He’s hugging only me, I thought. Haylee’s not going to be hugged.
She had gotten what she wanted after all.
We were completely apart.
Two days later, after he had gotten me a wig to wear, so similar to my real hair that no one could tell the difference, Daddy took me to see Mother. She was sitting in her room at the clinic, looking out the window. It was a very nice room, with flowery wallpaper. She was wearing a familiar housecoat she had worn when she was doing housework, and her hair looked like it had just been brushed and pinned.
“Hi, Mother,” I said, and she turned to me. She stared at me for longer than I expected.
Daddy was at my side.
My first thought was, She’s not sure who I am. Mother is not sure. She never made a mistake when it came to who we were. I especially wanted her to know who I was now.
I held my breath.
She smiled. “Kaylee,” she said. She held out her arms, and I started for her.
Then she suddenly dropped them, her smile evaporating. “Haylee,” she said, shaking her head.
I looked at Daddy and then turned back to her.
“She was bad. She’s in the pantry,” she said.