Page 70 of All of You

Come to think of it, I don’t either. “My mom always said it, though.”

“Do you miss her?” he asks, releasing me.

“I’m learning to live without her,” I say.

He cocks his head at me and raises a single brow. “That’s not an answer.”

“Sometimes I’m too angry at her to miss her. Sometimes I miss her so much I feel like it might break me apart.”

“What was it like before you moved here?”

My brow wrinkles but I think about it briefly. “Samaras, those little propeller-shaped whirlybirds that litter the ground. You know what I’m talking about?” Langdon nods. “Mom and I used to peel them apart—just slightly—and stick them to the bridge of our noses and chase after each other. "

“She sounds like she was fun,” he says.

I shrug. “Yes and no. I mean, that was fun. I was a kid. I thought all kids lived like I did with a mom like mine. But then kids started talking and I started going to other kids’ houses and realizing that most people didnotlive like we did and I started noticing all the ways I had to take care of her when she was supposed to be taking care of me. We were more like friends, roommates, cousins I don’t know,” I say exasperated. “It was good and weird and…”

He interrupts. “Got it.”

Anna calls upstairs asking if everyone is nearly ready to go.

“Almost,” Langdon answers. “You better get in the bathroom.”

I give myself a P.T.A. as my mom calls it, a pits, tits, and ass bath while simultaneously brushing my teeth. After dragging a brush through my hair, I tug on my clothes from yesterday and head downstairs.

“I’m going to have Langdon drop you at home on his way to school if that’s okay with you?” James says. I nod.

We pile into Langdon’s truck, Anderson, me, and Langdon, and take off down the road.

“Did you know that right there—” Anderson points to a trail along the edge of their driveway that heads into the woods. “Is a trail you can take and it goes right to your backyard?”

“Really?” I ask.

Langdon smiles and nods his head. “Yup. Not really your backyard, but that field way behind your backyard.”

“How long is the walk?” I ask.

“Maybe ten minutes or so,” he answers.

“Mom said you punched Hailie in the face. That’s rad. She’s mean,” Anderson says.

I stifle a groan and face him. “It’s not cool to punch people. I feel terrible about it. Even if she is mean.”

Anderson’s face falls slightly. “Yeah. Okay. Still…did it hurt your hand?”

“Yeah. A lot actually. Ten out of ten do not recommend.”

Langdon chuckles as I turn back around. “You’re too nice to him. He’s going to start thinking you are friends.”

I glance at Anderson and smile. “We are friends.”

***

Gramps opens the door and ushers me in when Langdon pulls up to the house.

“Good luck,” Langdon whispers while waving to Heath.

I brace myself for the talk that is sure to follow but he doesn’t say anything. I kick off my shoes and plop onto the couch.