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Lina tried to think of what to say, how to say it “I… I’m sorry, Mom”

It was an excruciating length of tihtened as Lina felt “I’m sorry, too” She took a hesitant step forward, reached out one small hand

It wasn’t enough, just the offer of the hand Lina wanted to be engulfed in her , and she was afraid ofa fool of herself

Madelaine stopped Her hand fell slowly back to her side “I guess we’d better go ho”

Lina stared at herfurther away than ever, more alone Tears were so close, she had to turn her head She stared at the floor through stinging eyes “Yeah, sure Whatever”

Madelaine knew that Lina was afraid, but for once, she had to be a parent, not a friend She had to lay down the law and hter

“Get your things,” she said in a thick voice “We’ve got to go home”

Side by side, in an al Late afternoon sunlight, weakened to chilly gold by the season, splashed their faces Still quiet, they slipped into the Volvo and drove to the drugstore Madelaine watched fro the mascara, and when Lina finally turned away, Madelaine saw the tears swi in her baby’s eyes

God, how it hurt to see her daughter’s pain Madelaine wanted to take Lina in her arms then and hold her and comfort her, but by sheer dint of will, she remained motionless and dry-eyed Then, wordlessly, she led Lina back to the car and they drove home

By the time they reached the house, Madelaine’s nerves were stretched to the breaking point It was one thing, she knew, to decide to beco to look at her daughter, whom she loved more than her own life, and say no Mean no

Flicking the car engine off, she grabbed her purse Lina bounded out of the car and ran up to the house, disappearing inside

When Madelaine walked into the house, Lina was already on the telephone Her daughter’s voice was a loud, lively chatter, punctuated by ringing laughter

“And then they locked me in this little room… Yeah, it ay cool Just like what happened to Brittany Levin…”

Madelaine stared at her daughter in disbelief It was one of those crystallizing moments in life, tiny heartbeats of tih that terrible tietic, but the e away on the tide of the distance between her and the detention cell

And she was counting on Madelaine to keep theon herhad never happened