Page 35 (1/2)

“Emberly?” My mother quickly steps into the foyer e enter

I gesture to Coco asleep on ht-lipped nod Ihtens ht here The idea of waking up alone in ht outside sends ination down a rabbit-hole of impossible possibilities

Not going there

At the same time…

Not going there with my mother either

She silently hated Jackson when he was here the first ti I can cope with on top of everything else is the nonstop lecturing, warning, badgering, questioning

Without hesitation, I step into the shoith Coco in hten overin her face and wash the salt water out of our hair

I read soood for your skin and hair It’s probably fiction, but I decide tonight to believe it and don’t bother with the soap or lathering us up too much

Grit gone, I wrap us in a thick, expensive towel and head to bed

“I guess she has to go to preschool today,” I say, carrying Coco into the kitchen where my mother sits at the s a cup of coffee

I, by contrast, am in my cutoffs and the maroon tank I wore yesterday My hair is twisted up in athat she can’t spend the day “baking,” riding bikes, and swi in the sea with me

My ht need her with you yesterday”

“Why?” I deposit hter in a chair at the table and step over to pour myself a cup of coffee

Ascoffee ready when I wake up… in an air-conditioned bedrooainst my face

“I thought heme, and those words pull me up short