第20部分(第5/7 页)

he　said。　“Lots　of　onions！”

“Scrubbing　floors？”　my　dad　said。　“It's　Sunday；　Trina。　Why　were　you　scrubbing　floors？”

“Nervous　energy。”　She　looked　at　me。　“How'd　it　go？”

“Okay。　I'm　glad　I　went。”

She　glanced　at　my　dad　and　then　at　me。　“Well；　good；”　she　sighed；　then　said；　“I　also　felt　like

scrubbing　because　I　got　a　call　from　Patsy。”

“Loski？”　my　dad　asked。　“Is　something　wrong？”

My　mother　pushed　a　few　wisps　of　hair　back　and　said；　“No…。　She　called　to　invite　us　over　for

dinner　on　Friday。”

We　blinked　at　her　a　moment；　then　I　asked；　“All　of　us？”

“Yes。”

I　could　see　what　my　dad　was　thinking：　Why？　All　these　years　of　living　across　the　street；　and

we'd　never　been　invited　over。　Why　now？

My　mom　could　see　it；　too。　She　sighed　and　said；　“Robert；　I　don't　exactly　know　why；　but　she

was　insistent。　She　was　practically　in　tears；　saying　how

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sorry　she　was　that　she'd　never　invited　us　before　and　how　she'd　really　like　to　get　to　know　us

better。”

“What　did　you　tell　her？”

“I　couldn't　very　well　say　no。　She　was　being　so　nice；　and　Chet　has　really　done　a　lot…。”　She

shrugged　and　said；　“I　said　we'd　go。　It's　set　for　six

o'clock　Friday　night。”

“Really？”　I　asked。

She　shrugged　again。　“I　think　it　might　be　nice。　A　little　strange；　but　nice。”

“Well；　okay　then；”　my　dad　said。　“I　won't　schedule　any　overtime　for　Friday。　What　about　the

boys？”

“There's　no　gig　on　the　calendar；　and　they're　not　scheduled　to　work；　but　I　haven't　talked　to

them　about　it　yet。”

“Are　you　sure　they　want　us　all　over　there？”　my　dad　asked。

My　mom　nodded。　“She　insists。”

I　could　tell　the　whole　idea　of　dinner　at　the　Loskis'　was　making　my　da