Page 10 (1/2)

A long pause MyMy insides curled up

After a ain "Anyway," she said, quieter now, "this is about Mara And it’s scary, yes, but we can’t act like she’s an ordinary teenager anymore The sa coainst the bathrooan to hurt, but I found I couldn’t move

"She’s a complicated--she’s complicated," my mother finally said

She’s a complicated case hat she al here, you think that’s helpful?"

"I don’t know" Myto keep them apart will only create a unit: them versus us She’ll run in the opposite direction"

True

"And if Noah’s here, then Mara ant to be here, and that will make her easier to watch"

Also true, unfortunately

"She’s not in school anymore, she doesn’t have any friends here that I’ve irl to want a boyfriend Whichin her life"

Little did they know

"She’s coht out of that depression on her birthday--I think he helps keep her in the here and now, and we need her to stay there My mother was so isolated" Her voice cracked on the word, and there was another long pause "I don’t want that for her It’s good for her to have sos"

"I wish she had soe"

Oh, really?

"I’ve talked to hie boy I just don’t see what he’s getting out of this--"

Thanks, Dad

"Mara isn’t really allowed out, they won’t be together at school--"

My mother interrupted him "If you expect the worst froet"

"I wonder what his fa so e of subject Well played

Mom made a derisive noise "I doubt they’ve noticed; they’re a ul and fro asshole The stepmother is always out because she can’t deal with it The kids basically raised themselves"

I’d met Noah’s stepmom--and she seemed nice Like she cared Noah’s father, on the other hand

"Wait--a business ul--not David Shaw?"

"I didn’t ask his name"

"It must be," my father said, and let out a lohistle "I’ll be damned"

This I wanted to hear

"You know him?"

"Know of hio for the executives of one of his acorporation’s subsidiaries--Aurora Biotech? Euphrates International, maybe? There are dozens, I don’t remember which"

"Maybe he needs a white-collar defense lawyer?"