When we got home from school, there was a note on the counter that said, “I checked the choke on the snow blower. It should be fine now.” In other words, clear the driveway and the sidewalk.
I’d have to do it right away. Jess had invited Jody and Beth over in about a half hour, and I planned to sit by the vent. I’d even thought ahead and turned the thermostat down so the furnace ran less often.
The old snow blower started right up. It was noisy, but cut through the powdery snow with ease. It beat the heck out of shoveling. I just wished that the roar of the motor would drown out the noise in my head. It only took me twenty minutes to clear the drive and walk. I hurried to put the machine away. In minutes I was at the vent, under the ruse of reading a book.
“So how’s our lovelorn hostess?” That got my attention right away.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Janna”
“Oh please. You’re pining for some boy.” That almost snapped my neck.
“It’s totally obvious.” Jody confirmed. “We we’ve been discussing it for days and hoping you’d clue us in.”
Obvious? I didn’t know about it, and neither did my friends – they understood how I guarded my sister, and would’ve let me know. Billy Raymond once said he wanted to ask her out, and asked me what his chances might be. I told him to go ahead, but if he got out of line I’d break his legs and kill his dog.
“You never go out.” Jody continued.
“Sure I do.”
“Like when?”
“I don’t know. Once in a while.”
“So we’ll see you at the Snowball Dance? Huh?” Jody teased. “I didn’t think so.”
“You don’t even talk about boys. That’s just not normal, girl.”
“Even if you were right, which you aren’t, so what?” Sis objected. “It’s not like...”
“You’re swimming in denial, girl. Whoever it is, just tell him you have the major hots for him and get it over with.”
“He… Shit. Okay, fine. He knows, but he hates me. Are you happy now?”
Oh no, I thought; it’s true! She does have a crush! Crap, I thought. I was going to have to kill someone. He didn’t like her back, though. Maybe he was safe, for now.
“Just tell us who it is, okay girlie?”
“Can we just change the subject?”
Janna said, “It’s your brother, isn’t it?” The room fell silent.
I froze. My blood turned to stone. My brain screamed. How could she know? Oh my God, no! No! I’d been so careful! What gave it away? If Janna could tell, anyone could. It was all going to come out now – the same day as the news about Amanda! This couldn’t be worse.