r

let me stay. She'd already decided to dep

stuff whil

y mother inquired, le

s into the suitcase and zipped

nd they are overjoyed to

floor near my bed, and I dragge

ollow

dealing with it for years," she complained as she closed

oaching the automobi

mpany you? It'll be lonely coming home alo

" my mother assured

o hurl. I was so glad

Jack had the nerve

he houses across the street, and I was soon on

d that few people had heard of. But those who left there f

ing divorced at the time. My mother drove me there because she needed emotional support.

is. Anyone who enjoys nature would like to live there. A place that felt more like a forest than a ci

to stay with them," my mo

alone with your man,

ing that I was now in tow

r and collected my suitcase from the trunk. Grandaunt Zira and Gr

soil, like her garden. Zira loved her garden. Mom once told me that when her husband left her, she sought s

as my grandmother's turn to hug me, and s

nces were. I wish that weren't so. I was concerne

mother's tim

ndaunt and Grandma studi

nce the last time they saw her,

m exclaime

ome. I needed to cry. It was the first

u!" My mother yel

k at her, and tears s

t into the car, as if she couldn't stand being here or aw

came up to hug me. "You'll

case upstairs while Zir

mom's room," Grandma added

modest blue-painted room with a picture that haunts me of

rling." Zira patted my back. "We'll

ve a

rom the wall, hiding it in a drawer, and then went to sit on the bed. I so