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“Hey, it’s me.”

“You out?”

“Yeah,” I tell him. “I’m calling from my cell.”

“Where are you?”

“Home, but I don’t want to be.” I thought hearing his voice would make me happy, but it doesn’t. And even though I don’t feel quite right, I don’t want to be alone. “Can I come see you?”

“Yeah,” he responds. “Where do you want to go?”

His place is out of the question, and he can’t come here either because I don’t want my mother prying. Although, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s been at my house. When we were younger, he came over a few times with some of our other friends. I’m surprised she didn’t recognize him when she saw him at family day at the facility, but then again, the last time she saw him he was no older than thirteen.

“Marina Beach? Down by the driftwood?” I suggest. “I can come pick you up.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

“How?” I ask since he can’t drive because of his suspended license.

“Don’t worry about it,” he says before asking. “Meet you in an hour?”

“An hour?” I question because the beach is only ten minutes away.

“Yeah, I need to hop in the shower and take care of something first. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Okay, bye.”

Shoving the turtles back into my pocket, I forego the unpacking and head downstairs to find my mom in the kitchen. “Hey, do you have my car keys?”

She looks up from the piece of mail she’s reading. “What do you need your keys for?”

“To go on a drive,” I say slowly as if it isn’t obvious.

“Oh, I ... I thought we could spend the day together.” She does a bad job hiding how uncomfortable she is with the idea of me leaving.

“I’ve been cooped up all summer; I don’t want to be cooped up in the house on my first day out.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the beach.”

She opens her mouth to say something, but then she hesitates.

“Mom, come on. What’s the problem?”

She sighs and sets the mail down.

“You don’t trust me.”

“It isn’t that I don’t trust you.”

“Then why are you acting this way?”

“I’m just worried.”

“Because you don’t trust me,” I reiterate.

“Because I love you.”