Page 262 of Dark Love

“Mom.”

“Fine. Fine.” She pushes the plate over to Imogene and waits silently for her to start eating.

Imogene takes a big bite, and Mom’s shoulders relax for a brief moment. “Was it terrible being homeless?”

“Mom.” She has better manners than that.

“I’m sorry that was rude. It’s just seeing your friend made me think of my cousin Mia.”

Mia? Mia? “I don’t remember any relatives named Mia.”

“That’s because Mia ran away when you were little.”

Ran away?

“I don’t even know why. We were so close. It happened right after your brother got sick. One minute we were talking about her going to prom with her boyfriend, the senior. My parents were whispering about them getting married and everything. Then my life got hectic over the summer when we were going back and forth to the doctors and hospital that we lost touch for a while. Nextthing I know, everyone is whispering about how she ran away.” A tear slips out of Mom’s eye. “Mia was the sweetest little girl. She wouldn’t have survived on the street.”

“Eugenia, why are you crying when we’re supposed to be getting ready for a party?” Dad stops before entering the kitchen.

“You know us girls. We get silly sometimes.”

Dad’s not falling for that one bit. “Why don’t we go upstairs and settle into our room? The girls can finish emptying the truck. Right, girls?”

There’s more?!? “Sure, Dad.”

He wraps an arm around Mom’s shoulders and leads her upstairs.

“Your parents are so cute.” Imogene sighs.

Sickeningly so sometimes.

“I want that.”

Me too. “Let me just grab the bags out of the car.” Imogene isn’t strong enough to start doing that yet.

Dad parked in front of the door.

“You have company.” Vex's voice comes from my left. He’s leaning against the house out of sight of the windows.

“I wasn’t expecting them.”

“You look a lot like your mother.”

Um… okay? “People tell me that all the time.”

“Good to know what I have to look forward to in the future.”

The future? Oh… OH. I scramble down the steps, almost tripping over my own two feet.

Vex grabs my upper arms, stabilizing me. “Careful.”

But I don’t need to be when you’re around to save me.

“How long are your parents staying?”

Forever! “Probably just for the weekend.”

He pulls me close. “I’ll sneak in after they’ve gone to sleep.”

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