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“It’s all good with me,” she said, listless. She looked out the window again.
I glanced at Waverly. “I know it’s a school night, but why don’t you call Jessica? Ask if she wants to spend the night.”
“Spend the night where?” Waverly asked.
“Our place, of course.”
“Our place? Our place can barely hold the two of us and all our crap,” she said.
“You three will take the fairy fort. Duke and I will sleep on an air-mattress in the office.”
“You sure?” she asked.
“I’m sure,” I said.
“What’s the fairy fort?” Sailor asked.
Waverly smiled even before she began to speak. “When I was little, Willa made us a fort out of chairs, sheets, and twinkle lights. When we moved to our new place a few weeks ago she made another one in our bedroom. You’ll see. It’s kind of ridiculous, but it’s fun.”
“Don’t let her tone fool you,” I said to Sailor. “She still believes in fairies and magic.”
“I don’t need fairies and magic,” Waverly protested, looking at me. “Why would I need any of that when I have you?”
I reached over and took her hand. She gave mine a squeeze before letting go.
“I’m jealous of you guys,” Sailor said. “I wish my dad…was a better dad.”
“Yeah.” Waverly sighed. “Your dad…wow.”
“You’re not mad at your mom? For leaving?” Sailor asked.
“I used to be,” Waverly said slowly. “And then I realized something…”
“What’s that?”
“Every time she was around, it was harder. She’s like this giant vortex of need and desperation. She needs to be loved constantly, and searches in all the wrong people for it. The whole time she had two daughters who loved her no matter what, but she couldn’t see it. I loved her even if she forgot to pay the electric bill, or forgot to go shopping so we got stuck eating baked beans out of a can. I didn’t care about any of that because she wasthere,and she was our mom. For years I let her off the hook…but somewhere along the way, I just stopped being disappointed when she fucked up because I realized she couldn’t help it. She did the best she could. Was it enough? No. But she’s my mother, and I love her, even if I know that we’re better off without her in our lives.”
“You realized all that?” Sailor asked. “Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” I repeated. “I wish I’d gotten Zen about it sooner. Would’ve made life easier.” I pulled into a parking spot and cut the engine.
“It’s different for you, Willa. You had to take on Mom’s responsibilities even though you weren’t supposed to be a parent yet. I needed looking after, and you did it. This is a textbook case of child abandonment by an incapable parent and one of the siblings rising to the occasion and raising the younger child.”
“Textbook case?” I repeated.
Waverly nodded. “It’s in a psych book I’m reading.”
“Your school teaches psychology?” Sailor asked.
“Nope. I’m reading this on my own. I’m dropping out of school, actually.”
“You’re dropping out?” Sailor asked with her mouth agape. “Oh God, I’dloveto drop out of school!”
“She’s not dropping out.” I rolled my eyes. “We’re going to home school and she’s going to get a GED as soon as I become her legal guardian.”
“That’ssocool,” Sailor said.
Duke and Savage pulled their bikes into the spots next to my car.
