His heart felt like it was going to explode, and his grandmother shifted around to give him a soft smile. “That’s right. We’re going to Meems’s house.”
Bewildered, he met his mother’s gaze through the rearview mirror.
He thought he was going to be grounded forever.
Or maybe his dad would have been the one to give him his punishment, even though his mom never told him when he was in trouble so that wouldn’t happen. Still, his dad didn’t seem tocare that much about it when he found out, that was, if he was even around.
But instead, his mother said, “And we aren’t coming back.”
TWENTY-TWO
BRINLEY
“Come on,Dereck, we have to hurry.” Brinley grabbed his hand as he scurried out the school gates, their feet rushed as she led him down the street.
“How was school?” she finally asked.
“Fine,” he muttered.
“What did you get on your math test?”
He sent her a grin. “I only got five wrong.”
“Out of how many?”
“A hundred.”
“That’s a good job. A really good job.”
“Only because you helped me study.”
They’d spent two hours working on it yesterday afternoon.
They rounded the corner and rushed across the street, traveling the four blocks to get to their house.
The exterior was worn and the lawn overgrown.
She inhaled a steadying breath, knowing she’d have to do something about that.
She rummaged through her backpack and got out the key.
Turned it in the lock and let them inside.
“Take off your shoes,” she instructed Dereck as they both dumped their things onto the scroungy linoleum floor.
He didn’t listen, just ran through the house leaving a trail of mud.
Frustration ballooned in her chest, but she tried to remember he was just a kid. He didn’t think not to bang the cabinet doors or climb all over the furniture.
Besides, she had worse things to worry about.
She crept down the hall. The door was ajar by an inch. The same way as she left it this morning.
Her heart sank, and she had to steel herself before she finally pushed open the door.
Her mother’s eyes were closed, but they barely fluttered open to the sound of her. “There’s my girl.”
She spoke so quietly Brinley could barely hear it. The words croaked and uneven.
