tting

and　giggling　as　she　ate；　it　was　obvious　that　at　least　she　was　in　a　good　mood。

………　Page　53………

Granddad　ate　plenty；　even　for　him；　but　I　couldn't　tell　what　he　was　thinking。　He　was　back　to

looking　more　granite　than　human。　Me；　I'd　started　tuning

in　to　the　fact　that　this　dinner　could　be　more　than　awkward　—　it　could　be　trouble。　Those　rotten

eggs　were　back　from　the　grave；　looming　large　and

smelly　right　over　my　head。

Sure；　Granddad　knew；　but　no　one　else　in　my　family　did。　What　if　it　came　up　at　dinner？　I'd　be

dead；　fried；　cluck…faced　meat。

Later；　as　I　was　brushing　my　teeth；　I　considered　bribing　Juli。　Getting　her　on　board　so　that

nobody　brought　up　the　subject　of　eggs。　Or　maybe　I　could

sabotage　the　dinner　somehow。　Make　it　not　happen。　Yeah；　I　could　—　I　stopped　myself　and

looked　in　the　mirror。　What　kind　of　wimp　was　I；　anyway？　I

spit　and　headed　back　to　find　my　mom。

“What　is　it；　honey？”　she　asked　me　as　she　wiped　off　the　griddle。　“You　look　worried。”

I　double…checked　to　make　sure　my　dad　or　Lyta　wasn't　lurking　around　somewhere；　then

whispered；　“Will　you　swear　to　secrecy？”

She　laughed。　“I　don't　know　about　that。”

I　just　waited。

“What　can　be　…；”　she　said；　then　looked　at　me　and　stopped　cleaning。　“Oh；　it　is　serious。

Honey；　what's　wrong？”

It　had　been　ages　since　I'd　voluntarily　fessed　up　about　something　to　my　mom。　It　just　didn't

seem　nece