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e linoleuland? With her brother and his five kids? No Way

“I just can’t I need to be away from your father, because I can’t breathe when I’m around him I can’t function I can’t think”

“You seeer clogged reat and wonderful and, you know, normal”

“Yes, well, pretending is hard”

“No kidding I’ve been doing it for over four hundred days Do you kno long that is? Four Hundred Days It’s like an eternity My entire senior year was a big fat lie”

She shtened her ponytail Was that gray I saw threaded through her dark hair?

“I understand this has been hard on you, and I can’t apologize enough for h, but…” She frowned “You never did…the other day… you didn’t tell me how you knew” She sniffled “About your father, I mean”

“I didn’t tell you because you didn’t ask You didn’t ask because you’d just overdosed on sleeping pills”

“I didn’t—”

“Jesus, Mom Cut the crap You can lie to yourself all you want, but don’t lie to me” I shook my head “Not anymore I mean, what else is there for me to know?”

Soed, and my stomach dipped at the look in her eyes I was cold, which was ridiculous because it was hot in here So Freaking Hot

“What else is there?” I asked angrily

But she was all closed up tighter than a locked box She cleared her throat again and grabbed the rag fro to her

“You will not take the Lord’s naain Do you understand me?”

Unbelievable That’s what she was going to focus on?