第13部分(第3/7 页)

he　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　like　her　old　self。　“Doesn't　it　look　great？　I　learned　so　much　from　Chet　it's

amazing。　You　are　so　lucky。　I　don't　even　have　grandparents

anymore。”

“Oh；”　I　said；　not　knowing　what　to　say。

“I　do　feel　sorry　for　him；　though。　He　sure　misses　your　grandmother。”　Then　she　laughs　and

shakes　her　head；　saying；　“Can　you　believe　it？　He　says　I

remind　him　of　her。”

“What？”　“Yeah；”　she　laughs　again。　“That's　what　I　said。　But　he　meant　it　in　a　nice　way。”

I　looked　at　Juli　and　tried　to　picture　my　grandmother　as　an　eighth　grader。　It　was　hopeless。　I

mean；　Juli's　got　long；　fluffy　brown　hair　and　a　nose　full　of

freckles；　where　my　grandmother　had　always　been　some　variety　of　blond。　And　my

grandmother　had　used　powder。　Puffy　white　powder。　She'd　put　it

on　her　face　and　in　her　hair；　in　her　slippers　and　on　her　chest…。　That　woman　powdered

everything。

I　could　not　see　Juli　coated　in　powder。　Okay；　maybe　gun　powder；　but　the　white　perfumy　stuff？

Forget　i