Chapter 18

George was right.

Mom threw a party ... a huge extravaganza ... and WE couldn’t go.

“You’re not Here,” she said.

George said, “You are at school in Michigan.”

Mom nodded ... What was she doing?

“Mom?”

“What?”

“George...?” I questioned.

Mom blushed, “You have not been meeting my needs.”

“George is?”

“Yes.”

“Well ... that’s a relief.” I wasn’t happy with our arrangement. I’m not like that. Spanking mom brought out things in me I wasn’t comfortable with.

“So ... I’m off the hook?”

“Until graduation.”

Two more years.

Jackie said, “Goody ... you can spank me.”

Hmmm. As long as I can think Edith ... Ooo ... this could be fun.

“Now,” George said, “You can’t be here...”

“So...”Mom said, “We’re sending you skiing. What?”

There is that look one gets when the latest reveal just skimmed the top of ones head. I had that look.

“It’s summer?”

“Not in New Zealand.”

“Australia?”

Mom said, “Evidence of another failure of the American educational system. New Zealand is not part of Australia.”

“It’s not?”

“No.”

“South America?”

“Are you sure you want to send them?” George said.

Jackie said, “It’s 386 miles border to border.” She looked smug. “Not that you could get anywhere. It’s like nothing to nothing or nowhere to nowhere. It is the closest distance between their possessions ... one deserted island to another.”

She ‘hemmed’... “However, coast to coast... 144o miles.”

“Quit,” that was directed at mom ... mom had the mom look.

“I can see it in my head.”

“David ... look that up.”