“Professor Wolfe? You’re not a bad person.”
“No?” He cocked his head. “What am I? Besides someone with a raging headache and an enduring sense of regret?”
“You’re doing your best. You’re helping. A lot.”
Wolfe smiled wanly. “Perhaps I can do better.”
***
I picked up Dash from school, and we came home to find Mom curled in a ball on the couch. I stopped, my heart stopping too, and then pounding a heavy, clanging beat.
Oh God, now what.
“Mom?”
She rolled over. “Oh, hi, babies.”
“Mama!” Dash ran over and threw his little arms around her neck as she sat up. Over his shoulder, she looked tired, her eyes puffy, and it looked as if she’d cried off all her makeup. Her rolling suitcase was by the couch.
“When did you get back?”
“This afternoon,” she croaked.
“What’s wrong, Mama?” Dash asked in a small voice.
“Nothing, baby,” she said. “I…have a cold.”
“There were leaks!” Dash held up three fingers. “This many. Harper was really mad. And sad. Then Orion came over. He’s the best. I wish he’d come back. You’d love him.”
Mom put her hands to her temples. “Slow down, baby. Who’s Orion? What leaks?”
I fixed her with an icy stare. “You miss a lot when you skip town for three days.” I turned to my little brother. “Can you go play upstairs for a little bit?”
“Why?”
“Go. Please.”
He heard my all-business tone and went upstairs.
“Don’t start with me, Harper,” Mom began.
My eyes flared, and it took all I had to remain calm. Ezra Wolfe’s words about pain and love came back to me. I tried to keep them in the forefront of my mind, but I was still too angry.
And I have to find Orion…
“Why are you home early?” I demanded. “I thought you were gone until Sunday.”
“Alan decided that he was going to give it another go with his wife. He called the trip short and fired me.” Mom began to cry. “Happy? You got what you wanted. He’s out of the picture and I got dumped. Again.”
“You think this is what I wanted?” I said, my voice rising. “You think I want any of this? You left us in the middle of a hurricane. Abandoned us for some asshole who—big surprise—abandoned you.”
“I know, I know, you had some fancy party to go to. With this Orion person?”
“Forget the damn party, Mom. It’s the drinking. It’s the fucking drinking.”
“I’m sorry,” she cried, covering her face with her hands. “I try not to, but it’s just so…hard.”
“I get that, but you can’tnottry. You have to keep trying, every day,all day, for us. For me and Dash. And for you.” My voice quavered, but I fought for calm. “Look at me, Mom. Look at me.”
