She turns to me and sighs. âPoor Frog. I wish I could afford you. Iâd take you with me.â
And without further ado, she moves directly into Momâs room to see what couture she can snatch.
âNo no no no no! You canât go in there.â
âChill out, Frog. Iâm just checking whatâs new in the queenâs closet.â
She crosses Momâs room with the grace and velocity of a fashionable missile and enters the walk-in closet. She ignores the regular designer items and goes straight for the extraexpensive stuff. âIs that Saint Laurent?â
She zeroes in on the YSL piece and holds it against her. âOh ho. We likey !â
âJust put the dress back, please. Look, I need something from you for a change.â
âSomething from me? Do you need drugs? I can hook you up with some really good people.â
âNo. No drugs.â
âI get it.â She gives me this sidelong look. â Froooog! â
âWhat?â
âDo you really think youâre ready?â
âReady for what?â
âLosing your virginity, silly.â
Oh boy!
âItâs a bit yakky, since weâre practically brother and sister, but Iâm honored you thought of me.â
I sit down on the bed and hide my face in my hands. I donât know how she does it. She always drains the energy right out of me. âWill you just listen? Itâs not drugs. Itâs not that. And itâs not money.â
âGood. About the money. Because I was about to ask if you can lend me some. Iâm totally broke!â She laughs.
âDo you know Johnny Depp?â
âJohnny?â
I nod. She drops the Saint Laurent dress on the floor and goes back to browsing through Momâs collection.
âOf course. Johnny and I are, like, totally best pals!â
She removes five or six layers of her clothes to try on one of Momâs tops.
âDo you know where I can find him? Like, where he lives?â
âWhy?â
âBecause.â
âYou tell me why, I tell you where.â
âBecauseâ¦Iâm a big fan. â
She puts on the top and pauses in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror. âWhat do you think?â
âTake it off. Put it back on the rack. Tell me where to find him.â
âI can get you his autograph if thatâs what you want. But itâll cost you.â
âI need to see him in person.â
She takes off her boots to try Momâs new stilettos. âWhy do you need to see him?â
âI told you, Iâm a big fan.â
âI donât believe you. You blush when you lie.â
âPlease! Just tell me.â
âWhy?â
âTell him immediately, Earthling! Or be ready to suffer at my hands.â
Oh God! We both turn to Zeldaâsheâs standing right there behind us in the corridor. A strong draft comes from nowhere and blows back her coat and hair. Her fists are firmly locked on her hips, and her black leather knee-high boots shine in the sunlight. She looks exactly like a Supergirl about to kick some ass.
âMan! Is that your momâs Paco Rabanne swimsuit this girlâs wearing?â
9
EXPIRATION: 35 HOURS
âW here did you find her, Frog?â Malou comes out of the kitchen with a can of Momâs beluga caviar and a spoon. So much excitement has sparked her appetite.
âSheâs Dadâs patient. Was.â The way I mumble, I wonder if any-one can hear me.
âNo way!â Malouâs laughing. She finds us very amusingâZelda, in her Paco Rabanne swimsuit, standing in the middle of the living room, and me beside her, blushing with all my might. âYour face was all over TV this morning,â she tells Zelda. âEveryoneâs looking for you. And here you are with Frog, playing Spacegirl and the Little Boy.â She puts a large spoonful of caviar in her mouth and frowns. âWhy the Spacegirl act? Is it like a