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he wrapped his arms around her and she embraced him in turn. Her rose perfume brought back memories as she planted a tender kiss on his cheek.
    That evening Jason sorted through his clothes, trying to figure out what to pack. Meanwhile his sister chattered and played with assorted Barbies, trols, and Beanie Babies she’d carried onto his bed.
    “Here.” Melissa handed Jason an Asian Barbie. “She wants to go with you on the trip.”
    “But won’t she miss you?” Jason smiled and tried to hand the dol back, but Melissa wouldn’t take her.
    “Nope, she wants to be with you for when you get lonely.”
    “Okay,” Jason agreed, though he had no intention of actualy taking the dol. How could he possibly be lonely with Kyle and Nelson around? But he played along, figuring his sister would forget about it later.
    He set the dol on his desk chair, recaling Nelson’s Aladdin dol, which led him to think about Debra’s comment about being patient “when you guys get on each other’s nerves.”
    Jason was glad to be taking time to say good-bye to everyone, but with each encounter, he was having more second thoughts about the trip.

chapter 9
    On his next morning off Nelson took his car to the service center for its checkup. Not til lunchtime did they finaly inform him that the car needed new front brakes (the scraping sound) and a right axle (the rattle). They couldn’t figure out the shrieking noise at ignition but suggested a tune-up and oil change. When the attendant quoted him the total estimate, Nelson made his own shrieking noise.
    Panicked, he phoned his mom. “They told me it’l cost five hundred and thirty-seven dolars!” In a low voice he added, “I think they’re trying to rip me off.”
    “No,” she responded. “That sounds about right. Cars cost money.”
    That wasn’t the response he’d expected. “Wel,” he said in his sweetest possible voice. “So … like … um … wil they bil you?”
    “Not me,” his mom replied. “As you said, it’s your car.”
    “You mean I have to pay for all that? Can’t you at least pay half?”
    “No. You decided you didn’t want to start colege next year and you wanted to work.” That wasn’t exactly true. Putting off colege had been his idea. Making him work had been her idea.
    “I gave you the car,” she continued, “and I’m paying the insurance. As far as I’m concerned, I’m already doing more than enough.”
    “But this is a chunk of change, Mom. It’s half my savings.”
    “Nelson, you decided you could afford to take time off work for this trip.”
    As she spoke Nelson realized what this was realy about. “You just don’t want me to go, do you?”
    “Wel, it doesn’t sound like you’re in a financial position to.”
    “Thanks a lot, Mom.” Nelson hung up on her, steaming. Why was she being such a witch? First she’d begun charging him rent because he hadn’t wanted to go to colege yet. Now he had to pay car repairs, too?
    He thought about caling his dad and asking him for the money, but then the old fart would talk to his mom and Nelson would end up getting blamed for upsetting her.
    Grudgingly, Nelson told the attendant to make the repairs.
    That night his mom asked, “Is everything okay with the car now?’
    “Yeah,” Nelson grumbled. “But I stil think they’re crooks.”
    His mom offered no sympathy. “We got new health insurance cards in the mail. Here. Make sure you carry it with you on the trip.”
    “Mom, nothing’s going to happen! Would you stop worrying?” But he took the card anyway.

    * * *
The evening before they were to leave, Nelson picked Kyle up at his house. They loaded Kyle’s stuff in the car and said good-bye to his parents. Then they drove to Nelson’s to spend the night, so Kyle could help him pack.
    “You’re so good at anal stuff like that,” Nelson reasoned. “And besides, without you how am I going to get up so early?” They listened to CDs, deciding which ones to take on the trip, as