Chapter Ten

I was late. I’d forgotten some homework at school, but I didn’t have time to pick it up. I had to run all the way to the store.

That was okay. I was so wound up from talking to Devin, it felt good to burn off some energy.

Mrs. Abdul was there when I arrived. She looked all puffy and gray. This pregnancy was really hard on her. I told her not to worry about tidying stuff up. She should just go. I’d take care of things.

I called and asked Leo to get my homework from my locker. Then I braced myself for the suppertime rush.

An hour later all the Hamburger Helper was gone and I was on my own again. I started to restock the shelves and I thought about Devin.

I didn’t have a clue how to make him change his mind. He was such a weird guy. I couldn’t figure him out. He twisted everything I said. He just believed what he wanted to believe. It dawned on me that I could end up saying something that would actually make things worse. For a second there, I considered introducing him to my mother. Maybe she could talk some sense into him. Somebody had to.

I heard a customer walk in the door. I got up and went to the counter.

I couldn’t believe it.

I was so surprised that I just kind of yelled “Tom!” I’d never even called him Mr. Orser before. He looked at me like I was nuts.

“Well, hello to you too,” he said and put a package of diapers on the counter.

I rang them in. I had to say something to him but I didn’t know how. Or what.

“Will there be anything else?” I said. I was just stalling for time.

“No,” he said. “That’s all.”

He handed me the money. He was going to leave.

I blurted out, “Actually, there is one other thing.”

“I have to buy something else?” He looked confused.

“No. No. Um. Sorry. Look.” I gulped. “Well…”

“Yes?” he said. I couldn’t tell if he found this amusing or irritating.

“Okay. I guess there’s no easy way around this. I’m just going to come right out and say it,” I said. “You have to talk to your son.” I wiped my hands on my shirt. They were all sweaty.

“My son?” he said. “You must be mistaking me for someone else.”

“You’re Tom Orser.”

“That’s me. But I don’t have a son.” I nodded.

“Devin told me you’d say that.”

“Who’s Devin?”

I nodded again.

“He told me you’d say that too.”

Tom rolled his eyes. I pushed my hair off my face and just kept going. I was too far in to stop now.

“I’m sure you have your reasons for not wanting to see him. That’s none of my business. I promise I won’t tell anybody else about this. But you really need to talk to him now before he does something stupid. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”

Tom scratched his chin and looked at me.

“Please. I’m really worried about him.”

“I can see you are,” he said. “I appreciate your concern but, honestly, I don’t have a son. Four daughters, two wives, no son. Someone’s pulling your leg.”

I got this sick feeling. I went, “But…but…um …”

“Go ahead. Ask anyone,” he said. “You’ll see.”

He picked up the diapers.

“And if you do find out I have a son, please call me. I like to know about these things.”

He smiled and left.

I spent the rest of my shift in a daze. Tom didn’t look like he was lying. And Tom didn’t look like Devin’s father either. He was dark and round. Devin was pale and skinny. They weren’t related. I was sure of it.

Or was I?

I don’t look like my parents. I look like my father’s mother. It’s one of those skip-a-generation things. Maybe it was the same with Devin and Tom.

And there was another thing that didn’t sit right with me. I just couldn’t believe that Devin was able to pull off that big a lie. I lie and my ears turn red. Leo lies and he starts rubbing his neck. Kyla lies and she bites her lip. You always know when someone is lying. Devin looked me right in the eye and told me Tom was his father. He didn’t blink.

Was he a good liar?

Or was Tom?

Or was I just stupid?

I had no idea.

Midnight came. Mr. Abdul arrived for the nightshift, but there was no sign of Leo. I was just starting to worry when Chris Cooper, the guy from Diamond Taxi, showed up.

“Leo sent me,” he said. “I’ll take you home.”

I figured Leo must have been having problems with his transmission again. But then I got in the cab and Chris handed me a package. It was the homework I asked Leo to get from my locker.

That picture of Devin and me was on top. Leo had stuck a stickie on it.

It said, “From now on, find your own way home.”