Read Imaginary Enemy for Free Online Page B

knew about the Meltdown. Discretion is not Carmella’s strong suit.
    Dad didn’t go to work anymore after that. Not in the traditional sense, anyhow.
    About a week later, I came home from school to find Dad and Uncle Grayson sitting at the kitchen table, which was covered with papers and brochures. Uncle Grayson’s fingers were dancing on the keys of a calculator while he called out numbers and percentages that Dad scribbled in a notebook.
    “What’s going on?” I asked as I gulped down a glass of apple juice.
    “Business,” Dad replied.
    “What business?” asked Zander, who stood beside me. We both knew Dad was now unemployed.
    “Fishy business,” answered Uncle Grayson, and he and Dad both laughed.
    “Yes,” said Dad with a wink. “There is definitely something fishy going on here.”

Dissonance
    H armony and Carmella tumbled into the family room giggling. “We saw Luke at the park,” Carmella announced.
    “With a girl,” added Harmony.
    “He kissed her,” Carmella said.
    “On the mouth,” Harmony cooed.
    “It was so gross.”
    “Disgusting.” Harmony stuck her finger down her throat.
    I folded my arms across my chest and bored my eyes into the two little seven-year-old snoops. Finally I spoke.
    “If it was so gross and disgusting, why’d you watch?”
    They looked at each other and shrugged. “We just did,” Harmony said.
    “It’s not like they knew we were watching. They were sitting on the bench by the slide and we peeked through the trees,” explained Carmella, as if such behavior was perfectly acceptable.
    “That’s rude,” I said.
    “Yeah,” agreed Harmony. “They shouldn’t be kissing in public.”
    I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t mean Luke was rude. He’s in high school. He can kiss someone if he wants. I meant you two were rude for watching.”
    “We can’t help it if we see what we see,” Carmella said.
    “Spying on people is offensive.”
    “You’re just jealous ’cause you missed out,” taunted Carmella.
    “Yeah.” Harmony nodded.
    “Right. Like I’ve never seen anyone kiss.”
    “We just won’t tell you next time something juicy happens if that’s the way you’re gonna act,” threatened Carmella.
    “Yeah, we just won’t tell you,” echoed Harmony.
    “You’re breaking my heart,” I replied.
    They stomped across the room and into the kitchen, where they described, in very loud voices, everything that had transpired at the park. “I thought you weren’t going to tell me,” I called.
    “We aren’t talking to you,” Carmella yelled back.
    “Oh brother,” I moaned, and grabbed the remote to raise the volume on the television.

    I guess having a Meltdown causes adults to make all kinds of irrational decisions regarding other people. My parents did exactly that. Concerning me.
    After what Mom described as an excessive number of parent-teacher conferences addressing some minor behavioral incidents at school, the household corporate giants held a board meeting. I wasn’t invited until the end, when I was informed that they were tired of my troublemaking and believed that the discipline of music lessons might settle me down. “Then maybe middle school will be easier on you next year…or at least on us,” said my mother with a sigh.
    “And,” added my father, “it will give you something special in your life. Something spiritually and emotionally enriching.”
    “Put your pajamas on, you’re dreaming,” I said loftily.
    “I’m not taking music lessons.”
    But Mom said, “Jane, watch your smart mouth.”
    And Dad said, “It has been decided. I’ve already spoken to Elliot, who said he’d be delighted to take you on as a student.”
    “You want me to take lessons from Elliot? What instrument am I going to play? Raindrops? Buffalo bones?”
    “The mouth, Jane. Watch the mouth.” I rolled my eyes at my mother’s warning.
    “Elliot has a guitar you can use. Your first lesson is tomorrow at nine. In the morning.”
    “But Dad, it’s