thrillerSparksLast Song 14 страница

“I love Mom. And I miss her, too. But I like it here. I like spending time with you. You know, making the window, flying kites. Just hanging out. I’ve had so much fun. I don’t want it to end.”drew him close. “I love being with you, too. The best summer of my life. But if you’re in school, it’s not as if we’d be together like we are now.”

“Maybe you could homeschool me.”’s voice was soft, almost scared, and to Steve, he actually sounded his age. The realization made his throat tighten. He hated what he had to say next, even though he had no choice. “I think your mom would miss you if you stayed with me.”

“Maybe you could move back. Maybe you and Mom could get married again.”took a deep breath, hating this. “I know this is hard and doesn’t seem fair. I wish there were a way I could change that, but I can’t. You need to be with your mom. She loves you so much, and she wouldn’t know what to do without you. But I love you, too. I never want you to forget that.”nodded as though he’d expected Steve’s response. “Are we still going to Fort Fisher tomorrow?”

“If you want to. And afterwards, maybe we can go to the waterslides.”

“There are waterslides there?”

“No. But there’s a place not too far from there. We just have to remember to bring our suits.”

“Okay,” Jonah said, sounding more animated.

“Maybe we’ll go to Chuck E. Cheese’s, too.”

“Really?”

“If you want to. We can make it happen.”

“Okay,” he said. “I want to.”was quiet again before finally reaching for the cooler. When he pulled out a plastic bag of cookies, Steve knew enough not to say anything.

“Hey, Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think the turtles will hatch tonight?”

“I don’t think they’re quite ready yet, but it shouldn’t be long.”brought his lips together but said nothing, and Steve knew his son was thinking about leaving again. He squeezed him a little closer, but inside he felt something break, something he knew would never quite heal.the next morning, Steve stared down the beach, knowing that if he walked, he would do so simply to enjoy the morning., he came to realize, wasn’t there. At least for him, anyway. But that made sense, now that he thought about it. If pinpointing God’s presence were really that simple, then he supposed the beaches would be more crowded in the mornings. They would be filled with people on their own quests, instead of people jogging or walking their dogs or fishing in the surf.search for God’s presence, he understood now, was as much of a mystery as God himself, and what was God, if not mystery?, though, that it took him so long to see it that way.spent the day with Jonah, just as they’d planned the night before. The fort was probably more interesting to him than Jonah, since he understood some of the history of the War Between the States and knew that Wilmington was the last major functioning port in the Confederacy. The waterslides, however, were far more exciting for Jonah than they were for Steve. Everyone was responsible for carrying his own mat up to the top, and while Jonah was strong enough the first couple of times, Steve soon had to take over.honestly felt as though he were going to die.E. Cheese’s, a pizza parlor with dozens of video games, kept Jonah occupied for another couple of hours. They played three games of air hockey, accumulated a few hundred game tickets, and, after cashing in the tickets, walked out with two squirt guns, three bouncy balls, a packet of colored pencils, and two erasers. He didn’t even want to think about how much it had cost him.was a good day, a day of laughter, but wearying. After spending some time with Ronnie, he went to bed. Exhausted, he fell asleep within minutes.

Ronnieher dad and Jonah had taken off for the day, Ronnie went to look for Blaze, hoping to catch her before she was due at the aquarium. She figured she had nothing to lose. The worst that could happen was that Blaze would blow her off or reject her out of hand, which would leave her in the same position she was already in. She didn’t expect Blaze to suddenly change her mind and didn’t want to get her hopes up, but it was hard not to. Will had a point: Blaze wasn’t anything like Marcus, who had no conscience at all, and she had to be feeling just a little guilty, right?didn’t take long to find her. Blaze was sitting on the dune near the pier, watching the surfers. She said nothing as Ronnie walked up.wasn’t even sure where to start, so she began with the obvious.

“Hi, Blaze,” she said.said nothing, and Ronnie collected herself before going on.

“I know you probably don’t want to talk to me…”

“You look like an Easter egg.”glanced at the outfit she was required to wear at the aquarium: turquoise shirt with the aquarium logo, white shorts, and white shoes.

“I tried to get them to change the uniform to black, but they wouldn’t let me.”

“Too bad. Black’s your color.” Blaze flashed a quick smile. “What do you want?”swallowed. “I wasn’t trying to pick up Marcus that night. He came on to me, and I don’t know why he said what he did, other than because he wanted to make you jealous. I’m sure you don’t believe me, but I want to let you know I never would have done something like that to you. I’m not that kind of person.” It had all come out in a rush, but she had said it now.paused, then said, “I know.”wasn’t the answer Ronnie had expected. “Then why did you put those things in my bag?” she blurted out.squinted up at her. “I was mad at you. Because it was obvious he liked you.”bit back a response that would have put an immediate end to the conversation, giving Blaze the opportunity to go on. Blaze focused on the surfers again. “I see you’ve been spending a lot of time with Will this summer.”

“He said the two of you used to be friends.”

“Yeah, we were,” she said. “A long time ago. He’s nice. You’re lucky.” She wiped her hands on her pants. “My mom’s going to marry her boyfriend. After she told me, we got in this really big fight and she kicked me out of the house. She changed the locks and everything.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ronnie said, and she was.

“I’ll survive.”comment made Ronnie think about the similarities in their lives-divorce, anger, and rebellion, a parent’s remarriage-yet despite those things, they were no longer the same at all. Blaze had changed since the beginning of the summer. Gone was the zest for life Ronnie had noticed when they first met, and Blaze seemed older, too, as if she’d aged years instead of weeks. But not in a good way. There were bags under her eyes, and her skin was sallow. She’d lost weight, too. A lot of weight. In a strange way, it was as if Ronnie were seeing the person she might have become, and she didn’t like what she saw.

“What you did to me was wrong,” Ronnie said. “But you can still make it right.”shook her head slowly. “Marcus won’t let me. He said he wouldn’t talk to me again.”to her robotic tone made Ronnie want to shake her. Blaze seemed to sense what Ronnie was thinking, and she sighed before going on.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go. My mom called all the relatives and told them not to take me in. She told them that it’s hard for her, but what I need is ‘tough love’ right now. But I don’t have any money to eat, and unless I want to sleep on the beach every night for the rest of my life, I have to do what Marcus tells me. When he’s mad at me, he won’t even let me shower at his place. And he won’t give me any money from the shows we do, so I can’t eat, either. He treats me like a dog sometimes, and I hate it. But who else do I have?”

“Have you tried talking to your mom?”

“What’s the point? She thinks I’m a lost cause, and she hates me.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t hate you.”

“You don’t know her like I do.”flashed back on the time she had visited Blaze’s house and seen the money tucked into the envelope. It didn’t sound like the same mother, but Ronnie didn’t want to say that. In the silence, Blaze pushed herself up and stood. Her clothes were dirty and rumpled, as though she’d been wearing them for a week straight. Which was probably true.

“I know what you want me to do,” Blaze said. “But I can’t. And it’s not because I don’t like you. I do. I think you’re nice, and I shouldn’t have done what I did. But I’m as trapped as you are. And I don’t think Marcus is done with you, either.”stiffened. “What do you mean?”stood. “He’s been talking about you again. And not in a good way. I’d stay away from me if I were you.”Ronnie could respond, Blaze started walking off.

“Hey, Blaze,” she called out.slowly turned around.

“If you ever need something to eat or a place to stay, you know where I live.”an instant, Ronnie thought she saw not only a flash of gratitude, but something that reminded her of the smart, lively girl she’d first met in June.

“And one more thing,” Ronnie added. “That fire stuff you’re doing with Marcus is crazy.”gave her a sad smile. “Do you really think it’s crazier than anything else in my life right now?”following afternoon, Ronnie stood in front of her closet, knowing she had absolutely nothing to wear. Even if she was going to the wedding-which she still wasn’t certain about-she didn’t have anything remotely appropriate, unless it was a wedding with Ozzy Osbourne and his clan.this was a formal, black-tie wedding: Tuxedos and gowns were required for guests, not just the wedding party. She’d never imagined attending something like this when she was packing for the summer back in New York. She hadn’t even brought along the pair of black pumps her mom had purchased for her last Christmas, the ones that were still in the box.really didn’t understand why Will wanted her to come. Even if she found a way to look presentable, it wasn’t as though she’d have anyone to talk to. Will was in the wedding party, which meant tons of pictures while she went to the reception, and he had to sit at the head table, so they wouldn’t even be together for the meal. She’d probably end up sitting at a table with the governor or a senator or some family that had flown in on a private jet… talk about awkward. Add in the fact that Susan hated her, and the whole thing was a bad idea. A really bad idea. Horrible in every conceivable way.the other hand…would she ever be invited to a wedding like this again? Supposedly, the house had undergone a major transformation in the last couple of weeks: A new, temporary deck had been erected over the pool, tents had been raised, tens of thousands of flowers had been planted, and not only had lights been rented from one of the film studios in Wilmington, but the crew had come in and set up everything using stand-ins. The catering-everything from caviar to Cristal champagne-was being supplied by three different restaurants in Wilmington, and overseeing the whole operation was a chef Susan knew from Boston, who was supposedly once considered for the position of head chef at the White House. It was completely over the top, certainly nothing she would ever want for her own wedding-something beachside in Mexico with a dozen people in attendance was more her style-but she supposed that was part of the appeal of attending. She’d never go to another wedding like it for as long as she lived., of course, she could find something to wear. Honestly, she didn’t even know why she was searching her closet. She couldn’t wave a magic wand and turn a pair of her jeans into a dress or pretend that a new part in her hair would make someone overlook one of her concert T-shirts. The only halfway decent outfit she owned, the only one that Susan might not find repugnant if she’d simply stopped by on her way to a movie, was the outfit she wore to the aquarium, the one that made her look like an Easter egg.

“What are you doing?”stood in the doorway, staring at her.

“I need to find something to wear,” she said.

“Are you going out?”

“No. I meant to wear to the wedding.”tilted his head. “You’re getting married?”

“Of course not. Will’s sister is getting married.”

“What’s her name?”

“Megan.”

“Is she nice?”shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never met her.”

“Then why are you going to her wedding?”

“Because Will asked me to go. That’s the way it works,” she explained. “He can bring a guest to the wedding. I’m supposed to be the guest.”

“Oh,” he said. “What are you going to wear?”

“Nothing. I don’t have anything.”motioned toward her. “What you’re wearing is nice.”Easter egg outfit. Figures.tugged at her shirt. “I can’t wear this. It’s a formal wedding. I’m supposed to wear a gown.”

“Do you have a gown in the closet?”

“No.”

“Then why are you standing there?”, she thought, closing the door. She flopped down on her bed.

“You’re right,” she said. “I can’t go. It’s as simple as that.”

“Do you want to go?” Jonah asked curiously.an instant, her thoughts flashed from Absolutely not to Kind of and, finally, to Yeah, I do. She tucked her legs up under her. “Will wants me to go. It’s important to him. And it would be something to see.”

“Then why don’t you buy a gown?”

“Because I don’t have any money,” she said.

“Oh,” he said. “That’s easy to fix.” He went to his collection of toys in the corner. Wedged in at one end was a model of an airliner; he picked it up and brought it over, unscrewing the nose of the plane. As he began dumping the contents on her bed, Ronnie’s jaw dropped at the sight of all the cash he’d accumulated. There had to be at least a few hundred dollars.

“It’s my bank,” he said. He wiped his nose. “I’ve been saving for a while.”

“Where did you get all this?”pointed to a ten-dollar bill. “This one was for not telling Dad I saw you that night at the carnival.” He pointed to a single. “This one was for not telling Dad that you were making out with Will.” He continued to point at various bills. “This one was for the guy with blue hair, and this was from liar’s poker. This one was for that time you snuck out after your curfew-”

“I get it,” she said. But still… She blinked. “You saved it all?”

“What else was I supposed to do with it?” he answered. “Mom and Dad buy me everything I need. All I have to do is beg long enough. It’s pretty easy to get what I want. You just have to know how to work it. Mom needs me to cry, but Dad needs me to explain why I deserve it.”smiled. Her brother, the blackmailer slash psychologist. Amazing.

“So I don’t really need it. And I like Will. He makes you happy.”, she thought, he does.

“You’re a pretty good little brother, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. And you can have it all, on one condition.”it comes, she thought. “Yes?”

“I’m not going to go dress shopping with you. It’s boring.”didn’t take long for her to make a decision. “Deal.”stared at herself, hardly able to recognize the image in the mirror. It was the morning of the wedding, and she had spent the past four days trying on pretty much every appropriate gown in the city, walking back and forth in various pairs of new shoes, and sitting for hours in the hair salon.had taken her almost an hour of curling and blowing to do her hair the way the girl at the salon had taught her. As Ronnie sat in the chair, she’d also asked advice about makeup, and the girl had given her some suggestions that Ronnie had followed carefully. The dress-there weren’t all that many good choices despite the number of stores she’d visited-featured a deep V-neck and black sequins, a far cry from anything she’d ever imagined wearing. The night before, she’d filed and painted her nails on her own, taking her time, pleased that she hadn’t smeared any of the polish.don’t know you, Ronnie told her reflection, turning this way and that. I’ve never seen you before. She tugged at her dress, adjusting it slightly. She looked pretty good, she had to admit. She smiled. And definitely good enough for the wedding.slipped into her shoes on the way out the door and headed down the hallway to the living room. Her dad was reading his Bible again, and Jonah was watching cartoons, as usual. When her dad and brother looked up, they did visible double takes.

“Holy crap,” Jonah said.dad turned to glare at him. “You shouldn’t say that word.”

“What word?” Jonah asked.

“You know the word I’m talking about.”

“Sorry, Dad,” he said, chastised. “I meant jiminy crap,” he tried again.and her dad laughed, and Jonah turned from one to the other. “What?”

“Nothing,” her dad said. Jonah moved nearer to inspect her more closely.

“What happened to the purple in your hair?” he asked. “It’s gone.”bobbed her curls. “Temporarily,” she said. “Is it okay?”her dad could answer, Jonah piped up. “You look normal again. But you don’t look like my sister.”

“You look wonderful,” her dad said quickly.herself, Ronnie breathed a sigh of relief. “Is the dress okay?”

“It’s perfect,” her dad answered.

“And my shoes? I’m not sure they go with the dress.”

“They’re just right.”

“I tried to do my makeup and my nails…”she even finished, her dad shook his head. “You’ve never been more beautiful,” he said. “In fact, I don’t know if there’s anyone more beautiful in the entire world.”’d said the same thing a hundred times before. “Dad-”

“He means it,” Jonah interrupted. “You look awesome. I’m being honest. I barely recognize you.”frowned at him in mock indignation. “So you’re saying you don’t like the way I usually look?”shrugged. “No one likes purple hair except weirdos.”she laughed, she caught her dad smiling at her.

“Wow” was all he could say.an hour later, she was pulling through the gates of the Blakelee estate, her heart racing. They had just run the gauntlet of Highway Patrol officers stationed along the road to check IDs, and now they were being stopped by men in suits who wanted to park their car. Her dad tried calmly to explain that he was simply dropping her off, but his response made no sense to any of the three valets-they couldn’t seem to grasp the fact that a guest at the wedding didn’t even have her own car.the improvements…had to admit the place was as spectacular as a movie set. There were flowers everywhere, the hedge was trimmed to perfection, and even the brick-and-stucco wall that surrounded the property had been freshly painted.they were finally able to make their way to the central roundabout, her dad stared at the house, which was growing larger in the foreground. Eventually, he turned to her. She wasn’t used to seeing her father surprised by anything, but she could hear it in his voice.

“This is Will’s house?”

“This is it,” she said. She knew what he’d say: that it was huge, or he didn’t realize how wealthy the family was, or did she feel like she belonged in a place like this? Instead, he smiled at her without a trace of self-consciousness.

“What a lovely place for a wedding.”drove carefully, thankfully drawing no extra attention to the old car they were driving. It was actually Pastor Harris’s car, an old Toyota sedan with a boxy style that was out of date as soon as it came off the production line in the 1990s; but it ran, and right now that was good enough. Her feet were already aching. How some women wore pumps every day was beyond her. Even when she was seated, they felt like instruments of torture. She should have wrapped her toes in Band-Aids. And her dress obviously hadn’t been designed to wear while sitting; it was digging into her ribs, making it hard to breathe. Then again, maybe she was just too nervous to breathe.dad made his way around the circle drive, his gaze fixed on the house just as hers had been the first time she’d seen it. Even though she should have been used to it by now, the place still felt overwhelming to her. Add in the guests-she’d never seen so many tuxedos and formal gowns in her life-and she couldn’t help but feel out of place already. She really didn’t belong here.ahead, a dark-suited man was signaling to the cars, and before she knew it, it was her turn to get out. As the man swung open her door and offered his hand to help her out, her father reached out to pat her leg.

“You can do this.” He smiled. “And have fun.”

“Thanks, Dad.”peeked in the mirror one last time before emerging from the car. Once she was out, she adjusted her dress, thinking it was easier to breathe now that she was standing. The porch railings were decorated with lilies and tulips, and as she made her way up the steps toward the door, it suddenly swung open.his tuxedo, Will looked nothing like the shirtless volleyball player she’d first encountered or the easygoing southern boy who’d taken her fishing; in a way, it was like glimpsing the successful, sophisticated man he would be a few years from now. Somehow, she hadn’t expected him to seem so… refined, and she was about to make a joke about how “he cleaned up pretty good” before she realized he hadn’t even said hello.a long time, all he could do was stare at her. In the extended silence, the butterflies in her stomach began to feel like birds, and all she could think was that she’d done something wrong. Maybe she’d arrived too early, or maybe she’d overdone it with her dress and makeup. She wasn’t sure what to think and was beginning to imagine the worst when Will finally began to smile.

“You look… incredible,” he said, and at those words, she felt herself relax. Well, a little bit, anyway. She still hadn’t seen Susan, and until then, she wasn’t out of the woods. Still, she was pleased that Will liked what he saw.

“You don’t think it’s too much?” she asked.stepped toward her and placed his hands on her hips. “Definitely not.”

“But not too little, right?”

“Just right,” he whispered.reached up, straightened his bow tie, then slipped her arms around his neck. “I must admit you don’t look half bad yourself.”wasn’t as bad as she’d thought it would be. It turned out they’d already taken most of the bridal pictures before the guests arrived, so she and Will were able to spend some time together before the ceremony. Mostly they walked around the grounds, Ronnie gawking at all the arrangements. Will hadn’t been kidding: The back of the house had been completely restyled, and the pool had been covered with a temporary deck that looked anything but temporary. Scores of white chairs fanned across the surface, facing a white trellis where Megan and her fiancé would exchange their vows. New walkways had been constructed in the yard, making it easy to access the few dozen tables where they’d eventually dine, beneath the vault of a massive white tent. There were five or six intricately carved ice sculptures, large enough to hold their form for hours, but what really drew her interest were the flowers: The grounds were a sea of brilliant gladiolus and lilies.crowd was pretty much what she’d expected. Aside from Will, the only guests she knew were Scott, Ashley, and Cassie, and none of them were particularly thrilled to see her. Not that it mattered much. Once people took their seats, everyone, with the possible exception of Will, was focused on Megan’s imminent appearance. Will seemed content to fix his eyes on Ronnie from his spot near the trellis.wanted to remain as unobtrusive as possible, so she chose a seat about three rows from the back and away from the aisle. So far, she hadn’t seen Susan, who was probably fussing over Megan, and she prayed she wouldn’t notice Ronnie until after the ceremony. If she had her way, Susan wouldn’t notice her then, either, but that was probably unlikely, since she would be spending so much time with Will.

“Excuse me,” she heard someone say. Looking up, she saw an older man and his wife trying to slip past her to the empty seats on the far side of her.

“It’s probably easier if I scoot down,” she offered.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s no problem at all,” she said, moving over to the last empty seat to make room. The man seemed vaguely familiar to her, but the only thing that came to mind, the only possible connection, was the aquarium, and that didn’t feel quite right.she could dwell on it further, a string quartet started the first strains of the “Wedding March.” She looked over her shoulder toward the house, along with everyone around her. She heard an audible gasp when Megan appeared at the top of the veranda stairs. As she began to move down the steps toward her father waiting at the bottom, Ronnie made the instantaneous decision that Megan was without doubt the most dazzling bride she’d ever seen.by the sight of Will’s sister, she barely registered the fact that the elderly man beside her seemed more interested in scrutinizing her than Megan.ceremony was elegant and yet surprisingly intimate. The pastor read from Second Corinthians, and then Megan and Daniel recited vows they’d written together. They promised patience when it was easy to be impatient, candor when it was easier to lie, and in their own ways, each recognized the fact that real commitment could be proven only through the passage of time.Ronnie watched them exchange rings, she appreciated that they’d decided on an outdoor wedding. It was less traditional than the church weddings she’d been to, but somehow still formal, and the setting was picture perfect.also knew that Will was right: She was going to like Megan. In the weddings she’d been to, she always had the sense that the brides were intent on pulling off an act, and more than once, she’d seen brides get upset if anything deviated from the script. Megan, on the other hand, seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself. As her father walked her up the aisle, she winked at some friends and stopped to give her grandmother a hug. When the ring bearer-barely a toddler and cute as a bug in his little tuxedo-stopped halfway up the aisle and crawled into his mother’s lap, Megan laughed in delight, defusing the momentary tension., Megan was less interested in staging more magazine-worthy wedding photos than in visiting with her guests. She was, Ronnie thought, either incredibly confident or utterly clueless about all the stress her mother had incurred over every last wedding detail. Even from a distance, Ronnie could tell that nothing was going quite the way Susan had envisioned.

“You owe me a dance,” she heard Will whisper., she was struck anew by how handsome he was. “I don’t believe that was part of our deal,” she said. “You said you just wanted me to attend the wedding.”

“What? You don’t want to dance with me?”

“There’s no music.”

“I mean later.”

“Oh,” she said. “Well, in that case, I might consider it. But shouldn’t you be posing for pictures?”

“I’ve been doing that for hours. I needed a break.”

“Too much smiling hurts your cheeks?”

“Something like that. Oh, I’m supposed to tell you that you’re going to be eating at table sixteen with Scott, Ashley, and Cassie.”. “Great,” she said.laughed. “It won’t be as bad as you think. They’ll be on their best behavior. Otherwise my mom would probably lop off their heads.”was Ronnie’s turn to laugh. “Tell your mom she did a wonderful job getting all this organized. It’s beautiful here.”

“I will,” he said. He continued to stare at her until both of them heard his name being called. When they turned, Ronnie thought Megan showed a trace of amusement at her brother having wandered off. “I have to get back,” he said. “But I’ll come find you at dinner. And don’t forget about our dance later.”really was heartbreakingly handsome, she thought again. “I should warn you that my feet are already hurting.”put one hand over his heart. “I promise not to make fun of you if you limp.”

“Gee, thanks.”leaned in and kissed her. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”smiled, still tasting his lips on hers. “Not for at least twenty minutes. But you better go. You’re needed elsewhere, and I don’t want to get in trouble.”kissed her before rejoining the rest of the wedding party. Feeling a rush of contentment, she turned around, only to see the elderly man she’d made room for at the ceremony watching her again.dinner, Scott, Cassie, and Ashley made little attempt to include her in their conversation, but she found she didn’t really care. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to them, nor was she hungry. Instead, after nibbling a few bites, she excused herself and headed toward the veranda. The porch gave her a panoramic view of the festivities, which somehow were even more enchanting in the dark. Under the moon’s silvery spell, the tents seemed to be glowing. She could hear strains of conversation blending with the music from the band, which was now playing, and she found herself wondering what she would have been doing back home tonight had she stayed in New York. As the summer had progressed, she’d spoken to Kayla less and less often. Though she still considered her a friend, she realized that she didn’t miss the world she’d left behind. She hadn’t thought about going to a club in weeks, and when Kayla talked about the latest, greatest guy she’d met, Ronnie found her thoughts wandering to Will. She knew that whomever Kayla was fixated on was absolutely nothing like Will.didn’t talk much about Will to Kayla. Kayla knew they were still seeing each other, but every time she mentioned the things they’d done-whether it was fishing or mudding or walking the beach-she had the feeling that Kayla was on another wavelength entirely. Kayla wasn’t able to grasp the fact that Ronnie was happy simply being with Will, and Ronnie couldn’t help wondering what that would mean for their friendship when she returned to New York. She knew she’d changed in the weeks she’d been down here, while Kayla, it seemed, hadn’t changed at all. Ronnie realized she had no interest in going to clubs anymore. Thinking back, she wondered why she’d been so interested in them in the first place-the music was loud, and everyone was on the make. And if everything was supposed to be so great, why did everyone drink or do drugs in the hope of enhancing their experience? It didn’t make sense to her, but as the ocean sounded in the distance, she suddenly knew that it never had.also wanted a better relationship with her mom. At the very least, her dad had taught her that parents could be okay. Though she was under no illusions that her mom trusted her the way her dad did, she knew the tension cut both ways in their relationship. Maybe if she tried talking to her mom in the same way she talked to her dad, things would begin to improve between them., what being forced to slow down could do to a person.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-05