Chapter 4 - The Room They Needed
“Owen needs space,” Dana said.
I looked at the wall.
A square of blue painter’s tape marked where something would hang.
“What were you putting here?”
“A basketball hoop.
Just an indoor one.”
My graduation gown was still hanging on the closet door.
“You planned this before last night.”
Dana’s mouth tightened.
“You’re going to college.”
“In August.”
“It’s two months, Emma.”
Julie picked up Mom’s photograph and handed it to me.
“Where are the rest of her things?”
“In the closet,” Dana said.
“Nobody threw anything away.”
I opened the closet.
The top shelf was empty.
My mother’s brown leather camera case had always been there, beside a shoebox of birthday cards.
“Where’s her camera?”
Dana glanced toward the hallway.
“I don’t know.”
“You packed the room.”
“I moved some things.
Your father handled others.”
I checked the boxes.
Sweaters.
Old notebooks.
A broken desk lamp I had meant to donate.
No camera.
Dad came home while I was searching.
He stopped in the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
“Apparently, moving out.”
His eyes shifted to the boxes.
“Dana, I said we should wait.”
There was the answer.
Not stop.
Wait.
Julie stood between him and the bed.
“Let her pack.”
Dad looked at me.
“You have a room here.”
“Until you need it for a hoop?”
“That isn’t fair.”
I almost smiled.
Fair had become such an interesting word in our house.
When Owen got sick, schedules changed.
When he had a game, everyone attended.
When I needed something, there was always a reason to be reasonable.
I filled two suitcases.
At the bottom of my dresser, I found the envelope containing my college acceptance letter.
Briar State.
Partial scholarship.
Nursing program.
Mom had been a nurse.
Dad had cried when I got accepted.
Or at least his eyes had looked wet.
“I need the college account information,” I said.
His expression changed.
“Why?”
“My housing payment is due Monday.”
“We’ll handle it.”
“I want to see the balance.”
Dana stepped into the hall.
Dad watched her go.
Then he lowered his voice.
“Things have been a little tight.”
The suitcase handle slipped from my hand.
“How tight?”
May you like
He rubbed the back of his neck.
And before he answered, I knew there was something else they had taken.
