Twisted Roots (DeBeers 3)

"What are you doing?" he shouted. I saw Heyden a few feet behind him.

"Your mother is beside herself with worry. Thatcher called hours ago and told us you had run out of his house. We called the Palm Beach police and they've been scouring the highways and streets searching for you. Couldn't you have had the decency to call home. Hannah? Haw could you do such a thing to us? And now, with all that's happening? How could you do this!"

"I fell asleep. I didn't mean--"

"Just get up and get into the car, Hannah. Now!" Miguel screamed at me.

I hurried out of the bedroom, pausing by Heyden. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't want to wake you. I knew you were exhausted and--"

"Hannah, get out." Miguel ordered. He turned to Heyden. "As for you, young man, I wouldn't advise you to call our home or encourage Hannah to come to your house. understand?"

"It's not his fault, Miguel!" I cried.

He burned his eyes into me and turned me around forcefully, his fingers like pincers in my shoulders.

"Out," he said, marching behind me, poking me to get me to move faster. His storm of rage was so fierce. I was afraid to defy him.

As we stepped out of the house. I tried to look back at Heyden, but Miguel shut the door behind us quickly.

"Get in the car!" he screamed. "Now!"

Moments later we were on our way back to Joya del Mar. Miguel's fury steaming the air between us. How could this night have turned so terrible? I never hated my twin half brothers more. but I never hated my life as much, either.

8

&

nbsp; Leaving Home

.

For the rest of my life, no matter what I do, no

matter how much or how hard I pursue any career or occupy my mind and my body with activities. I shall never forget nor diminish the memory of the events that followed when Miguel and I returned to Joya Del Mar. Every little detail: where people were standing, what lights were on, what was said, and how each and every person there reacted to what was said, all of it is embedded in the blackest wall of my mind, each image rough and bright like some uncut but jagged diamond sparkling gleefully. Guilt would be forever an invisible necklace of thorns around my neck, tightening whenever the flood of these memories came rushing over me.

On the ride home from Heyden's house. Miguel calmed down enough to listen to my story. I told him the terrible things the twins had said and done.

"Why didn't you just call me then?" he asked. "I would have come to get you."

"I didn't want to add any more trouble and worry to what Mommy already had."

"So you ran off and then went to this boy's home without calling us?" He shook his head. "I just don't understand you,

Hannah. I thought you were a great deal brighter than that. You've never disappointed us like this. I am afraid we have overestimated not only your intelligence, but your common sense. What were you thinking?"

"I thought I would rest up and come home and no one would be the less for it. Miguel. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just didn't realize how exhausted I was mentally and physically. I didn't mean to cause all these problems." I moaned and began to cry again

"All right, all right. There's no need to cry about it now, Hannah. I want to end this turmoil tonight as quickly as we can and let everyone get some very needed rest."

I ground the tears out of my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Why did they say such terrible things and do such terrible things? Daddy would never have said anything like that," I added.

Miguel was quiet. "Well, would he?"

"You have to understand. Hannah, that when your mother and your father divorced, it was not a pleasant situation. I do not want to turn you against your father, and you cannot say I have ever said anything negative to you about him."