but Chloe was laughing and smiling as she dipped her cookies into the milk, oblivious as only a six year old can be. On the other hand I could not help myself from envisioning a man with a wooden

the preacher came over and mom fell onto the stairs, crying so much that I needed to listen in to her conversation later that night with Aunt Barbara to find out that Dad w

d t

hasn’t changed, but what does she know? If only Mandy was here. Sh

unt Barbara asked. I didn’t even realize ho

rought it to my mouth. Why Aunt Barbara insisted on treating me like a chi

h I had no idea what she was smiling for. “She’s going through

o away in the storage unit was the worst thing that could have happened. I asked mom if we could keep it, but like she said, we

in on her face. I never really liked her. She always looked so fake with that hair that looked like molten c

tested, hoping that I could just let my fingers run over

ow take the b

y’. Like she didn’t have feelings. Like she

as I stood up and hel

e asked, stars I wished I s

ked past Aunt Barbara, trying my best not to make ey

my mom. And most of all my dad. If it wasn’t for them I would have been in front of my piano. Or reading a book. Or off

exactly what had happened just yet. For a few more days I just wanted to pretend that I was still normal. That I sti

g home early bit

t any days left to pretend that I was normal anymor

. Going 2 watch a movi

mom if I could go out tomorrow. I will tell her that I just need a breather. Nothing serious. I just probabl

C u @ round 3

ted to take home with me. Weirdly, no matter how hard I tried to find the perfect book, the books my dad picked always had better stories, plots and characters. He probably kne

nds fine.

lling her what had really happened and telling her would make it all real and I just wasn’t ready for that yet. But then again I wasn

could see she had been crying. She might have washed her face and tried to reapply her makeup but her ey

she would have stayed at the bank auc

grass next to me. “A lovely family boug

thers. Wonder how much happiness it’s going to bring th

d that I didn’t say it. I could see the bitterness

s. To them it was a bargain and

job at it. They weren’t streaming just yet, but they were g

y she officially lost the house but I needed to know. I wanted to know if we would be

job really soon. Before we know it we will be back on our feet,” she said but somehow I did not bel

and she wouldn’t let me,” I said. It wasn’t like I wanted to com

ouse. You know how she is. She doesn’t like pe

ne. Yeah mom, I know. I just thought because she plays as well

he world and you don’t know her all that well. But give her a chance. She was nice enough to take us in. If it wasn’t for her generosity we could h

ed. Probably a childish question, but still. I

bump in life and beyond that there will be a smooth road again,”

ered giving my mom the biggest smile I could muster. Aunt Barbara was right about one thing

my shoulders. Maybe you can have a nice chat w

ssed away. It was like having the ring meant she still had dad with her in some way. I was so mad at him that if I was her I would have thrown it down the garb

’t you want to relax for a day or two? We have

ck on our feet,” mom said, the sad smile returning to he