Night Broken

So, to please Auriele, I washed dishes that the dishwasher could have taken care of, ignoring the burn of hot soapy water in the wounds of my trade barked knuckles are a mechanic s constant companion. Auriele dried the dishes, and Jesse had volunteered to tidy up the kitchen in general. Three women bonding over household chores my mother would be pleased if she could see us. That thought hardened my resolve that next week, some of the men would do cleanup. It would be good for them to expand their skill set.

There s this kid in my second-period class. Auriele ignored the ringing phone as she hefted a stack of plates up to the cupboard with a grunt of effort. It wasn t the weight of the dishes that was the problem Auriele was a werewolf; she could have lifted a four-hundred-pound anvil onto the shelf. It was that she was short and had to stand on tiptoe to do it. Jesse had to dodge around her to get to the phone.

All the teachers love Clark, Auriele continued. All the girls and most of the guys, too. And every word out of his mouth is a lie. Enrique cheated off my paper, he told me when I asked him why they both had all the same mistakes. Enrique, he just gets this resigned look on his face; I expect that Clark has done this to him before.

Hauptman residence, said Jesse cheerfully. Can I help you?

Is Adam there?

So I told him Auriele stopped talking abruptly, her sensitive ears caught by the familiar voice on the line.

I need Adam. My husband s ex-wife s voice was thick with tears. Christy Hauptman sounded desperate and half-hysterical.

Mom? Jesse s voice was shaky. Mom, what s wrong?

Get Adam.

Mom? Jesse gave me a frantic look.

Adam, I called. Christy s on the phone