Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I don’t understand a lot about what’s happening. I’m barely nine years old. I’m getting to be a big boy, but all I know is that I haven’t been living with my parents ever since what happened with Griffin.
I’ve been living in a place that locks me in.
I don’t like being locked in.
It makes me angry—makes me think about doing things I know I shouldn’t do. Things that I know are wrong.
The lady beside me has told me to be quiet. Not to say anything. When I look at my mother and father—the two people who used to love me the most in this world—I can’t help it. I leave the table and run over to them.
“Mommy, Daddy, I’ll be good. I promise I’ll be good. I won’t do anything wrong ever again. Please don’t make me leave. Please.”
My mother doesn’t look at me. She looks down at the table.
But my father does. He meets my gaze. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but he does look me in the eye sternly.
Mommy always said I have Daddy’s eyes, though I never understood why because his are brown and mine are different. But I used to like that he and I shared eyes. We were close. He gave me a drum.
But as I stare into those eyes now, they don’t seem familiar at all.
It’s almost like I’m looking at a stranger.
A stranger is a person who wants to hurt me. I learned all about strangers first from Mommy and Daddy and then from my kindergarten teacher years ago.
We don’t talk to strangers.
We don’t go anywhere with strangers.
Why has my daddy become a stranger?
They think I hurt Griffin.
They think I did something absolutely horrible to her.
Why don’t they believe me?
Why don’t they believe me when I say I would never hurt Griffin?
That I love Griffin.
That I miss her.
But she’s gone now. They won’t let me near her.
And I guess it’s time for me to go, too.
Chapter Thirteen
Diana
Teddy doesn’t smoke pot, but most of her parties tend to have it. Tracy and Bud seem to be complete party animals, so when Teddy goes to the kitchen to refill the hors d’oeuvres, I grab her.
“You need help?” I ask.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind,” she says. “Do you know how to make a salami rose?”
I let out a short laugh. “You’re not even going to believe this, but I do.”
She scoffs. “I was asking kind of as a joke. You’re not known for your cooking skills, Dee.”
“I know, but my aunt is a gourmet chef, and my mother is her second-in-command, so when I’m home, I get roped into doing things just like this. And yes, I actually do know how to make a salami rose.”
“I don’t have to teach you, then. Great.” Teddy hands me a thin highball glass.
I already know what to do. I take the round pieces of salami and bend them over the rim of the glass, slightly overlapping each piece. Once I get a couple layers going, four or five rows of salami at least, I turn the glass over and gently pull it out. The result is a gorgeous salami rose.
“Impressive,” Teddy says as she slices cheese.
I make two more salami roses and then three pepperoni ones. By the time I’m done, Teddy is finished slicing cheese and pours some mixed nuts in a bowl.
She picks up the platter and eyes it. “I think you did better than I could have,” she says. “Maybe there’s hope for you after all, Diana.”
I laugh and take another drink of my water. “I can do a good charcuterie tray. That’s about it.”
Teddy sets the tray back down.
“Something else you can do that makes it look really cool,” I tell her, “is you can take a cookie-cutter and make a shape in the top of your brie. Pop off the white rind, and then put some jam or jelly in the shape. It’s really pretty, and you can grab some of the jam when you take your brie as well.”
Teddy cocks her head at me. “Who are you and what have you done with Diana Steel?”
I can’t help laughing again. “I never do this kind of stuff myself. You know me. I’m kind of a loner and rarely throw parties. But my family throws the most elaborate parties on the planet.”
She strokes her chin. “Maybe you missed your calling. You’re really creative, Diana.”
“Those are tricks stolen from my aunt Marjorie. And as far as my creativity goes, I prefer putting it into buildings and structure.”
Teddy smirks. “I bet you’re looking forward to starting work.”
I chuckle. “I so am. If they don’t let me on that mountaintop project, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“First of all, they’re going to let you on.” Teddy rolls her eyes. “And second of all, if they don’t put you on it, then you’ll work your cute little behind off until they realize they need to let you in.” She sighs. “You’re such a workaholic, Dee. I interviewed with L & L two years ago, and they offered me a job, but did you know they expect their assistants to work over fifty hours a week?”