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"Yes, Your Honor Thank you"

Caleb’s hearing was o with a promise that he wouldn’t touch any, Nick headed for his mother She wouldn’t even look at hiiven the bail ratefully at Kyrian "Thank you For everything"

"No proble hand on his shoulder "Don’t worry, Nick We’ll find out the truth"

But it wouldn’t change the hurt in his mother’s eyes

In fact, she refused to speak to hi to say, but nothing came

He reached over to touch her hand She pulled away before he could h his heart How could she doubt him?

Once they were home, he went to his room

"Nick? I want you to leave your door open"

He started to say "But Mom," but he kne that would play out She’d shut him down like she always did So he left his door ajar and went to sit on his bed It was only then that he realized his mom had ransacked his room "Mom? Where’s my--"

"You’re on restriction" There was a note of hysteria in her voice "Sit in there and think about … things"

Bad idea, since the only thing on histhis to hi, his fury her until he couldn’t stand it any roo TV

"What do you want?" Still, she wouldn’t look at him

Infuriated, he wiped his hand across his top lip "I’irl, and Nekoda’s the only one I’ve done that with I know you don’t believe me, but you can ask her She’s not a liar" And neither a

Tears fell down her face "I’m so sorry, Nicky I know you’re innocent I do But it’s so hard for

Nick went to her and pulled her into his arainst his shoulder

"You don’t knohat it’s like to be the irl in school and then … they were so nant, I went to rade, and her mother wouldn’t let me in the house She told me Ashley wasn’t allowed to associate with trash"

Guilt slashed at him He’d never meant to hurt her

"I’m sorry, Mama"

"Don’t be, baby You orth it You were I’ve never once, ever, regretted having you withby you When you were an infant, I used to sit and hold you and cry while I apologized for bringing you into a world that was so cruel and bone ive you a better life"

"Don’t cry, Mama Please I don’t care that we had Christu that ret me Please, don’t look at me like I’m dirt"

She pulled back to cup his face in her hands "I would never do that to you"

"But you have A lot I’ve seen it"

She shook her head "No, Nick, that wasn’t what you saw"

"Then why couldn’t you look at me in the courtroom? Why did you pull your hand back in the car?"

"Because I feel like I failed you and that you were bla arrested If I hadn’t raised you the way I did, people wouldn’t be so quick to judge you like they do I know that’s ive testiood idea Do you kno that ht as well have made il isn’t like that He was only trying to keep you fro chewed up by the prosecutor"

"Well, that’s not how it felt"

Nick blinked his own tears away "If you don’t hate me, why am I on restriction and ouldn’t you let me close my door?"

"You have a B in chemistry Remember? I told you at the school that you were on restriction for that"

Oh yeah, he’d totally forgotten "And the door?"

"It gets really hot in this room when I have the TV on and you close it What did you think?"

"I thought you thought I was a creep"

She glared at hi it all, Nick I know you’re not a creep I’ve seen the way you are around Kody and other girls, too You’re bashful as you can be, and every tiht up like a Christmas tree Most of the time, you’re scared to even touch her It’s like you’re terrified of her"

He cringed "It’s that obvious?"

"Yes"

Would the humiliations never stop?

She wiped at her tears "I can’t believe you misunderstood me so"

"Sa that ainst you?"

"No, not really But I hold it against me"

He scowled at her "Then keep it on you Don’t let it run over here to me"

She placed her hand on his cheek "I love you, baby And I’h this"

Not as much as he was

Then, to his shock, she handed hih for one day Sit here and watch TV withabout her actions, Nick flipped channels until she snatched the remote back

"You driveand stay with it"

"I have teenage ADD powered by rowled at hirimace

But that ended a fewTV, his o to the answering machine