Don't Touch by Wilson Rachel M

Author:Wilson,Rachel M.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperTeen

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Publishers

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23.

The sun’s low by the time Peter drops me at home, but the house is dark. For a second, I think maybe they’ve gone. The problem wasn’t ever between Mom and Dad. The problem was me, my obnoxious disorders, my selfish insistence on getting my way. Mom’s taken Jordan away to Virginia to move in with Dad. They’ll let me live here to finish high school—a kindness, for old time’s sake—and when I graduate, they’ll shut it down, cut off all ties.

Then I smell incense, musky and sharp, and follow it to the kitchen.

There’s the old statuette of a frog that holds incense cones in its back and exhales smoke from its mouth. Dad hated the smell, so the frog’s been decorating the garden since I was little. There are water stains, bits of moss on its sides.

Mom has the sliding door open so cool air seeps in. She sips tea and watches the frog’s breath swirl its way out the door.

“Mom?”

She looks up at me, calm. “Want some tea?”

“No, thanks.”

She nods. “Have a seat, sweetie.”

“I don’t want to.”

She smiles, so peaceful, so . . . Mom. “Caddie, sit down.”

“What happened?”

“It’s a good thing. It’s going to be really good for all of us.”

My tears burn before she even says it. I knew, of course I knew, this was coming.

“Your father and I had a talk.”

“When?”

“Just a bit ago. I was working, taking pictures for a wedding—the couple looked so happy. I had to pull over on the interstate and call your dad on the way home.”

While I was cowering in the corner of Peter’s truck not touching him. I followed the rules, all the rules. It’s not fair.

“Your dad and I finally admitted that this has been good, for both of us, being apart.”

“He likes being away from us.”

She frowns like I’ve said something mean. “He doesn’t like being apart from you and Jordan.”

“You can’t say that. He doesn’t even answer his phone when I call.”

She says what she’s supposed to say. “He loves you as much as I do, but your dad and I can’t be married any longer. We haven’t felt married for a long time. You don’t have to understand right away,” Mom says. “It’s all right to be angry.”

“I’m not angry. I’m sad.” And I’m sobbing—it scares me how hard.

“Oh, sweetie,” she says, and she starts reaching toward me.

“No.”

I’m up and away, and her face shows she’s hurt, but that’s all right. She should be. If splitting up our family hasn’t hurt her, then something else should.

“Where’s Jordan?”

She looks away. That hurts too. “I asked Connor’s mother to have him over.”

“He doesn’t even like Connor anymore!”

“I wanted to tell you first.”

“So I can show him how well I’m taking it? So I can set a good example?”

She turns back to the frog. “Something like that.”

I laugh, even though it’s mean, even though she looks sadder now than she did when I walked in. I laugh all the way down the hall.

By the time I reach my room, my breath is ragged, my laugh turned to shuddering gasps.

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