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the mood for home improvement projects； why didn't
you just say so？”
My father was just joking around； but I don't think my grandfather took it that way。 He helped
himself to a cheese…stuffed potato and said； “Pass
the salt； won't you； Bryce？”
So there was this definite tension between my father and my grandfather； but I think if Dad
had dropped the subject right then； the vibe would've
vanished。
Dad didn't drop it； though。 Instead； he said； “So why's the girl the one who's finally doing
something about their place？”
My grandfather salted his potato very carefully； then looked across the table at me。 Ah…oh； I
thought。 Ah… oh。 In a flash I knew those stupid eggs
were not behind me。 Two years of sneaking them in the trash； two years of avoiding
discussion of Juli and her eggs and her chickens and her earlymorning
visits； and for what？ Granddad knew； I could see it in his eyes。 In a matter of seconds he'd
crack open the truth； and I'd be as good as
fried。
Enter a miracle。 My grandfather petrified me for a minute with his eyes but then turned to my
father and said； “She wants to； is all。”
A raging river of sweat ran down my temples； and as my father said； “Well； it's about time
someone did；” my grandfather looked back at me and I
knew—he was not going to let me forget this。 We'd just had another conversation； only this
time I was definitely not dismissed。
After the dishes were cleared； I retreated to my room； but my grandfather came right in；
closed the door behind him； and then sat on my bed。 He
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did this all without making a sound。 No squeaking； no clanking； no scraping； no breathing …I
swear； the guy moved through my room like a ghost。
And of course I'm banging my knee and dropping my pencil and deteriorating into a pathetic
pool of Jell…O。 But I tried my best to sound cool as I
said； “Hello； Granddad。 e to check out the digs？”
He pinched his lips together and looked at nothing but me。
I cracked。 “Look； Granddad； I know I messed up。 I should've just told her； but I couldn't。 And I
kept thinking they'd stop。 I mean； how long can a
chicken lay eggs？ Those things hatched in the fifth grade！ That was like； three years ago！
Don't they eventually run out？ And what was I supposed to
do？ Tell her Mom was afraid of salmonella poisoning？ And Dad wanted me to tell her we
were allergic—c'mon； who's going to buy that？ So I just
kept； you know； throwing them out。 I didn't know she could've sold them。 I thought they were
just extras。”
He was nodding； but very slowly。
I sighed and said； “Thank you for not saying anything about it at dinner。 I owe you。”
He pulled my curtain aside and looked across the street。 “One's character is set at an early
age； son。 The choices you make now will affect you
for the rest of your life。” He inute； then dropped the curtain and said； “I hate
to see you swim out so far you can't swim back。”
“Yes； sir。”
He frowned and said； “Don't yes…sir me； Bryce。” Then he stood and added； “Just think about
what I've said； and the next time you're faced with a
choice； do the right thing。 It hurts everyone less in the long run。”
With that； poof； he was gone。
The next day I went to shoot some hoops at Garrett's after school； and when his mom
dropped me off later that afternoon； my granddad didn't
even notice。 He was too busy being Joe Carpenter in Juli's front yard。
I tried to do my homework at the breakfast bar； but my mom came home from work and
started being all chatty； and then Lyta appeared and
the two of them started fighting about whether Lyta's makeup made her look like a
wounded raccoon。
Lyta。 I swear she'll never learn。
I packed up my stuff and escaped to my room； which； of course； was a total waste。 They've
got a saw revving and wailing across the street； and
in between cuts I can hear the whack； whack； whack！ whack； whack； whack！ of a hammer。
I look out the window and there's Juli； spitting out nails and
slamming them in place。 No kidding。 She's got nails lined up between her lips like steel
cigarettes； and she's swinging that hammer full…arc； way
above her head； driving nails into pickets like they're going into butter。
For a split second there； I saw my head as the recipient of her hammer； cracking open like
Humpty Dumpty。 I shuddered and dropped the curtain；
ditched the homework； and headed for the TV。
They handymanned all week。 And every night Granddad would e in with rosy cheeks
and a huge appetite and pliment my mom on what a
great cook she was。 Then Saturday happened。 And the last thing I wanted was to spend the
day at home while my grandfather churned up dirt and
helped plant Juli's yard。 Mom tried to get me to do our own yard； but I would have felt
ridiculous micromowing our grass with Granddad and Juli
making real changes right across the street。
So I locked myself in my room and called Garrett。 He wasn't home； and everybody else I
called had stuff they had to do。 And hitting up Mom or
Dad for a ride to the movies or the mall was hopeless。 They'd tell me I was supposed to be
doing the yard。
What I was； was stuck。
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And what I wound up doing was looking out the stupid window at Juli and my grandfather。 It
was a totally lame thing to do； but that's what I did。
I got nailed doing it； too。 By my grandfather。 And he； of course； had to point me out to Juli；
which made me feel another two inches shorter。 I
dropped the curtain and blasted out the back door and over the fence。 I had to get out of
there。
I swear I walked ten miles that day。 And I don't know who I was madder at — my grandfather；
Juli； or me。 What was wrong with me？ If I wanted to
make it up to Juli； why didn't I just go over there and help？ What was stopping me？
I wound up at Garrett's house； and man； I'd never been so glad to see anyone in my life。
Leave it to Garrett to get your mind off anything important。
That dude's the master。 We went out back and shot hoops； watched the tube； and talked
about hitting the water slides this summer。
And when I got home； there was Juli； sprinkling the yard。
She saw me； all right； but she didn't wave or smile or anything。 She just looked away。
Normally what I'd do in that situation is maybe pretend like I hadn't seen her； or give a quick
wave and charge inside。 But she'd been mad at me
for what seemed like ages。 She hadn't said word one to me since the morning of the eggs。
She'd pletely dissed me in math a couple days
before when I'd smiled at her； trying to tell her I was sorry。 She didn't smile back or nod or
anything。 She just turned away and never looked back。
I even waited for her outside the classroom to say something； anything； about her fixing up
the yard and how bad I felt； but she ditched me out the
other door； and after that anytime I got anywhere near her； she'd find some way to skate
around me。
So there she was； watering the yard； making me feel like a jerk； and I'd had enough of it。 I
went up to her and said； “It's looking real good； Juli。
Nice job。”
“Thanks；” she said without smiling。 “Chet did most of it。”
Chet？ I thought。 Chet？ What was she doing； calling my grandfather by his first name？ “Look；
Juli；” I said； trying to get on with why I was there。 “I'm
sorry for what I did。”
She looked at me for a second； then went back to watching the water spray across the dirt。
Finally she said； “I still don't get it； Bryce。 Why didn't
you just tell me？”
“I…I don't know。 It was dumb。 I should have。 And I shouldn't have said anything about the
yard； either。 It was； you know； out of line。”
I was already feeling better。 A lot better。 Then Juli says； “Well； maybe it's all for the better；”
and starts bouncing up and down on the balls of her
feet； acting more l