Free Death Screams by Tamara Rose Blodgett Page A

smiling. "Would you mind..." Mom asked, pointing to the separator. Tiff tried for a neutral expression and failed saying, "Ah... that's my last stick!"
    Mom smiled wider, waiting. Tiff threw the gum in the trash.
    Mom, the Manipulator of Manners.
    " Well, I hate to pork and go but..." Jonesy said.
    Alex pushed up his glasses. "No you don't."
    Mom laughed.
    " True, dude," Bry agreed.
    " I'd love to check out what Mac's doing to your car, Hart," Jonesy said.
    Dad put his paperwork down, his brown eyes meeting mine over the top of his glasses. "Have you phoned Gramps to let him know you have a group coming?"
    I shook my head. Gramps would be cool with it.
    Mom held up a slender finger. "I think I'll phone Gramps."
    " Really?" Mia asked.
    Mom looked at her. "Yes, he still retains a land line."
    Sophie looked shocked, scooping up the last of her chili with the remnants of her cornbread.
    " Yes, Caleb's grandpa is," she hesitated over quantifying Gramps. I felt her on that one. "Old-fashioned," she finished.
    Right, that.
    Jonesy barked out a laugh and she gave him a stern look as she depressed the Fam-pulse. It was the only one in the house that could do verbal to a land line. It had cost the mother lode. You had to get a special internal gizmo. Who the hell had phones anymore? Gramps, apparently. Unless it blew off body parts for his mondo security, he wasn't really a tech-dude.
    Mom started talking, "Hi Pops."
    " Why hello, Peanut."
    " Is it okay that Caleb and a few friends stop by the house and look at your... embellishments on the Camaro?"
    There was a pause while all us kids listened to the weirdness of verbal speakerphone.
    " There a whole glut of 'em?" Gramps asked.
    " Ah, yes there is."
    " Humph! Well, send them over I guess. Did ya feed them? Those boys are a pen of swine with the grub."
    Jonesy snorted, offended and the girls laughed.
    Mom rolled her eyes. "Yes, Pop, they had chili and cornbread."
    " They're staying outside then. I'm not having my house all fouled up with their gastronomic fragrance. (Mom slapped her forehead and Dad smirked.) Why don't you send a smidgen of that my way, Alicia? And use a fridge dish. I don't want any of that nasty-ass petro stuff. Glass only."
    Mom paused, sighing. "Yes Pop. I'll talk to you soon."
    " G-night honey."
     
    The call ended and I smiled. Mom looked at the kids and Lewis said, "I take it he's a straight forward guy?"
    " Dude, that doesn't even cover Mac," Jonesy said with real admiration.
    Archer's brows rose. "Coming from you, Mark, that takes on a whole new meaning."
    " Would ya stop calling me Mark? Can ya?"
    Archer smiled. "No."
    Jonesy threw up his hands and they flopped down against his thighs as he stalked out the door.
    Mom and the Wellers grinned.
    Jade put her dishes in the sink and Mom gave her a hug.
    We went to the door and Onyx came racing to meet us, his tail wagging a mile a minute.
     
    The Boy was going to the old pack Alpha's cave. The dog could smell his intent, feel the words that smelled in his Boy's mind. He wished to go with his Boy. He made himself low and appealing, sliding his eyes away politely when the Boy made eye contact. Wag-thunk-wag.
     
    " Ahh...! He's so cute," Mia hunkered down, stroking Onyx's fur. He gave her the big chocolate eye and she cooed some more and rubbed behind his ear.
     
    The Dog liked this female, she was very aggressive in her petting. She was able to scratch areas that were difficult for the Dog to reach. The Dog would wag his tail harder and maybe she would continue.
     
    " Hey Weller!" I yelled, watching Onyx alternately lick Mia's hand and wag his butt off. Huh, he really dug her.
    " Caleb," Mom said, hands planted on hips.
    I sighed, walking over to Bry, who had already leaped in his car. The window on the door-that-doesn't-open was cranked down to the seal. Kinda cool weather for that.
    " Can Onyx come?"
    " Come on, Hart! My car's gonna smell like dog."
    I took an experimental whiff and staggered back. "Damn man!