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She leaned across the table and almost whispered.
“Can I tell you something embarrassing?”
“Do I have to reciprocate after?” She rolled her eyes. I laughed. “Go ahead.”
“I’m jealous. Tyler told me Clem was only talking to your mother and Madison. I get your mother. But Madison? She can talk with her, but not with me?”
“Believe me, I’m having the same sentiment regarding my mother. In your case, I think she’ll come around. You’re her best friend.”
I knew Clem would reach out to Hannah. And me? I had no idea what she thought about us anymore.
I came back home later that day, and I was feeling restless. I tried to entertain myself, but every room in the fucking house reminded me of her.
I stormed out. I didn’t know where I was going until I saw her.
Sylvia Hartley was just coming home and passing through her front door. She moved back in just two days after Clem left. I marched over there, and I rang the bell. She opened the door and cocked her head sideways, waiting for me to speak. I didn’t.
“Can I help you?” she asked with a tone that implicated she wanted to get rid of me.
“Can I come in?”
“Why?” she narrowed her eyes at me. Well, that’s where Clementine took her suspiciousness. I leaned a shoulder on the door frame and exhaled loudly.
“I’m mad and I want to scream at someone. My mother’s kind of used to it, so I decided I could scream at you for a change.”
Sylvia smiled, moved away from the door, and waved me in.
“Come on in then.”
I did. Memories of the night Clementine and I spent in this house flooded my brain. I wondered if the daffodil was still on her ceiling or she pealed it off the day I publically dumped her in the school hallway.
“I’m not actually planning on screaming at you,” I explained. “I just need a distraction.”
Sylvia ignored my words and navigated me to their kitchen. She opened the fridge, looked inside, and closed it with a thud.
“I’ll order some pizza.”
Two minutes later she hung up the phone and sat at the table across from me.
“So, is she talking to you?” Sylvia asked.
“No.”
“Me neither.”
“How is she?” I asked. Sylvia raised a brow as if I was stupid. “I know she’s talking to Madison. I presume she tells you everything. She’s your favorite child.”
Sylvia looked at her perfect nails and pouted.
“Well, I like Tyler too.”
We looked at each other for about a minute. Then she smiled and added.
“I love all my children. I really messed things up with Clementine, but that doesn’t change the fact that I love her. We just got used to hurting each other, and no one was ready to let go of that. It was the only thing we knew.”
“I don’t think she sees things in the same light as you do.”
“Well, like I said, I messed up,” she paused. “She’s fine according to Madison.”
