More evidence that the note was false.Because who in their right mind would leave their phone behind?
The paper trembled in Dad’s hands.
Soft crinkling filled the room as he balled it up in his fist.
Dad’s head bowed.
Did heactually believe Mom was gone?
I opened my mouth to say, “That’s not real. Mom didn’t write that,” only to once again choke and say, “That’s really high-quality paper!”
He barely noticed my odd behavior. My jaw dropped.
Sure, I like to share random facts in a normal situation, but not at a time like this. C’mon, Dad!
Staring down at the crumpled ball in his hand, he whispered, “I need a minute.”
He shuffled into the short hallway toward the bedroom across from the one I shared with my sisters, closing the door behind him with a sharp click.
I clenched my fists.
He finally believed that Mom was gone, but he had the details all wrong!
I stood there, blinking at the old fridge, barely seeing the photos, grocery list, and other items hanging from Mom’s exotic-bird magnets.
With half an idea forming, I grabbed the grocery list off the fridge and turned it over, searching for a pen.
I found one in the junk drawer. Dropping into a kitchen chair, I flipped the page over to write on the blank side:Mom was kidnapped!
I added three exclamation points.
There! It worked!
I jumped up, knocking the chair over in my hurry to rap on Dad’s bedroom door.
When Dad opened it, red-eyed, I held up my note.
“We need bananas and cereal,” he read out loud, then met my eyes, squinting. “Brynn...I’m sorry, but I can’t think about groceries right now.”
My lips parted.
As he closed the door in my face, I frowned and turned the paper over. Sure enough, it was a repeat of the grocery list on the front.
I gripped the pen.
Turning to brace the paper on the wall, I wrote the same thing again below the first line, moving the pen more carefully this time. I even went over the letters twice to be sure, then stared at it for a full ten seconds after that.
I glanced at Dad’s door, raising my knuckles to knock again, and then paused.
When I returned my eyes to the paper, the words had shifted again.
Bananas! Cereal! And chocolate!
My frown deepened.
I wasn’t stupid enough to try a third time. But just because I understood what was happening didn’t mean I actuallyunderstood what was happening! Because what in the name ofEthan and his stupid facewas going on?
Rubbing my eyes, I checked the paper one final time and groaned softly, letting it fall to the floor.
