Chapter 44

“Yooo hooo! Benjamin!”

“Shoot, Dad! Here comes Mrs. Wilson.” She’d lived next door to us for as long as I could remember, and her main goal in life was to know everything that was going on in the neighborhood

“Ty, I’m outta here.” Jimmy knew her as well. “I’ll see you before you leave.”

“You bet.” I let out the breath I’d been holding. I hated lying, wasn’t good at it, and I was relieved the rest of this conversation was tabled for the time being. “How about if we catch a movie? Saturday or Sunday?”

“Sounds great. I’ll give you a call. I…uh…want to talk to you. Bye, Mr. Small. Merry Christmas.”

“Bye, Jimmy. Merry Christmas to you and your folks.”

My friend made good his escape before I could ask what he wanted to talk to me about, and I stood fidgeting beside Dad. “What did you tell her about why I’m not living at home anymore?”

“Relax, Ty. All she knows is that you got a job out of town with your Uncle Dave.”

“Who?”