ridiculous micromowing our grass with Granddad and Juli
making real changes right across the street。
So I locked myself in my room and called Garrett。 He wasn't home； and everybody else I
called had stuff they had to do。 And hitting up Mom or
Dad for a ride to the movies or the mall was hopeless。 They'd tell me I was supposed to be
doing the yard。
What I was； was stuck。
……… Page 39………
And what I wound up doing was looking out the stupid window at Juli and my grandfather。 It
was a totally lame thing to do； but that's what I did。
I got nailed doing it； too。 By my grandfather。 And he； of course； had to point me out to Juli；
which made me feel another two inches shorter。 I
dropped the curtain and blasted out the back door and over the fence。 I had to get out of
there。
I swear I walked ten miles that day。 And I don't know who I was madder at — my grandfather；
Juli； or me。 What was wrong with me？ If I wanted to
make it up to Juli； why didn't I just go over there and help？ What was stopping me？
I wound up at Garrett's house； and man； I'd never been so glad to see anyone in my life。
Leave it to Garrett to get your mind off anything important。
That dude's the master。 We went out back and shot hoops； watched the tube； and talked
about hitting the water slides this summer。
And when I got home； there was Juli； sprinkling the yard。
She saw me； all right； but she didn't wave or smile or anything。 She just looked away。
Normally what I'd do in that situation is maybe pretend like I hadn't seen her； or give a quick
wave and charge inside。 But she'd been mad at me
for what seemed like ages。 She hadn't said word one to me since the morning of the eggs。
She'd pletely dissed me in math a couple days
before when I'd smiled at her； trying to tell her I was sorry。 She didn't smile back or nod or
anything。 She just turned away and never looked back。
I even waited for her outside the classroom to say something； anything； about her fixing up
the yard and how bad I felt； but she ditched me out the
other door； and after that anytime I got anywhere near her； she'd find some way to skate
around me。
So there she was； watering the yard； making me feel like a jerk； and I'd had enough of it。 I
went up to her and said； “It's looking real good； Juli。
Nice job。”
“Thanks；” she said without smiling。 “Chet did most of it。”
Chet？ I thought。 Chet？ What was she doing； calling my grandfather by his first name？ “Look；
Juli；” I said； trying to get on with why I was there。 “I'm
sorry for what I did。”
She looked at me for a second； then went back to watching the water spray across the dirt。
Finally she said； “I still don't get it； Bryce。 Why didn't
you just tell me？”
“I…I don't know。 It was dumb。 I should have。 And I shouldn't have said anything about the
yard； either。 It was； you know； out of line。”
I was already feeling better。 A lot better。 Then Juli says； “Well； maybe it's all for the better；”
and starts bouncing up and down on the balls of her
feet； acting more like her old self。 “Doesn't it look great？ I learned so much from Chet it's
amazing。 You are so lucky。 I don't even have grandparents
anymore。”
“Oh；” I said； not knowing what to say。
“I do feel sorry for him； though。 He sure misses your grandmother。” Then she laughs and
shakes her head； saying； “Can you believe it？ He says I
remind him of her。”
“What？” “Yeah；” she laughs again。 “That's what I said。 But he meant it in a nice way。”
I looked at Juli and tried to picture my grandmother as an eighth grader。 It was hopeless。 I
mean； Juli's got long； fluffy brown hair and a nose full of
freckles； where my grandmother had always been some variety of blond。 And my
grandmother had used powder。 Puffy white powder。 She'd put it
on her face and in her hair； in her slippers and on her chest…。 That woman powdered
everything。
I could not see Juli coated in powder。 Okay； maybe gun powder； but the white perfumy stuff？
Forget it。
……… Page 40………
I guess I was staring； because Juli says； “Look； I didn't say it； he did。 I just thought it was nice；
that's all。”
“Yeah； whatever。 Well； good luck with the grass。 I'm sure it'll e up great。” Then I totally
surprised myself by saying； “Knowing you； you'll get 'em
all to hatch。” I didn't say it mean or anything； I really meant it。 I laughed； and then she
laughed； and that's how I left her—sprinkling her soon…to…be
sod； smiling。
I hadn't been in such a good mood in weeks。 The eggs were finally behind me。 I was
absolved。 Relieved。 Happy。
It took me a few minutes at the dinner table to realize that I was the only one who was。
Lyta had on her usual pout； so that wasn't it。 But my
father's idea of saying hello was to lay into me about the lawn。
“No sweat；” I told him。 “I'll do it tomorrow。”
All that got me was a scowl。
Then Mom says to my granddad； “You tired tonight； Dad？”
I hadn't even noticed him sitting there like a stone。
“Yeah；” my father tosses down the table at him。 “That girl working you too hard？”
My grandfather straightens his fork on his napkin and says； “‘That girl’ is named Juli； and no；
she isn't ‘working me too hard；’ as you so callously
put it。”
“Callous？ Me？” My dad laughs and says； “Developed quite a soft spot for that girl； haven't
you？”
Even Lyta let her pout go for a minute。 These were fighting words and everyone knew it。
Mom nudged Dad with her foot； but that only made
things worse。 “No； Patsy！ I want to know why your father has the energy and inclination to
befriend a plete stranger when he's never done so
much as toss a baseball around with his own grandson！”
Well； yeah！ I thought。 But then I remembered — I owed my grandfather。 Owed him big…time。
Without thinking； I said； “Take it easy； Dad。 Juli just
reminds him of Grandma。”
Everyone clammed up and stared at me。 So I looked at my grandfather and said； “Uh … isn't
that right； Granddad？”
He nodded and rearranged his fork some more。
“Of Renée？” My father looked at my mother and then at Granddad。 “She can't possibly！”
My granddad closed his eyes and said； “It's her spirit that reminds me of Renée。”
“Her spirit；” my father says。 Like he's talking to a lying kindergartner。
“Yes； her spirit。” My grandfather's quiet for a minute； then asks； “Do you know why the
Bakers haven't fixed up the yard until now？”
“Why？ Sure。 They're trash； that's why。 They've got a beat…up house； two beat…up cars； and a
beat…up yard。”
“They are not trash； Rick。 They are good； honest； hardworking people — ”
“Who have absolutely no pride in how they present themselves to the rest of the world。
We've lived across the street from those people for over
six years； and there is no excuse for the state they're in。”
“No？” My grandfather takes a d