“Fine with me,” Claire agreed as she pulled the cowl-neck sweater over her head.
Kendra Block’s pinched voice bleated over the white intercom on Massie’s bedside table.
“Girls, we’re leaving for the club in five minutes,” she said.
“’Kay, Mom,” Massie yelled to the white box.
“I wonder what my dad’s big surprise is.” Claire smiled and bit her bottom lip. She leaned against Massie’s desk and slid on the teal boots. Her face looked like it was being swallowed by the wide cowl-neck as she looked down to zip them up. “I bet he wants to celebrate my first A ever in Spanish. Or maybe we’re finally trading in that Ford Taurus for a new car.”
Claire hobbled around Massie’s room, trying to get her balance in Massie’s heels. “Wait, I know—I bet they’re buying a ski house in Aspen right next to yours so we can go there together every Christmas. How awesome would that be?” The excitement made Claire lose her balance. She teetered for a few seconds and then fell face-first into the butt of the Bean mannequin, which then knocked over the Massie mannequin. They both came crashing down on top of Claire. In an instant she was buried under a tangle of spongy arms, legs, and paws.
“Ehmagod, are you okay?” Massie was glad Claire couldn’t see the smile that was fighting its way onto her face.
A muffled “ugggh” was all she heard back.
Massie started laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe. Then tears welled up in her eyes. And before she knew it, her teeth were chattering and she was crying, for real.
Claire pulled herself out from under the heap of body parts. Her torso was shaking with laughter and her otherwise pale cheeks were flushed.
When she finally caught her breath, Claire looked at Massie with a trace of concern. “Are you crying? Because if anyone gets to cry, it should be me.” She rubbed her elbow.
“No.” Massie wiped her cheeks. “I just get teary when I laugh too hard.” It wasn’t entirely true, but it was a lot cooler than saying, “I am crying because you’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister and I hate that you have to leave.”
“Sorry about the mannequins. I don’t think they’re broken.” Claire pulled off the teal boots and slid on her camo high-tops.
While Claire laced up, Massie double-checked her own outfit. Her new True Religion jeans fit perfectly and the chocolate-brown tweed blazer with the velvet rope belt was perfect for the club. But it needed a little extra something. Massie climbed up on her desk and reached for the red corkboard on her ceiling. She plucked the green four-leaf clover brooch out of the cork and forced the pin through the thick tweed on her lapel. She needed all the luck she could get.
“Ow!” she yelped.
“What?”
“I pricked myself.” Massie watched a ruby red bead of blood ooze out onto her finger. She waved her left hand in the air to shake off the sting.
“Does it hurt?” Claire asked. “Do you need a Band-Aid?”
Massie sucked on her throbbing thumb, thinking about what lay ahead. “Nah, it’s nothing.” The rest of her night was going to hurt a lot more.
HIGH HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
THE VON VISTA DINING ROOM
Saturday, January 24th 8:15 P.M.
Before Claire Lyons moved to Westchester, the closet she had ever come to a ritzy country club was the newly renovated Orlando YMCA.
Now she was standing under a massive glittery chandelier in the round foyer of the main dining room in the High Hills Country Club, surrounded by vases full of long-stemmed red roses. The rich, sweet smell of buttery steak sizzling in the kitchen was so mouthwatering, Claire knew her days of being impressed by the Y’s double cheeseburger were behind her forever.
A clean-shaven middle-aged man in a stiff tuxedo grabbed a stack of heavy red velvet menus off the hostess stand. “Right this way, Mr. Block.” He nodded, then led the two families through the crowded but quiet dining room.
Todd, Claire’s ten-year-old brother, was clinging to Massie’s side even more than usual, and Claire wondered why Massie was tolerating it. Usually she found a way to shake him. But tonight it actually seemed like they were in cahoots, exchanging knowing glances. For a minute Claire found herself wondering if Massie’s body had been possessed by a rare breed of aliens that appreciated redheaded brats.
“What’s going on with you two?” Claire asked. “Do I have a booger or something?” She wiped her hand across her nose.
“No, everything is fine,” said Massie. Her amber eyes weren’t flickering like they usually did.
“You sure?” Claire asked.
“Fully.” Massie opened her brown leather clutch and began searching it with a sense of urgency. But Claire knew Massie was really just looking for something to say. She just didn’t know why.
They snaked around the tables in an uncomfortable silence until they heard, “BRAAACK.”
It sounded like a duck’s quack, but it was Todd burping. Claire instantly forgot her suspicions and burst out laughing. Her parents, Jay and Judi, whipped their heads around and glared at their kids. Kendra and William Block kept their eyes fixed on the floor-to-ceiling windows across the room, like they hadn’t heard a thing.
“’Scuse me.” Todd shrugged.
Massie attempted to cover her smirk with her hand, but her shaking shoulders gave her away. Claire smiled. She loved it when Massie lost control, and wanted to see more. She started gulping air.
“HIGHHILLSCOUNTRYCLUUUUB,” Claire burped in Massie’s ear.
Massie let out a loud cackle that instantly overpowered the delicate clanking sounds of the club’s monogrammed silverware.
Todd high-fived his sister. “Ni-ice.”
“That’s enough!” Kendra hissed out of the side of her mouth. She pinched the ends of the fox collar on her blazer so that it hugged her long thin neck.
Claire looked at her own mother’s outfit and rolled her eyes. Judi’s thin black J.Crew V-necked sweater was covered in specks of white lint and random mousy brown hairs.
“I hope this table is suitable, Mr. Block.” The host gestured as he pulled a cushy blue velvet chair out for Kendra.
“It’s perfect, Nivens.” William straightened his gold tie. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, thanks, buddy,” Jay Lyons said. He was wearing a wrinkled blue dinner jacket with a plaid flannel shirt underneath. Claire couldn’t believe the two dads were actually friends.
Once everyone was seated around the table and their wines and Shirley Temples had been delivered, William raised his glass. Everyone followed.
“To my dear friends and neighbors.” He lifted his arm a little higher. “Now Jay, will you please tell us what this big surprise is? Kendra and I are so tired of guessing.”
Everyone chuckled except Massie. She was looking down at her lap, pushing back her cuticles with the yellow plastic sword that had come in her fruity mocktail. Claire wiggled forward in her seat. Was it going to be the house in Aspen or a new car?
“I don’t want to move to Chicago!” Todd screamed. His face was flushed and his big brown eyes were filling up with tears.
Massie’s head shot up and she punched the side of his arm.
“Massie!” Kendra gripped her silver butter knife and pressed it firmly against the table.
“Todd, what are you talking about?” Jay asked his son. But Claire didn’t like her father’s tone. It was laced with suspicion, not concern.
“I—hic!—know.” Todd started hiccupping and crying at the same time. “Hic! We’re moving to Ch—hic!—ago, and I don’t wanna g—hic!—oh.”
“Have you been eavesdropping again?” Judi snapped.
“Wait. Stop.” Claire held out her palm in an effort to slow things down so she could jump into the conversation. “What is he talking about?”
Her parents took deep breaths but never seemed to exhale. Kendra Block twisted her princess-cut Tiffany diamond ring around on her fourth finger. William unbuttoned his suit jacket, put his elbows on the table,
and folded his hands. Claire could see his knuckles turning white. Massie was biting her bottom lip and buffing her French manicure.
Claire turned to face Massie. “Do you know what they’re talking about?”
Massie’s cheeks turned red but she didn’t look up.
“Do you?” Claire’s voice cracked. She pushed Massie’s arm as if she were trying to wake her out of a deep sleep. “Do you?”
“Claire, keep your voice down,” Judi insisted, leaning forward.
“Will everyone please calm down?” Jay whispered. “This is a good thing.” His smile seemed forced. “I got a great job offer in Chicago, and I’ve decided to take it.”
“What?” Kendra snapped. William gently rested his hand on her arm. She covered her mouth with a cream-colored cloth napkin and shook her head.
“Kids, I found a four-bedroom house with enough room in the backyard for a hot tub. And you can walk to school. How great will that be?”
“Are you serious?” Claire screeched. “Are you seriously serious?” She could feel her throat starting to lock. The tears were on their way. “I’m finally having fun here and now you want me to leave?”
Claire thought of Massie’s exclusive Friday-night sleepovers that she was finally invited to. And the new friendships she had with Layne, Dylan, Kristen, and Alicia. Then her boyfriend Cam’s ahdorably sweet face popped into her mind. Her hands felt itchy and clammy. This couldn’t possibly be happening.
Claire looked to Massie for support. She got nothing but her profile.
“Why are you so quiet?”
Massie managed to sneak a peek at Todd through the corner of her eye, without moving her head.
“No way,” Claire cried. “You already knew? He told you?”
“Son, you’re grounded,” Jay said.
Todd pushed his plate of crusty French bread into the middle of the table. “As of now—hic!—Todd Lyons is on a hunger strike. If we leave I—hic!—am never—hic!—eating again.”
“I’m not leaving.” Claire slammed her fist on the table, and her father’s glass of red wine fell on its side. A stream of bloodred liquid rushed toward Claire and doused the front of her camel-colored sweater.
“Oh my God, Massie, I’m so sorry,” Claire said to the stain on Massie’s sweater. The tears in her eyes made everything look blurry. “But you should have told me. This wouldn’t have happened if you told me.” She wiped her eyes.
“Sorry,” Massie muttered under her breath.
“Ready to order, Monsieur?” the enthusiastic young waiter asked, ignoring everyone’s tears.
“Nothing for me, thanks!” Todd shouted at the waiter. He kicked his chair away from the table and ran toward the bathroom.
“All I want is a stable childhood,” Claire said to no one in particular.
“Uh, maybe we should just leave and order a coupla pizzas at home,” Jay quietly suggested to William.
William nervously ran his hand across the top of his smooth bald head, then chuckled and glanced at the waiter. “That’s not a bad idea.” He reached into his pants pocket and peeled three crisp bills out of his wallet. “Sorry, Franco.” He stuffed the bills in the waiter’s jacket. “We’ve just received some tragic news.”
Franco clasped his hands behind his back. “Understood, Mr. Block.”
“I’ll go get Todd,” Judi sighed.
“I’ll go with you,” Kendra said.
Both families stood up from the table.
Claire’s eyes felt swollen and heavy. And her body ached like it did when she had a fever. She had to get out of there. Suddenly, Claire turned and stormed through the dining room, wiping her eyes with one of the clubs precious cream cloth napkins. She didn’t care if every rich snooty country club member was staring at her over the tops of their Chanel bifocals. At the moment, they seemed like insignificant extras in the horror movie that was her life.
Claire could hear the charms on Massie’s bracelet jingling behind her as she raced to catch up. But Claire refused to slow down. She bolted straight through the round foyer and past the red roses that had once looked so cheery. Now she wished she could knock them over and hurl the crystal vases at her father’s selfish head. A friendly old man held the glass doors open for Claire and she marched past him without even a single “thank-you.”
No one said a word while they stood outside under the heat lamps waiting for their cars. Finally, the valets pulled up with the Blocks’ Bentley and the Lyonses’ Ford Taurus.
“Dad, can Claire ride in our car?” Massie asked.
“No,” Jay answered for William. “She’s coming with us.”
“I’m walking,” Claire muffled though her tears. The thought of being anywhere near her father made her nauseated. She could hardly look at him.
“Me too,” Todd added.
“Get in the car,” Jay insisted.
“I hate you,” Claire said to the beige car door as she yanked it open.
Once they were all inside, Jay fixed his eyes on the road ahead. “Can we please talk about this?”
Claire and Todd were silent.
“Fine,” Jay said. He turned the key, started the car, and drove toward the club gates.
The rhythmic clicking of the turn signal was the only noise in the car. It sounded louder than usual and seemed to be laughing at them.
Click-click-click.
Click-click-click.
Click-click-click.
Chi-ca-go.
Chi-ca-go.
Chi-ca-go.
Claire started chewing on the fingernails she’d spent all of Christmas break trying to grow. What was she supposed to do next? All she could do was glare at the back of her father’s head and plan her escape. She’d uprooted her life once for him, and it had been hell. For three months straight Claire had gotten picked on by Massie and the rest of her so-called Pretty Committee. They’d put red paint on her white pants, thrown smoked salmon at her, and written mean text messages about her clothes, her bangs, and her only friend, Layne. Now that she finally fit in, she wasn’t about to leave and start all over again.
Bzzzz, bzzzz, bzzzz. Claire felt something vibrating against her hip. She immediately unzipped the inside pocket of her ski jacket and pulled out her cell phone.
“What is that?” Judi asked.
Bzzzz, bzzzz, bzzzz.
Claire quickly sat on the phone. “Uh.” She looked at Todd, desperate for a quick cover-up. If her parents found out Massie had bought her a cell phone for Christmas, they would take it away. For some reason, they expected her to wait until her sixteenth birthday before she could enter modern civilization.
“Sorry, I farted,” Todd announced.
Judi rolled her eyes and turned around.
“Thanks,” Claire mouthed to her brother.
Todd winked. When the vibrating stopped, Claire picked up the phone and turned the ringer to silent. Then she shoved it under her coat and discreetly checked the screen. She had one text message.
MASSIE: Don’t worry, my dad will figure something out.
CLAIRE: ?
MASSIE: He is talking 2 my mom about it now. She is crying.
CLAIRE: Me 2.
MASSIE:
CLAIRE: HLP.
MASSIE: Trying … C U at home.
Claire sighed. She stuffed her phone back inside her jacket and prayed for a miracle.
Jay flicked the turn signal again and followed the Blocks’ Bentley into their circular driveway. Claire leaned her head against the window and looked at the stone mansion. For some reason, it looked different than it had when the Lyonses had first arrived from Orlando over Labor Day weekend. It still resembled an old English manor, and it still had a huge green lawn behind it with a horse barn, swimming pool, and tennis courts. Even the stone guesthouse was the same. But over time the hard edges seemed to have softened and warmed. And the estate no longer looked ominous or intimidating. It just looked like a home. Her home.
Jay turned off the engine. The air felt heavy
and still.
“Can we talk about this calmly?” Jay asked. His leather jacket made a crunching sound as turned to face the backseat.
“No,” Judi, Todd, and Claire answered.
He shook his head. “Impossible,” Jay muttered under his breath as he pushed open the car door and stepped onto the Blocks’ gravel driveway. The tiny rocks seemed to groan as Jay carelessly trod across them in his Rockport walking shoes. Claire knew exactly how they felt.
William was there, waiting for him.
“Jay, how about we go in my study and talk about this.” He closed the car door for him.
Claire listened for her father’s response. Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes… .
“William, I’m not going to change my mind. This is a great opportunity and—”
“Then let’s have a glass of port and you can tell me all about it.” William gently nudged Jay toward the front steps of the main house.
Jay sighed, and a huge cloud of steam puffed out of his mouth. Then he turned and followed William.
Claire crossed her fingers for luck and stepped out of the car.
Twenty minutes later everyone was sitting on the cold marble floor outside William’s study, dressed in their pajamas and eating pizza out of the box. Kendra sat above them on one of her toile dining room chairs, nibbling on crudités and hummus.
Invasion of the Boy Snatchers Page 2
