“
Your phone’s vibrating,” Scottie says. She takes my cell phone out of her pocket, the phone she has stolen from me to text her friend. She doesn’t even care that she has disobeyed. She doesn’t care that she said “finger-fucked” in front of me. It’s as though I’m not a father.
I don’t recognize the number, so I don’t answer. I like to let people leave messages, and then I’ll call back after I rehearse what to say.
“You never answer your phone,” Scottie says. “What if someone needs help?”
“Then they can leave a message and I’ll call right back.”
Alex takes the phone out of my hands. “Hello?” she says.
“What the—? Do I not exist, girls? Do you realize I’m in charge here?”
Scottie whispers, “Who is it?”
“Oh, no,” Alex says. “This is the right number. This is his assistant…Sharon.”
Scottie opens her mouth, delighted. I’ve always been impressed by Alex’s effortless ability to lie.
“That sounds nice,” Alex says, then punches me lightly on the arm. “Where? Great. And for how long? Okay. Well, thanks. Maybe we’ll peek in on Sunday. Thanks so much. Okay.”
She closes the phone.
“Well?”
“That was a Realtor, Dad, from Brian’s office. She says she’d be happy to show you the house you called about. Well done, Dad. Very clever.”
“Good one, King,” Sid says.
“What about Brian?” I ask. I feel strange talking about this with Joanie in the room. I position myself so that I face away from her.
”
”