Broken Glass (The Mirror Sisters 2)

“Don’t say it. You’re sorry.” After a pregnant pause, I asked, “Do you have to go to the movies?”

“Have to? I dunno, why?”

“I haven’t asked anyone over. It’s cruel to bring someone into this, I suppose.”

“Oh. No, I don’t think that’s cruel. Someone should be there with you. What about Rachel? I’m sure she’d want to spend time with you. I can drop her off at your house instead of taking her to the movie.”

“She’s more Kaylee’s friend than mine. She’d be depressing,” I said.

He was quiet.

“Well, enjoy the movie,” I said.

“Wait,” he said before I could hang up. “Let me see about it. I think I could take her to the movie another night.”

“Don’t disappoint her because of me.”

“She’ll understand, or she should,” he said firmly. “How about I come over now?”

“That would be very nice. We’ll hang out in my room. I’ll wait for you by the front door and take you right up so you don’t have to see my parents, especially my mother. You sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. Give me fifteen.”

“Okay. Thanks,” I said. “It’s sweet of you.”

I hung up. Anyone who saw the smile on my face would think I had won the lottery or something. Now to explain it to Daddy, I thought.

Mrs. Lofter had taken Mother back to her room, and he was finishing up in the kitchen. He was still wearing that silly apron. For a moment, I simply stood watching him. I wondered if he had a new girlfriend and wished he could be with her instead of playing good daddy and ex-husband here. He hadn’t lost his good looks since the divorce. If anything, whenever I saw him afterward, I thought he looked younger and more relaxed. He turned when he realized I was standing there.

“Hey,” he said, holding a dish.

“I should have helped you.”

“It’s okay. I haven’t had KP duty since my college days. You all right?”

“No. I can’t stop the trembling inside me,” I said, and ran to him. I threw my arms around him and pressed the side of my face against his chest.

He put the plate down and held me. “When bad things happen to people we love, we suffer almost as much ourselves,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve been abducted, too. Whatever happened to Kaylee happened to me. It was always that way, and vice versa.”

“I know.” He kissed my forehead.

“I can’t read. I can’t watch television. I don’t like talking to friends on the phone as much as Kaylee does.”

“I understand.”

I stepped back, wiping my eyes and taking deep breaths. “I have one friend. He’s not really a boyfriend. He’s just a nice boy, a good friend,” I said. “His name is Ryan Lockhart. He just called, and I broke down talking to him. He insisted on stopping by for a while, and I said it was all right. Is it?”

He thought a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, sure, Haylee. It’s too much to expect you just to sit around and wait for news. I know how nerve-racking it is. Probably be good for you to have a little distraction while we wait. Just don’t bring him around your mother. It’s not something he would understand, and . . .”

“I understand, Daddy. I’ll take him right to my room, and we’ll just stay there until he leaves.”

“Okay,” he said.

The phone rang, and he went to answer it. It was another of Mother’s friends. While he talked, I slipped out and waited by the front door. I could see anyone pull into our driveway through the multipane window. Not more than five minutes later, Ryan drove up. As soon as he got out of his car, I opened the front door and stood there waiting for him.

“Hey,” he said.