Page 113 of The Treasure House

“Mom?”

“Yes, honey?”

“Is she dangerous? Because she kind of scared me.”

“I don’t think she means to be,” I said, my throat swollen. It was hard to get the words out. “But yes. And she scares me too.”

Flo slid off the armchair to the floor next to me, bringing Hazel with her. “Is she still a drug addict?”

“I don’t think you ever stop being a drug addict. You’re just using or not using, but you’re always an addict. Like I said, it’s an illness. You can manage it but you can’t cure it.”

“Is she using, then?”

I put my arm around her and rested my cheek on her head. “I don’t know, honey.”

But the signs sure weren’t good.

We sat there, having slow circling conversations, falling into silence broken only by the sound of the coals hissing in the grate and Hazel snoring, until my phone buzzed.

“It’s Jake,” I told Flo, when she stiffened.

“Oh.” She relaxed.

“Hey,” he said, when I picked up. “I’m outside. I didn’t want to knock in case people were asleep.”

I kissed Flo and disentangled myself, padding to the front door to let him in. The snow had thickened to hazy white sheets. He had snowflakes in his hair.

“Hey,” he said, as he stepped inside.

“Hey.” I searched his face, wondering what he was thinking.

He reached out and brushed my hair away from my face. “How are you doing?”

“How do you think she’s doing?” Flo called from the parlor. “Her junkie mom busted out of prison and tracked her down and now she’s having to explain to me why she’s lied to me my whole life!”

“Flo,” I hissed, “people are trying to sleep upstairs.”

“Oh, sorry,” she hissed back.

I met Jake’s gaze and had an urge to giggle. He pressed his lips together, trying not to smile.

“I mean, she’s not wrong,” I whispered. “Except for the busting out of prison bit. She only busted out of her parole.”

He snorted.

“So,” I said helplessly, “you’ve got your sad mess. This is my sad mess.”

“ ‘Mess’ seems too low-key for this situation,” Flo stage-whispered from the parlor.

“What do you want to do?” he whispered.

I bit my lip. “I don’t know.” My stomach was all knotted up.

He stroked my face and leaned down and kissed me.

“Is this really the time for that?” Flo sighed.

“Time for bed,” I told her. “We can talk about my history of lying to you tomorrow.”