirt, but I imagine
him to be ripped. "You totally need a massage." Full body.
    "You offering?" His voice is elevated. He sounds excited.
    I lie back down on my bed and prop Fred up on the
pillow next to me. "Yeah, I could give you a good workup." So what if the only massages I ever give are to my
mom while she watches TV.

    "Yeah, I could give you a good work-up." I hear my
words repeated back to me in the most annoying