rattling the night

It was late in the night before she had a chance to call Eric back. She didn't want to tell him she had fun. He wouldn't want to hear that. She didn't want to mention Lonnie, either. He might take it the wrong way.

Was that a lie?

She had other things on her mind, anyway. Like her mother and her mother's past. She wanted to know the truth. What if she never knew? What if this Ben was this boy her mother used to babysit as a baby? Had she babysat her own baby?

"We'll celebrate properly once you're here." Eric had plans for her birthday. She wasn't sure what that meant. Actually. She didn't dare ask if this meant a party or a motel room.

"I'd like that." Besides this had all been so lame. She was sixteen. Wasn't there something fantastic suppose to happen like a huge party. Although, she didn't want to make it a production of some kind. A nice little party would be fine. "I'm looking forward to it."

"So what is it?" Eric wanted to know what was really on her mind.

"I found this picture of my Mom and she wasn't just fat. And she was my age, and...and I'm pretty sure Ben might be my brother," she said.

"Really?" Eric said. "Are you going to ask him?"

"What if he doesn't even know? What if I'm starting up something that's just going to make me look like an idiot or that I'm just trying to break up my parents." She then said.

"What would happen? If you know, your parents weren't together?"

"We probably wouldn't have the house." She hated to admit it, but she loved her room. She'd been there since she was in middle school.

"Just don't worry about it, all right," he told her. "You should be worried about looking out for rattle snakes. You know that. You have to be on guard about that kind of stuff."

"All right, I hardly leave the house, anyway. I don't think one is going to get me."

"Funny, that you'd say that," Eric said. "Cause, I read this story on the Internet, a rattle snake was coiled up on a plate in some one's cupboard. They reached up to get a plate and were bitten."
"Stop scaring me." Her eyes lit.

"Well, its true," he told her. "Please tell me you'll be careful. All right."

"Of course." Then they did their I love yous and Ellie knew it was time for bed.