Page 6 (2/2)

“No, it’s fine I get it Soht as well be the person who never says no to anyone”

Turning to face her, I place my hands on her arms “Don’t be mad, okay? I already feel awful”

She rolls her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, but I know she gets it Giada grew up in Jersey, the daughter of a restaurateur She practically lived in the back office of her family’s popular Italian restaurant for the bulk of her childhood Clanging pots and pans were her lullaby so cannolis By fourteen she was learning how to properly grate fresh Partip hteen, she cashed in her life savings andnever to work in a restaurant again

These days, the smell of chicken parm still makes her nauseous

I squeeze past her and trot to htstand, only to find a slew of missed calls all in a row My heart trips for a second when I think about the audition I had last week I was so certain I nailed it, and the casting director seeing to the character, but so far it’s been … crickets

I scroll through ent who called me repeatedly—it was my stepmother, Odette

Odette never calls me

It’s always been my father who calls

A cool sweat blankets my brow as I dial her back My heart inches up my chest with each stilted beat, and my mouth runs dry

“Blaire?” Odette answers in the oodness you called back”

“Is my father okay?” I cut to the chase

She hesitates “He’s … he was just admitted to the hospital over in Greenspout He’s okay For now But he took a fall earlier today At least that’s what I think happened I found hiutters, and he must have fallen off the ladder He was disoriented, but there was a contusion on his forehead and he’s coht for observation”

I exhale and take a seat on the edge of my bed

This could’ve been so much worse

“I was just thinking … that it ht be nice if you came home?” She speaks slowly, carefully “I knoe’ve always come out your way, but I think it’d ain Just for a visit, you know So to lift his spirits And I don’t know, ? His doctor’s been pushing hi up his hat for years, but you kno your father is Stubborn as a mule”