Page 12 of Spindrift

“It’sfine.”

“Whatabout those horrible hunting trophies?”

Sheglanced at the deer head mounted on the wall in front of her, then flopped intoan armchair. “They’re still here.”

“Maybeyou can sell them on eBay.”

“Mom.”

“I’mjust saying you don’t have to surround yourself with dead things. You know Iworry about you.”

“I’mfine.”

“Areyou taking your meds?”

“Mom.I’m thirty years old.”

“Andonly a month out of treatment.”

“Doyou want me to hang up on you?”

Silencefilled the line. Emilia tugged on the frayed edges of the hole in the knee ofher jeans. Yes, she was only a month out of Morse Hill’s residential program,but they’d deemed her fit to return to society and normal human activities. Shewas fine. Maybe if she repeated that often enough people would believe her.

“Well,at least you have Nell with you.”

“She’sdoing the thing where she lies on top of her own head on the couch.”

“Sillydog. Oh, Anna Maria told me to tell you to stop ignoring her texts.”

Shepulled a thread all the way out and let it fall to the scuffed hardwood floor.Ignoring her stepsister wasn’t intentional. She just didn’t know what to say. AnnaMaria hadn’t known her dad, so Emilia’s grief was foreign to her, opening up arift that had been barely noticeable while they were growing up.

“I’lltalk to her.”

“Good.She wants to visit you.”

“Youmean she wants to get away from her children.”

“You’redeflecting.”

“You’renot my therapist.” She didn’t mean to snap, but she wished her mother couldunderstand how much effort it took for her to do even as little as she wasmanaging. There wasn’t any effort left over for patience.

“Emmy.”

“Sorry.It’s the paint. There are too many choices.”

“You’repainting? You’ve only been there a few days.”

“Younever liked how dark Dad’s house was.”

“Andhe liked it because it hid the dirt.”

“Didyou know Dad did open mic at the new coffee shop in town?”

Moresilence. “No. I did not know that.”

“Itwas weird. The coffee shop people knew who he was.”

“Iforget how small that town is. Any familiar faces?”

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