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Looking around the bedroom, it dawns on me how out of place Charlie looks in here. My new company owns this complex and offered us a furnished apartment at half the cost of normal rent. Of course I jumped. I wasn’t sure how to split furniture with Jesse, so I left it all behind. This unit is decent. The shower is free of mold and mildew. There are no questionable stains on the carpet. All the blinds are intact and functional. But it feels like a businessperson’s home away from home. Not a little girl’s room.
“We should decorate,” I announce. “What do you think? We can’t paint, but how about a new bedspread and matching curtains? We could also get a cute nightstand and dresser.”
There’s a little twinkle in her bright blue eyes. “But you said we can’t spend money anymore. We’re poor.”
“We’re being frugal and trying to save money, but we’re okay. We can afford some new furniture. Nothing too crazy. IKEA stuff. Let’s at least add some color to this room.” It’s a partial lie. We really can’t responsibly afford new stuff, but for this, I’ll max out my credit card. Charlie deserves a room she loves.
She nods, her smile widening as she takes in a panoramic view of her space. I’m sure endless ideas are running through her mind. I hope she understands I draw the line at One Direction wallpaper.Not happening.
“Is this a good time for me to bargain?”
Charlie’s question takes me by surprise. “Bargain? What do you mean?”
“If I tell you a secret and I promise not to lie ever again, could I get something I really want in return?”
My stomach drops as my heart starts to race. This can’t be good. “What secret?”
She seals her lips shut and shakes her head.
“Fine,” I grumble. “What exactly do you want?”
“A pet. A small one.”
“Whatkindof pet?” Dear Lord, please do not let my little sister be in a reptile phase. I shudder thinking about Jesse’s bearded dragon, Smaug, I had to tolerate for the two years we lived together. Smaug had eyes like theMona Lisa; he was stone-still, but no matter where I was in the living room, his gaze was alwayson me.
Charlie holds her shoulders like she’s bracing for impact. That’s how bad she wants this. “So, I sort of made a friend at school yesterday. Claire.”
I pat her knee excitedly. “On your first day? That’s great. I told you you’d make friends quickly.”
“Claire’s in seventh grade. She’s popular too, so she didn’t have to sit by me at lunch but she did anyway so I wasn’t alone.”
“Aw, that’s nice.”
“Well, she has these guinea pigs, and her grandma says one has to go because they keep humping.”
“They keepwhat?” Oh. This conversation just took a turn. Damn.
“Humping,” Charlie says, again nonchalantly. “I don’t know, that’s what animals do to make babies. Right? Or is it just guinea pigs?”
Oh no. Oh, no, no.Immediate conversation dodge. “So you want one of her guinea pigs?”
Charlie presses her hands together as if she’s praying. “The guinea pigs love each other but Claire’s grandma says they have to split up. But if I keep one and Claire keeps one, then when we hang out, the guinea pigs can still play sometimes. That way they don’t have to break up for real.”
“And then Claire will want to hang out with you so her little pigs can see each other?”
Charlie shrugs. “That too.”
I could lie and tell Charlie that our apartment doesn’t allow pets. But haven’t I put her through enough? “I’ll need to talk to Claire’s grandma, but I think we can make that work.”
She gasps, then tents her hands over mouth and nose. I give her dramatic reaction a moment to simmer. “Seriously?” she finally asks.
“Seriously. But I want to know the secret now.”
She hangs her head. “You know how you said I’m not allowed to be on TikTok or Instagram?”
My eyes narrow. “Yes.”
“I’m not,” she says quickly. “But I make singing videos and send them to Jesse. He made an account and one of the videos went viral. He texted me this morning.”