Page 56 of You're the Reason

“It’s not a big deal. I needed money to pay off my college debt. So I entered as a dark horse and ended up winning the city qualifier.”

“Does that mean you go on to the next round?”

“No!”

Grace jumped at the strength behind the word, and he winced.

“Sorry. I mean, yes, that’s what it means, but I just can’t.” He didn’t say anything the rest of the way, but it didn’t keep Grace from replaying the conversation in her mind. She didn’t understand his world, and she had a feeling she was the first person he’d ever tried to explain it to.

By the time she stood with a bag of groceries in hand at his mom’s front door, Grace was convinced he had, in fact, overreacted. Sure, the building needed to be painted. But it wasn’t that bad.

Seth knocked but didn’t seem that surprised when his mother didn’t answer. He sent Grace a this-is-your-last-chance-out look. When she only nodded, he opened the door and stepped in.

The room was dim, but she followed Seth, staying just a few inches behind him. She bit back a gag when a musty, dank odor hit her about three steps in. Seth secured the door and then flipped the light switch, but that just illuminated a single light bulb from the ceiling. The furniture and carpet seemed to be from the era of her grandparents, but it was the large dark stains on the cushions and carpet that she couldn’t look away from.

“Mom, I have your food.” Seth’s voice rose but not in an angry way. He didn’t seem fazed by any of it. As if this was normal. This was okay. This was home. The image of an eleven-year-old Seth came to mind, and she bit back the tears. How had he come out of this and not self-destructed himself?

“Bring cigarettes?” The voice was rough without even a touch of appreciation.

“Just food.” By Seth’s tone, this was a regular question with the same answer. He also didn’t seem surprised she’d lied about driving to Heritage.

“It wouldn’t hurt you once in a while—” His mom emerged from the hall and froze when her eyes locked on Grace.

It took all Grace’s mental energy to not physically recoil. Different was an understatement. The once dark, thick hair was a thin, dull, ratty mess. Her once round face was skin and bones, along with the rest of her. She wore a large T-shirt, no doubt to try and hide it, but with the way one bony shoulder poked out the neck hole, she clearly needed every calorie Seth could bring her.

She’d always remembered Mrs. Warner as younger than her parents, but right now with the dark circles under her sunken eyes, she appeared to have at least two decades on them.

His mom reached up and made an effort to smooth her thin brown hair as she smiled a gray smile missing several teeth. And for the first time Grace saw the slightest hint of who she once had been. “You didn’t tell me you have a guest. Who might you be?”

Seth seemed to be debating whether to point out that his mom had met her before but must have decided against it. “This is my friend Grace.”

Seth opened the fridge and began exchanging fresh food for some that was rotten. “Grace, this is my mom, Angel.”

“Aren’t you pretty.” Angel’s bony fingers caught a piece of Grace’s blonde hair between her fingers. “Seth has never brought home a girl before. You must be special.”

Seth winced and hurried forward. He stepped between them and lowered his mom’s hand.

His mom didn’t seem deterred though. “He’s a good boy, no matter what anyone says.”

Other than her mom, Grace had never heard anyone say a bad thing about him.

“Mom.” Seth pointed to the pile of food in the garbage. “Why do you want me to buy you more food when you didn’t eat what I bought you before.”

She waved his hand away. “Stop buying me broccoli.”

“Fine. But you have to find something healthy to eat.” Seth walked back to the fridge and took the broccoli out.

“Is he this bossy with you?” His mom stood right by her again.

Grace couldn’t keep the smile from her face as the conversation from fifteen minutes ago ran through her mind. “Sometimes.”

Seth sent her a look, but there wasn’t anger in it. Maybe a touch of amusement. “I’m only bossy with her when she’s wrong.”

“Typical man.” His mom shook her head. “His father was the same way. Looks just like him too.”

“Really?” Grace looked over at Seth and tried to imagine him in an Army uniform. Yup, he could pull that off. “Do you have a photo?”

“No.” The word was sharp as her eyes dimmed and she spun away, disappearing down the hall.

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