The Mare

Ginger

She called me and told me she got the letter and then yelled at her mother, who yelled back. She yelled at me that her mom got a job but that she was going to let Mr. Figuera keep sleeping in her room and make Velvet sleep on the couch.

I said, “Your mom must really need the money.”

She said, “I don’t care what she needs! Why doesn’t she sleep on the couch?” Her mother yelled again and Velvet said, “Can you talk to Dante?”

I said, “About what?”

Dante said, “Hi.”

So I said, “Hi. What are you doing?”

“Watching The Simpsons.” The yelling went up and came back down. “Do you want to know what’s happening?” he said.

“Yes, please tell me.”

“Bart went to church and sold his soul! To the devil!”

There was a snatching of air and Velvet said, “Can I come live with you?”

“Honey,” I said, “I don’t think you’d really want that.”