Page 55 of Places We've Never Been

You were in my house?! Why didn’t you lead with that?!! Did you find anything??

Nope. That’s why I didn’t lead with that. But I was thinking…

What?

If your mom was taking meds for some mysterious health issue, wouldn’t they be there? Wouldn’t she take them with her?

My eyes shot to her closed bedroom door. Of course she would bring them.

You’re right.

Always am.

The bathroom door opened and Ezra peeked his head out, steam billowing out with him. “Ten more minutes?”

“It’s fine,” I said.

I dug under my pillow to grab my flash cards, to get my mind off the fact that I couldn’t immediately search through all my mom’s possessions, when I came up with the notebook instead.I petted the cover several times, then sat down on the couch and turned back the cover, looking for where I had left off.

I’m sorry your dad embarrassed you todaywas written in my handwriting.You’re right, he’s harder on you than on Austin.But maybe you’ll get closer when you’re older.

I tried to remember what I had been talking about in this entry. Skyler’s dad was prickly, especially to Skyler. My mom often said it was because they were too much alike. But I never saw Skyler in Mr. Hutton. Skyler was sweet and funny and empathetic. Mr. Hutton was hard and closed off and critical.

I kept reading.And maybe next time, just say you were the one who left the gate open.

Just like that, I remembered the exact incident. He and I had run into his house after swimming at mine to grab his sketch stuff. His dad called out, “Skyler Hutton!”

Skyler skidded to a halt in the hallway and gave me his worried face. “What do you think that’s about?”

“Who knows,” I said. “He’s always grumpy.”

Skyler agreed. “Come on.” He led the way to the kitchen, where Austin sat at the counter eating a bowl of cereal even though it was past lunchtime. One of his best friends, Lydia, sat next to him.

Mr. Hutton glanced our way from where he stood by the fridge. “Skyler, the dog got out earlier. I had to chase him down.”

“Oh.”

“Don’tohme. You left the side gate open. Get your head out of your sketchbook and grow up.”

“I didn’t leave the gate open.”

“Don’t backtalk, Skyler. Just apologize.”

“You want me to apologize for something I didn’t do?”

“You were the only one back there today.”

“It wasn’t me,” Skyler insisted.

“I might’ve been back there,” Austin said.

His dad pounded his fist on the counter and Skyler’s cheeks went bright red. “Next time pay attention!”

Skyler put his chin in the air and stormed down the hall.

Lydia and I exchanged a wide-eyed look. Austin just kept munching away at his cereal.

I joined Skyler in his room a few minutes later.