Ch 09: Blue spaghetti

Sunday nights are spaghetti nights. Mom does a great job with spaghetti, cooking the sauce for hours. I don’t know why it has to cook that long but Mom’s spaghetti is the best I’ve ever had.

Ania played with her rabbit toy in the other room while we ate.

Mom put her fork down and looked annoyed. “Kate, is something wrong with the sauce? You’re not eating.”

“The sauce is fine, Viola. I don’t feel well.” Kate stood up from the table and went upstairs. I figured she was just angry because I’d told her I didn’t want to hire her friend, Something-or-Other Cho, as a cashier.

“He cuts hair for a living?” I’d said. “I need someone who has experience with a cash register, not hair.”

“He’ll learn. You don’t have to pay him much, maybe 50 an hour.”

“50! We can’t afford that.”

“At least for a couple of hours a day we can. He needs a job, Errol, and we need a cashier.”

“I’ll think about it, but I don’t think I’ll change my mind.”

Kate had been a little cool around me for the rest of the afternoon. I studied the last meatball on my plate and decided I should go talk to her. Maybe I’d give Cho a chance. I told Mom I’d finish eating later and followed Kate upstairs.

She was standing in the hall, looking pale.

“OK, Sweetheart, I’ll hire your friend Cho. We’ll see how it goes.”

Kate’s eyes got big, she covered her mouth and ran into the bathroom. I’m not quick on picking up the clues so I went right behind her. I was just in time to see breakfast, lunch and dinner hit the fan, so to speak. Kate straightened up, wiping at her mouth. “What a mess,” she mumbled. Then she groaned, bent over and gave up even more. Surprised me that there was anything left inside her.

I handed her a towel. “I thought the spaghetti was pretty good. It didn’t make me feel that way.”

“Don’t talk about food. Help me clean this up.”

Someone took hold of my elbow and pulled me out of the bathroom. Mom said, “Put Kate to bed, Errol. I’ll clean up in here. By the way, congratulations.”

“Congratulations?”

Mom had a big smile on her face as she reached for the toilet brush. “Another grandbaby. This is so wonderful,” she said. “I’m so happy.” She started whistling as she cleaned up the bathroom.

I grinned at Kate. She rolled her eyes and leaned against me, exhausted, so I helped her get into bed. Then I went downstairs and called Cho. I was hoping he’d say no thanks but he said he’d be around first thing in the morning.

And, no kidding, he was a disaster.

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Errol, you nut! READ THE SIGNS!! You're woman is pregnant. Sheesh, what is it about men and signs?

You weren't joking about that, mate.