It seems that no one thought it was funny. And by the time Etienne made it to shore, he looked like he was going to cry.

"What possessed you?" Dad asks as he's sitting cross from me at the kitchen table. He's studying my face like he's never really seen me before.

"He was being all whiny and pissy."

"He's always like that. His daddy's like that sometimes. You don't throw him overboard and make him swim back to shore. You tell him to shut up."

I study my fingernails for a moment in order to halt the feelings of shame that are starting to accumulate. "He was complaining over nothing, so I gave him something to complain about."

Dad shakes his head. "After dinner, you call and apologize."

"No."

"Yes."

Even though I know I'm not going to win, I'm going down swinging. "He said this house was boring. He said he'd die if he had to live here." I lie. He did say it was boring, but I threw in the dying part for the hell of it.

"Rory, you tell me it's boring here all the time. What difference is it that he said it?"

"It just is." I look away, but I have to tell him what else he said. "He said you were hitting the bottle again."

My dad shrugs, but I can tell he's not happy hearing that. "Well, you know where he heard it from, don't you?"

"Yes, your best friend told him."

Dad cocks his eyebrow. "He heard it from you, Ror."

Emphatically, I shake my head. "I never told Etienne. I told Albie, in the strictest of confidence. Etienne was in the shower. I swear."

Again, he doesn't seem more than mildly concerned. "Kid was probably ease dropping on Denise and Albie, that's all."

Now I feel like a jerk. I should never have opened my mouth. I should have trusted my dad.

"Sorry," I mutter.

He sits up straighter and taps the table top. "No harm done. I do have one question though."

I wait.

"How'd you get him out of the boat, I mean, without flipping it?"

A wicked grin creeps onto my face. I may very likely go to hell for this but I'm proud of my resourcefulness. "Hit him in the ass with the paddle when he leaned over."

Dad looks away, trying to contain his laughter. "Go take your shower."




I do call Etienne to apologize, just like my dad wanted me to. He's pretty short and kind of an asshole at first, but eventually he's cool. He even ends up laughing about it.

After I hang up, I go out on the porch to say goodnight to my dad.

He's sitting on the railing, his jacket collar flipped up and his chin down.
"You done all your homework?"

"Most of it." I look up at the sky and I can see nothing but stars. Some are huge and sparkling like diamonds, while others are mere pinpoints, distant and faded.

"Amazing, isn't it?" he says.

"Sure is," I agree with him. I don't get all worked up about it like him but it is pretty awesome to see.

For some reason the thought of Cassie's mom and my dad pops back into my head.

"Hey, when you said you knew Cassie's mom- you didn't mean...you know?"

"Sex?"

"You didn't, did you?"

Dad puts his leg out on the railing, but doesn't look at me. "If I don't answer your question, are you gonna lie awake all night and wonder?"

Not real sure where he's going with this I shake my head. "No."

"Good," he says, then turns to wink at me. "Good night, Rory."

If there is one thing that I hate, it's asking a question then getting an answer without really getting an answer.