Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

wondered,

"Take it easy," I said.

He shoved on his shoes and zipped up his pants.

"I'd better go." he said. hurrying. "I'll see you

tomorrow morning."

He opened the bedroom door and started for the

front, practically charging out of the motor home. "Tyler!" I called to him.

He paused in the dark. "Yes?"

"You could at least say goodnight before you

run out of here."

"Oh. Right. Sorry. Good night," he offered,

glanced at Destiny. and left.

I blew out the candle.

I was suddenly more comfortable in total

darkness.

9 Dream Catcher

. I delayed returning to the house. Despite what I had told Tyler about not caring what Rhona and Skeeter thought, I wanted to avoid them and their gleeful dirty smiles for as long as possible. What I didn't anticipate, however, was their eagerness to tell

Mrs. Westington what they had just seen. She was still up and waiting for them in the living room. I imagined to bawl them out for not calling or letting her la-low what they were doing. But if that was what she wanted to do, she never got the chance to voice her complaint, or if she began, Rhona quickly interrupted and used me to change the subject.

When I finally walked in. Mrs. Westington was still seated in her chair. They had gone up to bed. She raised her eyes and turned to me. It took only one look at her face to see and understand what they had done.

"Did Rhona tell me the truth just now? Were you with Tyler Monahan over at your uncle's motor home tonight?"

"Yes." I said, my eyes down. "Was it a coincidence or did you and he plan to meet there?"

"We planned it," I said.

"I see. Well, you both have a right to do what

you want," she said. "As far as I knew, you were going over there to organize your things. I knew nothing about Tyler and Rhona was happy to see the surprise on my face. I just don't like it looking like something dirty or sneaky."

I felt so terrible adding to the weight of her troubles and worries.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to be either. Tyler was more concerned about anyone knowing than I was," I added, and immediately felt like a tattletale trying to let herself out of trouble by blaming most of it on someone who was with her at the time.

"Uh-huh. Knowing his mother, that doesn't surprise me." she said. She sighed deeply and stood. "I was hoping there would be trust between us."

"There is. I'm sorry." I said, this time nearly shedding tears.

"Rhona just loves jumping all over something like this, not that she has a right to poke an accusing finger at anyone else ever. You just can't give her the opportunity. She was always like that, eager to point to someone else's weaknesses or troubles as a way of diminishing her own. I didn't bring her up that way. She inherited it from some ancestor who was probably hanged as a witch in Salem or more probably one of those who hanged poor women who were accused. I was never like most mothers. lying to herself about her own child. Never trust her, no matter what she tells you. April.'

"I know."