didn't hear Rhona. Skeeter. and Echo return. I knew
Mrs. Westinaton was probably growing, more and
more agitated. I hadn't heard her come up to bed
either. so I went downstairs and found her dozing in
her chair in the living room with the television set on
but the audio almost too low to hear. The moment I
entered, her eyes snapped open.
"Are they back?"
"No, not yet." I said. She looked at the clock. It
was close to eleven.
"Where could they have taken that child this
late?"
I had no answer, but I saw she wasn't about to
get up and go to sleep, so I sat on the sofa.
"You don't have to wait up with me. April." "It's all right. I won't fall asleep knowing you're
down here worried."
"If my daughter had one ounce of your
decency, I wouldn't be worried."
I wondered if I should reveal what Tyler had
told me about his having to stop tutoring Echo very
soon. It seemed like a flood of bad news. Maybe wait
a little longer. I thought. Maybe he would change his
mind anyway.
I gazed at the television.
"You can make that louder or change the
channel if you want. Half the time I fall asleep
watching it. My eyes get tired and most of what I see
seems silly."
I reached for the remote just as the headlights
of the van ran a ray of light over the walls. We both