“Do you think he will ever speak?” I ask. I look at her, then my gaze drops back to my hands.
“All the specialists we visited gave us different answers.” She sighs. She pulls a small metal square purse from her bag and flips it open, sliding out a cigarette. “Do you smoke?”
I shake my head.
“Good,” she says. “It’s not good to smoke.” She pauses before pressing it to her lips.
“I always told Judas to be himself, and I’ll tell you the same thing. Life is hard.” Another sigh. “And when it gives you an opportunity, you take it. William is an old grump.” She chuckles softly. “But I’ll always be a cool mom if you need to talk to me.”
She winks. “No secrets.”
No secrets.
“I’m going out for a smoke,” she says. “Are you coming?”
“I’m going to my room,” I say, standing.
“Okay.” She stands too.
“Thanks, Cat,” I say. “You seem like a really good mom to Judas.”
Her left eye shines as a tear comes.
“It means a lot.” She smiles.
This time it isn’t wide or stretched. Just a small smile, tucked into the corner of her lips.
I smile back and turn away, heading down the corridor until I reach the middle staircase. That’s when I noticed Judas standing in front of my bedroom door.
As I get closer, he lifts his hand, fingers moving as he tries to sign something.
I don’t understand.
I’ve never felt sorry for not knowing something before, but right now I want more than anything to hear what he has to say.
He rolls his eyes. Then he extends his hand toward me, holding a black phone in his palm.
“A phone?” I ask.
He nods.
I take it and open the screen. It’s one of the new iPhone models I once only dreamed of having, but now it feels like a brick in my hands. There’s already a message waiting in the notifications below.
“Is this from you?” I ask.
He nods again.
I open the message. On the screen, in bold letters, a contact labeledBIG BROreads,
You are such a bitch.
I laugh. I look at him, blink, then look back at the screen.
“Wow,” I say, chuckling. “You can write?” I brush past him. “Thanks for the phone,asshole.”
He nods, lifts two fingers in the air towards me, then disappears into his room. The door slams shut behind him.
Another message pops up.
