Eric Lindstrom - A Tragic Kind of Wonderful

“I don’t know without seeing it,” Zumi says to Annie. “But I know I can fix the flat on your old bike.”

Connor’s shoulders bounce. He’s looking at his lasagna, picking at it. I think he’s snickering.

“No,” Annie says, annoyed. “It’s not—” She stops and looks pointedly at Connor. “What?”

He doesn’t answer. Zumi leans toward me and says in a low voice, “Lulu’s only eleven and Annie’s afraid of her.”

“I am not,” Annie says, more indignant than defensive.

“Okay,” Zumi says. “It’s just that Annie can’t stop Lulu from following her everywhere, so she has to sneak out of the house. She can’t do that if we all go over there.”

Annie just stares at Zumi like she’s waiting for her to finish.

“I can try and adjust your cousin’s bike,” Zumi says. “Do you want me to?”

I nod.

“Okay, I’ll come over before the weekend, in case it takes a while.”

“Thanks.”

Zumi points a thumb toward Annie and says to me, “But don’t you think sneaking around means you’re afraid of something?”

I don’t think she’s really needling Annie; it seems more like affectionate teasing. Annie stares over our heads, looking perturbed.

When I don’t answer, Zumi adds, “Maybe just a little?”

Connor laughs.

Annie says, “ You be quiet!”

Zumi busts up laughing and I join her.

Team Fernandez walks by, carrying trays back to the kitchen. We instantly stop laughing. Annie coolly eats a bite of lasagna while Connor wrestles with the lid of his juice. Zumi scowls, her head pivoting to keep them in her glare as they walk by, like she’s a tracking cannon. The instant they’re gone, Zumi giggles, throws her arm around my shoulders, and leans into me hard.

I’m in.

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