phone and computer from Haley’s possession, made larger messes than usual, bounded into her room at the slightest noise, as if he knew she’d snuck through the window a hundred times to visit Mom.
Guess the bruise wasn’t enough and he had to take payment in other ways, only drilling in the knowledge that he was different, gone, forever. As if the blotchy purple handprint around pale white skin hadn’t already told Haley that. She’d thought Jocelyn should see the mark Dad left, but with the perfect opportunity in her grasp, she couldn’t do it. Not when Joce spent the entire week ignoring Haley, blaming with averted eyes, crossed arms, an upturned chin, with complete and utter silence.
Besides, Mom wouldn’t want Haley to spill their secrets, would she? Mom wouldn’t want Jocelyn to know Dad was an ass, an abusive ass, and that she died on her way to pick up her youngest daughter, to take her to the new house Mom and Haley picked out.
No. Definitely had to keep the lips zipped.
Restrictions ended today—finally—and both Dad and Jocelyn were out of the house, picking up their outfits from the seamstress.
Alcoholic or not, Dad was still going to the party with his naïve little Jocelyn.
“What a mess.” Haley dabbed a small amount of makeup on her bicep to cover the fading bruise, then slipped into the sheer, black button-up with short bubble sleeves and little red flowers that Gran sent as a birthday present a few months ago.
Summer fought ferociously over the last few days, bringing warmer temperatures, blue skies, and plenty of sunshine. Nothing wrong with a little Indian Summer. A perfect day to hang with Gran and visit Mom.
Haley pulled her phone from the junk drawer in the kitchen and dialed Gran’s number.
“Hello?” Gran mumbled, sounding distant, thousands of miles away.
“Gran, your hand is covering the receiver again.”
“Haley-poo! It’s so wonderful to hear your voice, darling.”
“Yours too.” Love fluttered in Haley’s heart, and hot tears leapt into her eyes. “How’d you like to meet up at Champney’s before visiting Mom?”
“Mmm. I already know what I’m going to order.”
“You know ingesting that much greasy meat isn’t good for you.” Gran couldn’t get enough of the Deerfield Farm Burgers, juicy things that practically required a bib and a stack of napkins. Fattening, delicious, but so unhealthy.
“Pish-posh, darling. I thought you were my smart granddaughter? You should know that eating an occasional good thing won’t kill you. It’s overindulgence, Haley-poo.”
Like overindulging in alcohol. That certainly killed a person. “Okay. Fine. Order that.”
“If you were so concerned for my well-being, you should have suggested another place.” Gran sighed. “But before I agree to meet you in such a high-traffic place, I need you to know that I’ve already visited your mother.”
Haley sat on the top step of the porch and stared across the street to Christine’s, some of the excitement for the day ahead wearing off. “You went without me?”
“Listen, your dad called me. He said you have an obsession with going there and that he’s concerned.”
Air whooshed from Haley’s lungs, leaving behind a nervous flutter as they attempted to operate again. “ What ?”
“Are you going there a lot? Sleeping on the ground, Haley?”
Breathe in. Breathe out. “Can we talk about this in person, Gran?”
“Absolutely. Want me to pick you up?”
Shaking her head and already taking off down the street, Haley said, “No. I think I need time to clear my head.”
“See you in about an hour, darling.”
An hour later, Haley spotted the grand Deerfield Inn, majestic with its old world charm, broad white pillars stretching from the upper balcony and down to the ground level like bars on a prison. No, wait, that’s just how Haley imagined what the next hour would be like, like being in prison, trapped inside with lonely thoughts, thoughts no one could
Guess the bruise wasn’t enough and he had to take payment in other ways, only drilling in the knowledge that he was different, gone, forever. As if the blotchy purple handprint around pale white skin hadn’t already told Haley that. She’d thought Jocelyn should see the mark Dad left, but with the perfect opportunity in her grasp, she couldn’t do it. Not when Joce spent the entire week ignoring Haley, blaming with averted eyes, crossed arms, an upturned chin, with complete and utter silence.
Besides, Mom wouldn’t want Haley to spill their secrets, would she? Mom wouldn’t want Jocelyn to know Dad was an ass, an abusive ass, and that she died on her way to pick up her youngest daughter, to take her to the new house Mom and Haley picked out.
No. Definitely had to keep the lips zipped.
Restrictions ended today—finally—and both Dad and Jocelyn were out of the house, picking up their outfits from the seamstress.
Alcoholic or not, Dad was still going to the party with his naïve little Jocelyn.
“What a mess.” Haley dabbed a small amount of makeup on her bicep to cover the fading bruise, then slipped into the sheer, black button-up with short bubble sleeves and little red flowers that Gran sent as a birthday present a few months ago.
Summer fought ferociously over the last few days, bringing warmer temperatures, blue skies, and plenty of sunshine. Nothing wrong with a little Indian Summer. A perfect day to hang with Gran and visit Mom.
Haley pulled her phone from the junk drawer in the kitchen and dialed Gran’s number.
“Hello?” Gran mumbled, sounding distant, thousands of miles away.
“Gran, your hand is covering the receiver again.”
“Haley-poo! It’s so wonderful to hear your voice, darling.”
“Yours too.” Love fluttered in Haley’s heart, and hot tears leapt into her eyes. “How’d you like to meet up at Champney’s before visiting Mom?”
“Mmm. I already know what I’m going to order.”
“You know ingesting that much greasy meat isn’t good for you.” Gran couldn’t get enough of the Deerfield Farm Burgers, juicy things that practically required a bib and a stack of napkins. Fattening, delicious, but so unhealthy.
“Pish-posh, darling. I thought you were my smart granddaughter? You should know that eating an occasional good thing won’t kill you. It’s overindulgence, Haley-poo.”
Like overindulging in alcohol. That certainly killed a person. “Okay. Fine. Order that.”
“If you were so concerned for my well-being, you should have suggested another place.” Gran sighed. “But before I agree to meet you in such a high-traffic place, I need you to know that I’ve already visited your mother.”
Haley sat on the top step of the porch and stared across the street to Christine’s, some of the excitement for the day ahead wearing off. “You went without me?”
“Listen, your dad called me. He said you have an obsession with going there and that he’s concerned.”
Air whooshed from Haley’s lungs, leaving behind a nervous flutter as they attempted to operate again. “ What ?”
“Are you going there a lot? Sleeping on the ground, Haley?”
Breathe in. Breathe out. “Can we talk about this in person, Gran?”
“Absolutely. Want me to pick you up?”
Shaking her head and already taking off down the street, Haley said, “No. I think I need time to clear my head.”
“See you in about an hour, darling.”
An hour later, Haley spotted the grand Deerfield Inn, majestic with its old world charm, broad white pillars stretching from the upper balcony and down to the ground level like bars on a prison. No, wait, that’s just how Haley imagined what the next hour would be like, like being in prison, trapped inside with lonely thoughts, thoughts no one could
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