Free Just Friends by Dyan Sheldon Page B

wants to know what happened to boys’ night in. “I thought you guys always get together on Saturday nights.”
    “We do,” says Sal. “But Josh had to bail. And Carver got landed with babysitting his sisters. I mean, I could go over there but we won’t be able to watch anything with them around. And we can’t lock ourselves in his room – they need supervision.”
    “What’s wrong with Josh?” Very carefully and precisely, she pins a pair of dangling silver and turquoise earrings on the board. “How come he bailed?”
    “Not sure.” She isn’t looking at him, but Sal shrugs anyway. “All he said was something came up. I don’t know if it’s the band or the chess gang.”
    “It must be pretty important,” says Ramona. “It’s not like Josh to be so last-minute.” His lists of things to do are always in order of importance or urgency. His middle name isn’t Spontaneity: it’s David.
    “Who knows?” says Sal. “Shit happens.”
    Later, waiting for Zara, Ramona thinks she hears a car pull up outside and looks out her bedroom window. This would be another example of what Josh means when he talks about the ironies of life. Ramona is just in time to see Josh himself turn into the Capistranos’ driveway and walk up the path to the front door. No chessboard or guitar in sight.
    Shit sure does happen.
    As she turns away Ramona wonders what Tilda Kopel will say about this. Which is a thought that makes her smile.

One Thing Leads to Another, as Things Do
    Josh is late. He’s almost never late – not unless someone else is involved – and he absolutely didn’t want to be late tonight. He wanted to arrive at seven o’clock exactly, to show her he’s dependable, the boy you can count on not to let you down. But it took him so long to get ready (choosing his clothes; checking teeth and hair and ears; wishing he looked like someone else) that it’s seven thirty before he reaches the Capistranos’ front door. Once there, he gazes zombie-like at the house number for several seconds, suddenly unaccountably nervous. What if he farts? What if he smells?
For Pete’s sake it’s not a date
, he tells himself.
You’re just watching a movie. Think of her as one of the guys. Pretend she’s Mo
.
    As soon as he rings the bell he hears Jena shout, “I’ll get it, Dad! It’s for me!” Which is when he remembers the General, Parsons Falls’ answer to Darth Vader – and a very good reason for feeling nervous. What if the General shoots him? He automatically takes a step backward, and loses his footing. He’s picking himself up from the flower bed when Jena opens the door with a glad-to-see-you smile on her face that immediately turns to a look of concern. “What happened? Are you okay?”
    She’s not Mo. Mo would have laughed and thanked him for dropping by.
    “Yeah, I’m fine. I just missed my step.”
    The smile returns. “Well, come on in. You’re right on time.”
    She steps back to let him pass her. She lowers her voice and leans towards him so he can feel her breath on his cheek. “Don’t worry, my dad’ll be leaving in a few minutes.” Saturday is the General’s poker night. Normally she’d do something with Tilda, but Tilda has a hot date. He should have known. “So I’m really glad you could come so last-minute.” Jena makes a face. “I really hate being by myself all night.”
    She really must
, he thinks.
To ask me over
. But immediately banishes that thought as unworthy of her.
    “Then it’s lucky that you don’t have to be,” says Josh.
    “But besides that, I’ve really been looking forward to seeing these movies. My dad only likes guy films and Tilda thinks old is anything made more than three years ago. I know I could watch them by myself, but that’s not so much fun.”
    “You need a cat.” Josh follows her down the hallway. “Charley Patton’ll watch anything. Especially if there are chips and salsa involved.”
    “Charley Patton?” Her smile is uncertain.