Free Foolproof by Diane Tullson Page A

where she’s been watching a kids’ show. I scoop her up and she squeals, “Uncle Daniel!” She squashes her cheek against mine. I say to Cyn, “This is Livy, my sister’s girl.”
    “Who’s that?” Livy says, looking at Cyn.
    Cyn is taking off her runners. She pauses. “I’m Cyn. I’m Daniel’s friend.”
    Livy sings, “Cin, Cin, Cinderella.”
    Cyn laughs. She puts her runners by the stack of shoes at the front door. “It’s Cynthia, actually, and I’m no princess.” She looks around for a place to put her keys. I point to a key rack on the wall. There’s a toy set of Livy’s hanging on a hook. Cyn hangs her beside Livy’s.
    My jacket is still done up to my chin. “Uh, just give me five to change, okay?”
    “Sure.”
    To Livy I say, “Maybe you could introduce Cyn to Gram.”
    Livy wriggles out of my arms and grabs Cyn’s hand. She yells, “Gram, Uncle Daniel brought a girl home!”
    From the kitchen I hear my mother say, “A girl?”
    God. I hustle to my room and peel off my uniform. I sniff my armpits. I could use a shower, but there’s no time. I grab a T-shirt I got at the thrift store and take off the price tag. Seven bucks, and it is brand new. I duck into the bathroom. Livy’s tub toys are strewn all over the floor from her bath. I douse a towel and use it like a giant washcloth, hoping it will get most of the burger smell off me. I rake my damp hair with my fingers and then slather on deodorant. I put on the clean T-shirt and go back out to the kitchen.
    My mother is at the stove, stirring the soup. Cyn is helping Livy set the table. My sister has arrived home—I noticed her keys on the rack as I went past and a stack of textbooks on the floor. She’s leaning against the kitchen counter, taking in my hair and the clean T-shirt, a small smirk on her face. I ignore her and give my mother a hug. I say to Cyn, “You’ve met my mother? And this is my sister, Megan.”
    Cyn says, “Just now, yes.” If she’s aware of Megan’s appraising stare, she doesn’t show it.
    My mother says, “Cyn was telling us she works at Dove’s.”
    My sister says, “So you’re both in the restaurant business.”
    I send Megan a shut up look and take the basket of bread my mother hands me.
    Mom says, “Dove’s is a nice restaurant, I’ve heard.”
    Megan says, “I know Dove. He was a year ahead of me at school.”
    Mom says, “He’s so young to have his own restaurant.”
    “He used to sell dope in the parking lot,” Megan adds.
    “Megan!” Mom scolds.
    Cyn blinks.
    I say to Megan, “And you would know that he sold drugs how?”
    Mom puts her hands on her hips. “Enough, both of you.”
    Cyn clears her throat. “I don’t know Dove that well. I just hostess there. I don’t really know him at all.”
    Mom says, “People can change. It sounds like Dove is doing well now.”
    “His parents probably bought him the business,” Megan scoffs. “His parents bought him a car in eleventh grade. A nice car too. He acted like he deserved it.”
    I glance at Cyn. She’s looking down at the floor. I say, “There’s nothing wrong with parents buying a car for their kid.”
    Cyn says, “That car I drive is actually my brother’s. He lost his license for too many tickets, so I’m driving it for a while.”
    I say to Megan, “If someone bought you a nice car, you’d think you deserved it too.”
    “Daniel, Megan, that’s enough.” Mom starts dishing out the soup. “Please, let’s sit.”
    Livy climbs up onto her chair. “At that restaurant do you eat doves?”
    Cyn takes the seat beside her. “People eat steak mostly. And this incredible sticky-toffee dessert.”
    “I want to go to Dove’s,” says Livy.
    Megan puts a bowl of soup in front of Livy, stirring it so it will cool. I sit across from Cyn. She smiles at me. Cyn’s eyes are the color of amber sea glass too. I feel my sister watching me. I drop my gaze to my bowl and concentrate on eating without getting food all over my clean