Free Liars and Fools by Robin Stevenson

things up like that?”
    Joni hesitated. “We don’t know exactly what she does.”
    â€œYeah, but, okay, say we’re not talking about anyone in particular. Say it’s all—”
    â€œHypothetical,” Tom said helpfully.
    â€œYeah. Say it’s hypothetical. If someone—person A—was taking money from someone else—”
    â€œPerson B,” Tom said.
    I looked at him suspiciously, not sure if he was making fun of me. He took another cookie from the tin and grinned at me.
    â€œPerson B,” I agreed. “And pretending to tell her future, say. Or giving her messages from her dead robin stevenson husband or whatever. Wouldn’t that be, you know, wrong?”
    â€œUnethical,” Joni said, nodding firmly. “Yes.”
    I turned my hands palm up. “Well then. I rest my case.”
    Tom cocked his head to one side thoughtfully. “You’re resting it on a pretty big assumption.”
    â€œWhat assumption?” I asked, frowning.
    Tom glanced at Joni apologetically. “Well, we don’t know that she’s pretending.”
    Joni looked at him, eyebrows lifting. “You mean maybe she really believes she’s psychic? I suppose that’s possible.”
    I groaned. “Great. Dad could have a girlfriend who’s crazy instead of one who is a liar. Thanks a lot, I feel so much better.” I couldn’t even say the word girlfriend without my voice changing, becoming hard and mocking and sarcastic.
    â€œActually,” Tom said, “that’s not what I meant.”
    Joni and I both stared at him. Don’t say it, I thought. Please don’t say it.
    â€œMaybe she’s the real thing,” he said.
    I clenched my hands into tight fists. Thinking about Kathy being able to communicate with Mom made my whole body ache. If anyone was going to communicate with my mother, it should be me. It definitely should not be some weird stranger who was after Dad.
    â€œTom!” Joni practically vibrated with anger. “Give your head a shake! That’s the most ludicrous…the most absurd…the plain stupidest…”
    â€œI’m just saying, hypothetically, we should consider all the possibilities.”
    â€œRight,” she snapped. “The possibilities. Not the impossibilities. And the possibilities are that Kathy is either a liar or a fool. Not that she can talk to people who have died.” She stopped abruptly and looked at me like she’d just remembered I was there. “Fiona, you’re not thinking she can actually do that, are you?”
    I swallowed hard and shook my head. “No one can.”
    â€œThat’s right.” Joni’s mouth tightened. “None of us can do that.” She tugged on the beaded chain of her reading glasses, twisting it in her hand. There was a soft pop, and beads flew across the kitchen in a bright spray of blue and green and purple, pinging off the cupboards and rolling across the tiles. “Damn it, Tom! Look what you made me do.”
    Tom looked at me. “Sorry, kiddo. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
    It seemed to me Joni was the one who was upset. “I’m fine,” I told him.
    Joni picked up a bead that was rolling across the countertop toward her. Her hand shook slightly. “Fiona. There’s no need to mention what I said to your father. The part about Kathy being a liar or a fool. I shouldn’t have said that.”
    â€œDon’t worry, I won’t tell on you.” I stifled a giggle. “It’s true though.”
    â€œMaybe it is, and maybe it isn’t. If Peter is happy…” She shrugged her shawl-covered shoulders. “I should accept things as they are. We all should.”
    The urge to giggle dissolved and left my mouth tasting as dry and bitter as if I’d eaten a fistful of lemon peel. I couldn’t accept Kathy, and I wasn’t going to try.
    â€œI miss Jennifer too, you