“You looked at my computer?” He felt bile rise up in his throat. He could barely contain his outrage. “I can’t believe you invaded my privacy!”
“You’re my son. You’re seventeen. You still live in my house and I have a right to know if you’re doing something illegal.”
“I’m not doing anything illegal.” He was beyond furious. “Did you go through my drawers also?”
“Stop being so indignant. I know what you’re doing. Am I telling you to stop? If I told you to stop, would you listen?” She tapped his forehead. “You lock me out of there, so I do what I have to do. I know that boys your age don’t confide in their mothers. But don’t lie to me.”
“I said I won’t.” He was still pissed. “Don’t look at my computer anymore, okay?”
“It wouldn’t matter anyway. You’ll encrypt everything as soon as we get home. So you’re mad at me.” She kissed his forehead. “Hate me. I can take it.”
“I don’t hate you . . . c’mon! I can be pissed at you without hating you.”
She sighed. “I’ll get your dad. Don’t give him grief.”
As soon as his father walked into the room, Ben turned his frustration on him. “She looked at my computer. Can you believe that?”
“You actually expect me to be on your side? She’s your mother. She can do whatever the hell she wants. Now let’s go over this before the detective arrives. What happened?”
Ben was furious with both his parents, but this was a battle he wasn’t going to win.
Forget about the battle, just win the fucking war.
The girls were sitting on hard plastic seats staring at their laps. Laura Vicksburg sighed. They deserved more, way more than what Laura had given them for the last two and a half years. She composed herself and then walked over. “C’mon. Let’s go for ice cream.”
Haley looked at her mom. “It’s like forty degrees outside. I’d rather shop.”
“No shopping. Your clothes are falling out of your drawers as it is. If it’s too cold for ice cream, we’ll do coffee and bagels. Let’s go.”
As soon as the girls stood up, Ro’s mother, Jane Majors, came out of a second interview room with Griffen. He waved to the girls and the girls waved back. Laura eyed Jane—always dressed up like a lady who lunched. She wore dark slacks and a red sweater. Fashion suede boots hugged her feet. Several gold chains were draped around her neck, and two gold hoops adorned her earlobes. Laura had met Jane only briefly, when dropping off or picking up the girls.
Protectively, Jane linked her arm with Griffen’s. The boy was taller than her by several inches—around five eight. She was trying to steer him away from the girls, but Griffen broke away to talk to his friends. The blond, blue-eyed, shaggy-haired teen always appeared to have a sloppy ease about him that was alarmingly different from his mother. His decision to talk to the girls forced contact between the mothers.
“Hello, Jane,” Laura said.
“Laura,” Jane said.
“We’re going for coffee and bagels,” Lilly said. “Would you like to come with us?”
“Sure,” said Griffen.
Jane said, “Griffen, I have things to do at home.”
“So go home. I’ll come back with Haley and Lilly.”
“I’d prefer you come home with me.”
Laura said, “Another time, then.”
Griffen said, “No. Not another time. I want to go out with the girls.” When Jane stiffened, he said, “Mom, I’m fourteen. It’s coffee and bagels! Lotta guys my age are smoking pot and screwing girls.”
“Griffen!”
“Stop pretending I’m a kid. I’m in high school. And if I want to go out for coffee with my friends, you should say, ‘Of course, Griffen. Have a good time.’”
Laura said, “Maybe this isn’t the right time for this, Griff.”
“There’s never a right time,” Griffen protested. “Mom, I like Haley. I like Lilly. I also like Ben. Ro likes Ben. I know you don’t like Ben, but you should. He’s a good guy. A lot better than JD, whom you’re enamored with because he’s a football hero and brought you flowers at homecoming.”
“This is not appropriate, Griffen,” Laura said sternly.
Jane was red-faced, but she managed to keep some dignity. She held up her hand. With wet eyes, she said, “You’re right, Griff. You are old enough . . . to determine . . . if you want to go out for coffee or not.” A forced smile. “I’ll see you all later.”
Laura put her hand on Jane’s wrist. “Come with us. And don’t be embarrassed about Ben. He’s different. There are times I’m not too crazy about him myself.”
“I really do have things to do at home.”
“Okay.” Laura gave her a strained smile. “Another time.”
“Of course.” Jane’s eyes were still moist. “Laura, I never got a chance to tell you this. I never made the time . . . but I am . . . truly sorry about what happened to your daughter.”
“Thank you.” Laura’s eyes watered. “I appreciate your words.”
“I don’t know how you cope.” Tears rolled down Jane’s cheeks. “All the pitying looks—”
“Mom!” Griffen spat out. “Put a sock in it.”
“Doesn’t it drive you crazy?”
“Shut up, Mom!” Griffen told her.
Jane kept on: “The way they look at you like you did something wrong!”
Laura had stiffened, but kept calm. “You deal with everything one day at a time.”
Jane clutched her arm. Then the words just came tumbling out. “I lost my daughter, Laura.”
“Oh my!” Laura was taken aback. “Oh my goodness, you never said anything.” She drew her into an embrace. “I am so sorry, Jane!”
“Can . . . cer.” She was actively crying. “She was . . . sixteen.”
Dumbfounded, Haley gawked at Griffen, who simply shrugged. She said, “Why didn’t—”
Griffen shushed her and pointed to his mother, who was sobbing on Laura’s shoulder.
“Oh,” Haley said.
“Yeah.” Griffen rolled his eyes. “Oh.”
Lilly took them both aside. To Griffen she said, “I’m sorry. How long ago?”
“Almost three years ago. I was eleven.” Griffen folded his arms across his chest. “To her, I’m still eleven.”
Haley was dry-eyed. “I was eleven also.”
“I know.” Griffen looked down. “Haley, my mom swore us to secrecy.” He shuffled his feet. “I’d appreciate if you didn’t tell anyone else. I know my mom. After the confession, she’ll be all embarrassed.”
“I won’t say anything,” Haley said. A pause. “Does Ben know?”
“Yeah, Ro told him.”
“But you didn’t tell me.”
“It never came up and I didn’t see the need to talk about it.” He was irritated. “To tell you the truth, Mom is right about some things. I hate the pitying looks. I know I wouldn’t get them from you guys, but it’s nice to be just Griffen. A plain dude. Not Griffen with the dead sister.”
“Is that why you became friends with me? Because I had a dead sister?”
“No!”
Lilly said, “Guys, don’t fight.” She looked at the mothers. Laura and Jane were deep in conversation. “Why don’t we let them stay here and we’ll find a coffee shop or something.” A beat. “I’ll go tell them the plans.”
Haley looked at Griffen. “Ro tells Ben but you don’t tell me?”
“Ro is Ro and I’m me, and if you don’t like it, that’s just too bad.”