CHAPTER 4: Dusty

7:30. Dinner time.

Chris and Andrew left for home exactly 24 minutes and 6 seconds ago with Nebbs, rotten creature... 

Chris had left me a slip of paper with their phone numbers in case we wanted to "hang out" as "buds". I re-read their phone numbers over and over until I was interrupted by a loud "GRAAAAAUUUHH". My stomach. 

I phoned Mom and waited, 3 rings, 4, then an answer. 

"Hello?"

"Mom? It's Dusty."

"Oh hey, hun!"

"Yeah, hey um, when are you coming home from work? You were supposed to be here by 6."

"Oh, Mr.Spontayn needed another worker to come to the trip to San Francisco with him to present our new charts, work stuff hun. Isn't this great?! I'm being paid extra too, and going to San Francisco!"  

"Well, when will you be home?"

"I'll be taking the plane tonight at 9:00, and coming back in a month."

"A month?! Are you serious? I can't even make dinner!"

"Listen, I know things are hard since Dad's accident, why don't you stay with a friend?"

I groaned. 

"In case you haven't noticed why I haven't gone anywhere the past summer is because they all are on vacation in Paris or camps and stuff."

"Well there has to be somebody!" 

I sighed and picked up the slip of paper on the table. 

"Yeah, I think there is."