Free Saints of Augustine by P. E. Ryan Page B

to imply that he felt that way? He remembered one afternoon when they’d been lying on the floor in Melissa’s bedroom leafing though People magazine, and they’d come across an article about a hot-looking movie-star couple who were getting a divorce. “Her loss,” Sam had remarked without thinking. Melissa had looked shocked. “ His loss is more like it,” she’d said. They might have been defending the husband and wife, respectively, as good spouses, even good money earners. But they mightalso have been speaking of who was the hotter “catch.” If that was the case, did it make Melissa gay, too? You’re losing it , he thought. The whole world is not suddenly turning gay.
    When he got home, Teddy’s car was in the driveway. Sam steered his bike into the garage and went in through the kitchen.
    It was after ten P.M . His mom and Teddy were sitting close together on the sofa, watching TV. They had their feet propped up on the coffee table—something Sam and Hannah weren’t allowed to do.
    â€œHey, Nerfball!” Teddy practically shouted.
    His mom shushed Teddy and said, “Hannah’s asleep.”
    â€œHey, Nerfball,” Teddy said in a loud whisper. “How’s the yogurt flowing?”
    Kill me , Sam thought. He stepped into the living room and glanced at the television. “What are you guys watching?”
    â€œA movie your mom’s all fired up about. I think you’d call it a chick flick.”
    â€œExcuse me?” Sam’s mom said. “You’ve been pretty caught up in it yourself.”
    â€œThat’s because I was figuring out the plot. They’ve been feeding that dead guy to the detective, I know that much. I just don’t know who killed him.”
    â€œThat’s not what it’s about,” Sam’s mom said—but in a playful tone of voice that Sam hadn’t heard her use since Hannah was little.
    â€œI’m going to bed,” Sam said. “Good night.” He started across the living room toward the hallway.
    â€œWell, wait a minute. How was work?” his mom asked.
    â€œFine.”
    â€œDoes Mr. Webber know you’re about to cut down your hours because school’s starting?”
    â€œHe knows.”
    â€œI still don’t like the idea of you working during the school year. You don’t have to, you know.”
    â€œI want to,” Sam said. “It’ll be fine. Good night.”
    â€œDo you want to watch some of the movie?”
    â€œYou should!” Teddy said. “Your mom’s right, it’s not really about a murder. It’s about these two girls who want to get it on.”
    â€œTeddy!”
    Sam knew nothing about the movie they were watching and told himself to keep moving before Teddy made another stupid remark. He walked across the living room and nearly made it to the hall when his anger got the best of him. He turned and said, “So it’s about mariposas ?”
    â€œSort of.” Teddy shrugged.
    â€œYou know, you can say the word lesbian ,” Sam said. “It won’t turn you into a mariposa .”
    â€œGood night , Sam,” his mom said.
    â€œWhy do you let him talk that way?” Sam asked, suddenly angrier at his mom than at Teddy.
    â€œWhoa,” Teddy said. “Mr. Crankypants.”
    Sam glared at his mom for another moment, then stormed off down the hall.
    He would have slammed his bedroom door, but he remembered that Hannah was sleeping. He dropped down onto his desk chair and glared at his computer screen. Clenching his jaw, he thought, Stay away, just stay away .
    She did. He waited several minutes, but she never tapped on the door, never came in to talk to him. For some reason, this made him even angrier.
    What could she possibly see in Teddy? How could anyone even stand him? Okay, so he wasn’t walking around with an ax chopping people up, but he was over-the-top annoying. He