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‘This is Larry’s study partner.’”

    “Jenn,” he said with false heartiness, “you’re not like that. You wouldn’t do that to me, would you?” She could almost hear the sweat dripping down his face.

    “Of course I would. I would consider it ample repayment for the goats in my backyard.”

    “Aw, but Pookie’s awful cute, isn’t he?”

    “Pookie is a she, and she tripled yesterday.”

    “Tripled? Uh … congratulations?”

    He was a little too unsurprised by that. “Did Brad know she was pregnant?”

    “No, of course not.”

    “You are going to call him and tell him to come get his goat today.”

    “Today? That’s too short notice—”

    “Today or else the little yellow pony is going to be galloping through the front door of your dorm.”

    He gave a painful groan into the phone.

    Mom’s soft knock on her bedroom door.

    Jenn stood up but finished her conversation with her cousin before opening it. “I mean it, Larry! That goat is eating me out of house and home. If Brad doesn’t get it from me today, it’s going to the humane society and Brad’s mother will blow like an aerosol can in a microwave. And you know what? I don’t care if they are Yips. I’m not keeping their goat another day.” She disconnected the phone just as she opened her bedroom door.

    Aunty Aikiko stood next to her mom.

    Jenn’s jaw clenched. Well, what did she expect? On the phone, Aunty had said “You should do whatever is best for you, Jenn.” But what she meant was “I’ll let this go for now and then snipe in with a new argument later to break down your defenses (you puny human).”

    Jenn tried to smile but it felt like her face cracked in half. “Hi, Aunty.”

    “Jenn, I’m so glad I caught you at home. I have a favor to ask.”

    Jenn felt like she was waiting for a soufflé to collapse. “Why don’t we go out into the living room?” Jenn made to move past her, but Aunty stood her ground.

    “No, why don’t I speak to you privately in your room?”

    No way would she be secluded with Aunty in her bedroom. That was like inviting a tiger to sit down for a comfortable chat in a confined space.

    Besides, this was her house. She’d paid the majority of the mortgage payments since Dad was gone, and she could dictate who she entertained where.

    “Aunty, I was just on my way out. Let’s talk in the living room.” Jenn forcibly thrust herself between Aunty and Mom and led the way to the living room, leaving them no choice but to follow.

    They sat. Maybe Jenn should have likened Aunty to a spider rather than a tiger. She looked at Jenn as if she were a fly. “What did you need?” Not, What can I do for you? She hoped Aunty got the hint, but probably not.

    “We haven’t had a vacation in years , and we’d like to take the boys to Disneyland.”

    Jenn cleared her throat. “Aren’t they a little old for Disneyland?”

    “Ryden is sixteen,” Aunty said blithely of her youngest.

    “Er … and so Daniel, Jared, Rick, and Ryden all want to go to Disneyland?”

    “Oh, yes, they’ve been cooped up at the house for too long.”

    Actually, Daniel traveled extensively for his engineering job and was only living at home because of his recent divorce. Jared had gotten laid off so he’d been out to employment agencies and interviews for the past several months, and Rick was a senior at the University of California at Berkeley and was only home every third weekend. Jenn had to breathe through her nose slowly and carefully before she could unclench her teeth. “What about Mimi?”

    “Oh, she doesn’t need to go.”

    The wording made Jenn frown. Aunty was always that way with Mimi. Was it any wonder the girl had become a little wild? At least she and Lex had been roommates for a couple years, but that ended a year ago when Lex eloped with Aiden.

    “So what was the favor you wanted to ask?” Jenn already knew, even before Aunty jumped at the question.

    “We want you to take over the