“I need your wise example in everything as I grow into my womanhood. What’s your secret for staying best friends forever, and how is this summer unexpectedly challenging that? One day I’ll be either s famous journalist or psychologist.”
Now the kid was getting uncanny as well as annoying. Tara tried again.
“Besides daddy’s shotgun, what will it take to shut you up?”
“Promise me you’ll call Carrie this afternoon and ask if I can see the fish soon.”
Wondering (and not for the first time) how the kid had twisted her into this, Tara gave the grown-up’s all-purpose capitulation.
“We’ll see. Now be quiet and watch TV.”
***
Carrie Mitchell, a.k.a. Mistress Mesoamerica, finished squaring things with Jeff so that she wouldn’t trip any security alerts. Clearing her route of others on the way,
