Monster He Made

od answer the phone during dinner rather than subject someone to the answering machine. I tried to live up to his example–at least when he was around. I was halfway across the apartment when the machine clicked on. My recorded voice sang out a nauseatingly cheery greeting and invited the caller to leave a message. This one did.

”Jaden? Its Alfred. ” I stopped in midstride. ”Please call me. Its important. ”

His voice trailed off. The phone hissed with a sharp intake of breath. I knew he was tempted to say more, to issue a call-me-or-else ultimatum, but he couldn . We had an agreement. He couldn come here or send any of the others here. I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue at the answering machine. Nyah-nyah-nyah, you can get me.

Maturity is highly overrated.

”Its urgent, Jaden, ” Alfred continued. ”You know I wouldn call if it wasn . ”

Max reached for the phone, but Alfred had already hung up. He lifted the receiver and held it out to me. I averted my gaze and walked to the couch.

”Aren you going to call back? ” he said.

”He didn leave a number. ”

”He sounded as if he expected you to have it. Who was it anyway? ”

”A–uh–the second cousin. ”

”So many mysterious orphans have a family? Ill have to meet this cousin someday. ”

”You wouldn want to. ”

He laughed. ”Turnabouts fair play. I inflicted my family on you. Nows your chance for revenge. After Beckys shower, youll want to sic your worst on me. Dig up the mad cousins whove been locked in attics for years. Though, crazy attic-dwelling cousins would probably be the best kind. Definite dinner party interest. Better than the great-aunts whove told you the same story since childhood and fall asleep over dessert. ”

I rolled my eyes. ”Ready for that walk yet? ”

”Let me finish my shower. How about giving 411 a call? ”

”And get dinged with a service charge whether they find the number or not? ”

”Its less than a buck. We can afford it. Call. If you can find his number, maybe you can get someone else who can give you his number. There must be more of these cousins, right? ”

”You think they have phone service in those attics? They
e lucky if they get electric lighting. ”

”Call, Jaden, ” he said, giving a mock growl as he disappeared into the bathroom.

Once he was out of the room, I stared at the phone. Max may have joked about it, but I knew he expected me to call Alfred back. Why wouldn he? It was what any decent human being would do. Max had heard the message, heard the urgency in Jeremys voice. By refusing to return what seemed to be a very important call, Id appear callous, and uncaring. A human would call back. The kind of woman I wanted to be would call back.