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immediately.
    I decided to call Amelia. She might tell me something that could prove to be helpful to push Trip into action before it was too late. I got her voice mail. In a clever moment, I didn’t leave a message because I knew she wouldn’t call me back if I did. If she saw a missed call, she would be more likely to become curious or worried and actually call me back right away. See that? I was still onto the ways of our youth-obsessed culture. In less time than it took me to turn off the lights in the back of the house, the phone was ringing again.
    “Aunt Caroline? Is everything okay?”
    It was Amelia. Ah, I loved it when I was right. It didn’t happen nearly often enough.
    “Yes, of course! I just wanted to thank you again for the fabulous balloons! Made me feel like a kid! Can you believe that crazy dream I had?”
    “Spooky, if you ask me. I mean, seriously!”
    “Well, it just goes to show you that this is a crazy world.”
    “Yeah, and that Grandmother Lavinia is still hanging around.”
    “And thank goodness she is! Anyway, sweetheart, thanks for coming and bringing my boy home. I loved seeing y’all. I always do.”
    “Aunt Caroline, I should look so good when I’m as old as you! Seriously!”
    Mentally, I gave her a good slap right across the face.
    “Thanks, hon. So, Amelia?”
    “Hmm?”
    In my mind’s eye I could see her multitasking, probably looking something up on the Internet or playing on that infernal Facebook, which I had to admit was very handy when researching the lives of old boyfriends, finding out who was single again and so forth.
    “Was everything okay driving your mom home? And was it okay when you got there? Where were your sisters?” Did that sound too nosy? Probably.
    There was a distinct pause. I could hear the opening and closing of a door and assumed she was going somewhere more private. Her roommates were probably home.
    “Oh, Aunt Caroline. What are we going to do about Mom? I mean, I can’t be there all the time and Belle and Linnie are practically useless. I made them swear not to let Chloe in the car with her if they thought she was, well, you know. But I can’t depend on them. They’re completely unreliable, as we all know. Sometimes I feel like the only grown-up in my whole family.”
    Her remark wasn’t too far off from the truth.
    “Well, I had a talk with your father today and we all agree it’s time to take steps again. My problem is the same as yours. I’m worried, very worried in fact, about the safety of all of your sisters. What happened yesterday was inexcusable. It really was.”
    “What can I do? I mean, I have a year left of school! I’m up to my ears in papers and all kinds of crap!”
    I hated the word crap . It was so common. I cleared my throat, a signal of my displeasure, and I could hear her sigh. When I was her age we never used that kind of language in front of adults.
    “Well, maybe you can talk to your sisters about Rusty.”
    “And do what? Help them hire an F -ing hit man?”
    F -ing was worse. But then she had learned to express herself at the knee of a dairy cow.
    “No. Please! Don’t be ridiculous. But here’s the situation . If your mother goes to Promises again or the Betty, somebody’s gonna have to care for Chloe, you know? Bath, supper, homework, bedtime.”
    “We hired a housekeeper last time.”
    “And last time your two younger sisters got arrested for engaging in lewd acts in public, which nearly killed your father.”
    “He got them out of it . . .” Her voice trailed off in weariness.
    “Yes, but we don’t want a repeat of that performance, do we? They were caught without panties! Do you remember that?”
    “God. They are such little idiots.”
    “No, they’re really quite clever, and well, they just have their priorities out of whack and they make some very bad choices.”
    She groaned loudly. “Oh! Why is this happening to me? I am the good girl! I never did anything! Why can’t I have a normal