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"I have a bad headache andmy elbows up on the table I knew she hated when I whined, but I didn’t think she hated it enough to coot in here, young lady What’s your narip on er I waited to answer It had to have been a joke, right? Was she sick, too? Sos, though Not scary things

"Can you tellto pull ?"

She yankedet in this house?"

So

"Mo me that!"

"What are you--?" I think I ed e My feet slid against the wood, skin burning "Wh-what’s wrong with you?" I cried I tried twisting out of her grasp, but she wouldn’t even look at e and she pushed ainst it

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way I know you’re confused, but I proot into this house, and, frankly, I’m not sure I want to know--"

"I live here!" I told her "I live here! I’ain, I saw none of the things that made Mom my mother The lines that formed around her eyes when she smiled were smoothed out, and her jaas clenched around whatever she wanted to say next When she looked at me, she didn’t see me I wasn’t invisible, but I wasn’t Ruby

"Mom" I started to cry "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be bad I’ood--I’ll go to school today and won’t be sick, and I’ll pick up my room I’m sorry Please remember Please!"

She put one hand on my shoulder and the other on the door handle "My husband is a police officer He’ll be able to help you get ho"

The door opened and I was pushed into a wall of freezing January air I stu to catch myself before I slammed into the side of her car I heard the door shut behind me, and the lock click into place; heard her call Dad’s name as clearly as I heard the birds in the bushes outside the dark garage