“Katie?”Sharon said softly across the lip of her coffee cup. “I just wantedto tell you…”
Kate looked upfrom her coffee with an unexpected softness. “Yeah, Mom?”
“I just wantedto say…” Holding her mug a little tighter, Sharon said, “You shouldreally go back to wearing deodorant, honey.”
“Mom!” Kateslammed her mug on the coffee table. “Oh my God, you are soannoying!”
“I’d rather beannoying than smell like a zoo.”
Kate sat lowin her chair, both arms crossed over her chest. “I can’t believehow irritating you are.”
Sharon reachedover and gave a playful tug to her daughter’s dreadlocks. “It’s myjob to be irritating. I’m your mother and I love you.”
Kate teasinglytried to bite her mother’s hand, and snickered when Sharon jumped,nearly spilling coffee over the sides of her cup.
Rolling her
