Page 110 of Drawing Home
Therapy? Who cared about therapy? Were they going to act like her mom hadn’t spent the day with lawyers? She was dying to know what had happened, but something held her back from pushing. She didn’t want to upset her mom—even if it meant having to wait a little longer for information.
“Um, therapy was okay. The usual.”
She tried to read her mother’s expression for clues about her day but her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses.
“Dr. Wang left me a message that you need to keep up with your positivity board and your worksheets.”
Penny sighed and held up her drawing pad. “This is my positivity board.”
Her mother looked at her skeptically. “Penny, it’s really important that—”
“I’m serious. I’ve written almost a whole graphic novel. You know how I have a hard time sticking with things, not starting over. But I pushed through it for this and I feel so much better when I’m working. And I’ve been able to keep the same mind-set when I’m not drawing. See?”
She held out her unblemished hands, and her mother looked down. She reached for them and clasped them in her own.
“Mom,” Penny said, swallowing hard. “Where did you go today?”
Her mother nodded, as if she’d been expecting the question. “I met with lawyers and your father about the custody issue.”
“And?”
“And…I’m working on it. We’ll see. Don’t you worry.”
From the tight set of her mother’s mouth, Penny understood that she was absolutely worried.
“It’ll be okay, Mom.”
“I know,” she said quietly. “I’m doing everything I can to make sure nothing changes. Except, actually, one thing will be changing. Bea won’t be living here.”
Penny looked at her in surprise. “She said she’s leaving?”
“It’s not up to her,” Emma snapped.
Had something happened to make her mother hyped up again about getting rid of Bea? She couldn’t imagine why her mom was even thinking about that when she had the more serious stuff going on with her dad. Did everything have to do with the house?
“I heard you say once that Dad was only spending time with me for this house. Is that true?”
“Penny, you shouldn’t eavesdrop.”
“The house is allopen,Mom.”
Her mother sighed. “I don’t know what goes on in your father’s head.”
Penny looked out at the pool. The sun was really dancing off the water.Let the light do the work.
“Where is Bea going to go? Back to New York City?”
“I really don’t know, Penny. And frankly, I don’t care.”
Penny had been thinking a lot about Bea Winstead’s story about leaving home as soon as she turned eighteen. Bea understood Penny’s feelings about wanting to leave, but her mother never would.
“She’s lucky she gets to go,” Penny said.
Her mother looked at her sharply. “We live in this beautiful house now and you’re still complaining?”
Penny shook her head. “No. I mean, not about the house. It’s amazing. But I don’t know. Someday I might not live here. You know what I mean?”
“I understand,” Emma said slowly.
