I stare down at the mess. She’s got the typical things we carry in our bags, lip gloss, nail file, receipts, and money. A lot of money. Twenties and tens. If I had to guess, I’d say she had several hundred dollars floating around in her purse.
“Amber, where…?” I start to ask. But she’s on her hands and knees grabbing at every item on the floor, stuffing them back into her purse.
“None of your fucking business,Emma,” she snarls.
Standing, she reaches for the door and steps out onto his front stoop. We follow her. I keep my mouth shut because, she’s right, she’s an adult now. There’s nothing I can do to stop her. The three of us stare at one another for a beat. I figured if I said nothing more, Amber would take the three steps down to the sidewalk and be on her way. Instead, she looks at Eli and asks, “Can I use your bathroom?”
We both stare at her.
“Hello?” Amber waves her hand in front of both our faces. “I’m going to pee my pants.” Neither of us speaks. “Jesus.” She crosses her legs over one another and bounces up and down like she’s holding it in. “You’re not going to let me leave like this? You can’t be that big of an asshole.”
“Fine.” Eli sighs as he points back into the house. Take a right. First door on your left.”
“Great,” she chirps. “Be right back.”
After she reenters the house, Eli wraps his arm around me. “It’s gonna be okay, babe.”
“I don’t think so. I have a feeling I’m going to get a call in the middle of the night.”
“All set.” Amber steps back out onto the stoop. She’s got a huge smile on her face. I’m immediately suspicious because there’s no way she used the bathroom that fast.
“Hang on a second, Amber.” I attempt to smile sweetly at her. I need her to stay put for a minute or two. “I want to give you something.”
