Star (Wildflowers 2)

"My momma ain't exactly an angel," I told her.

Her eyebrows lifted.

"What happened to her?"

"Why don't you give her a chance to tell it her

own way?" Misty asked Jade.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It just makes me. . .

mad." I widened my eyes.

"It doesn't exactly put joy in my heart either:' I

said.

Jade's lips stretched into a tight smile. Damned

if I didn't know whether I should hate her or like her. "Momma didn't realize Daddy was gone for

good that first night he walked out on us, of course.

She made us some supper and sat drinking her beer all

night and watching television. I put Rodney to bed.

He was groggy and tired from his ordeal, but he was

still in some pain. The paramedics had instructed us to

give him some Tylenol, which I did. I sang a little to

him and his eyes slowly closed.

"After he had fallen asleep, I went out and sat

with Momma and watched television awhile, hoping

Daddy would come home while I was still up, but he

didn't. Finally, exhausted myself, I went to sleep. "As soon as my eyes snapped open the next

morning, I hopped out of bed and looked in on

Momma and Daddy's bedroom, expecting to see his

long, lanky body stretched over the comforter, his arm

dangling over the side as usual. He usually ended up

on the cover instead of under it.

"Momma had fallen asleep with her clothes still

on and was spread-eagle, alone, breathing through her

mouth and looking like she had been put into a trance.