The Last Genie: A Novella

Chapter 19

When Grace woke up the next day, she still didn't know what she should do about Kari, so she wrapped up her mother's KitchenAid, borrowed Claire's car, and headed home.

Even though she hadn't lived there since high school, home to Grace was still the single wide mobile home she had grown up in. It was a little ways out of the city, on an isolated little plot of land high up on the mountains surrounded by tall pine trees, and Grace just loved it. She liked how no matter where she was in the house she could hear her mother, and maybe that was because after her father left, she worried about her mother leaving to. But, she didn't think about that. She just knew she liked it. She liked being in the woods, and she loved how a just a short walk away through a little path she had discovered as a child was a rocky outcropping with an amazing view of the town below where she could just sit and think. It was just so peaceful and beautiful.

So, as she stepped out of Claire's car in front of her home, she took a deep breath and felt her soul settle. Then, she took the KitchenAid out of the trunk and walked inside. People didn't really lock their doors around those parts.

As Grace stepped inside, her mother turned around from the stove, and said, "What do you got there?"

"It's for you."

"Why are you getting me a present?"

"Because you deserve one."

"That's why you're my angel. Let me just take these pancakes off, and I'll open it."

As she was putting the pancakes on a plate, Grace's mother asked, "Do you want one?"

"Only if you have an extra one."

"For you, I always have an extra one."

Grace smiled and said, "I'll get the syrup."

After they had taken their seats at the table and each taken a bite of the pancakes because they were way too good to resist, Grace's mother opened up the box and said, "Oh my word. I can't believe it. I've wanted one of these for so long."

"I know."

Grace's mother said, "You are the best daughter," and gave her a warm hug. Then, she asked, "Why'd you give this to me now?"

"Well," said Grace as she thought of Ithel. "Someone actually gave it to me."

"Then, you should keep it."

"No, they gave it to me to give to you."

"Who would do that?"

"It was a friend. I had."

"Was this friend a boy?"

"Yes, but he wasn't my boyfriend or anything."

"Really? So, he just gave you a new KitchenAid to give to me out of the goodness of his heart."

"I don't know, and that's actually what I came out here to talk to you about. We hadn't known each other that long, so I wasn't sure how I felt about him or how he felt about me. But, before we could figure that out, Kari ruined the whole thing."

"How she'd do that?"

"I told her something about him in confidence. I even made her promise not to tell anyone, but she did anyways. And, he found out and got super mad and left."

"What's his secret?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Why not? We don't keep secrets from each other."

"Because it's his secret to tell."

"Is it embarrassing?"

"Mamma! You're missing the point. It doesn't matter what his secret is. Kari promised me that she wouldn't tell anyone, but she did."

"Ok, ok. You're right. It was wrong for Kari to break her promise."

"Thank you."

"But, I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose."

"No, I'm sure she did."

"Ok, but she probably didn't mean to hurt you. Maybe she thought she was protecting you."

"There was no way that telling someone his secret was protecting me, and honestly, recently I feel like I need someone to protect me from her."

"What does that mean?"

"She's so irresponsible. She's always late with her half of the rent. She never picks up after herself. She just really needs to grow up."

"Have you talked to her about this?"

Grace said, "Yes," but then realized she hadn't talked with Kari about everything. "I have told her she needs to get her half of the rent on time."

"You need to talk to her about everything."

"Why? Why do I need to talk to her about basic things? It's not like we're kids anymore."

"Baby, a person's age has nothing to do with how responsible they are, and you can trust me on that. Kari's always been a free spirit. That's one of the reasons I was so glad y'all became friends. I figured she'd loosen you up a bit."

Grace was dumbstruck. She had no idea her mother thought she needed to loosen up a bit.

"But," continued Grace's mother. "I also thought you would be a good influence on Kari, and you were. There is no way she would've graduated high school without you. And, I think when you went away from college, she missed having your guiding hand in her life."

"I'm her friend. I'm not her mom. I shouldn't have to be the one teaching her how to be an adult."

"I didn't say you had to do that, but I think you can help guide her back to a more productive life. And, I think she can help you enjoy life a little bit more."

"I enjoy life."

"I'm not saying you don't, but Kari can help you stress a little less."

"Right now, all she's doing is causing me more stress."

"Ok, so talk to her."

"And what if talking to her doesn't change anything?"

"Then, you talk to her some more."

"That's crazy."

"What are you thinking about doing?"

"Moving out."

"Moving out isn't a bad idea."

"Really?"

"Yeah, some people just aren't meant to live together, but that doesn't mean you should stop being her friend. You still need to talk to her about how you're feeling."

Deep down Grace knew her mother was right, but she didn't know if she wanted to talk to Kari about her feelings. So, she grabbed some more syrup and turned her attention to her delicious pancake.