She pulled her hands from her face with a petulant jerk. “What, Harper. What? Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”
“Okay. You’re going to get another job. You’re going to go back to AA meetings, and you’re going to get a sponsor. Someone to be accountable to, because I can’t do it anymore. I’ve been doing it my entire life, and it’s not fair.”
“Your entire life…” Mom scoffed, then read my expression. “Okay, okay. And? What’s this about leaks?”
“The roof needs to be replaced. It’ll cost $9,500. We’re going to pay for it from savings.”
The color drained from Mom’s face. “We can’t. That’sallof our savings. I don’t have a job. What if I can’t find one? What about next month’s mortgage?”
“Then you’d better figure it out. If we don’t fix it, we could get black mold that will make us sick. Make Dash sick.”
“You are not in charge here, young lady—”
“Yes, I am!” I screamed, like a slap to her face. I inhaled sharply, calming myself. “You leave me no choice. I’m eighteen. If you don’t do everything I say, I’ll leave and take Dash with me.”
“You can’t.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Your school…”
“Nowyou care about my school? You didn’t care when you drove off with Hensley three days ago. If I can win the NoSci, it’ll take care of the debt. But I need you to get your shit together.”
Mom stared at me as if seeing me for the first time. “I don’t like how you’re talking to me right now.”
“You don’t have to like it,” I said. “But you have to do what I say. Because walking out on us was unacceptable.” Tears filled my eyes, and this time there was nothing I could do to stop them. I stood up. “I know you’re hurting, but so are we.”
I went to the kitchen, opening cabinets. “Is there any alcohol in this house?”
“No.”
“You swear?”
“I swear.”
“Because I have something to do, and I need to know I can leave you with Dash—”
“Jesus, Harper.”
I stared, incredulous. “You really believe you can be trusted right now? After the shit you pulled?”
She held my gaze defiantly a moment more and then gave in. “There’s no booze, I swear. And I’ll keep it that way. What do you have to do? Where are you going?”
“I’ll explain later,” I said, and hurried for the door.
“Harper?”
I stopped, shoulders hunched. “What?”
“I’m sorry. I really am.”
But the words sounded light and empty. I’d heard versions of them a hundred times, and they never amounted to anything.
“Okay,” I said.
“Okay? That’s it?”
I turned and faced her. “I love you, Mom, and so does Dash. But that’s not enough, apparently, sookayis all I have right now.”
