Page 11 of Don’t Open Your Eyes

“Morning, Mommy,” Olivia replied, giving her a big smile. Scarlett mumbled a hello without looking up from her phone.

Annabelle arched an eyebrow, turning to James. “I’m not going to take it.”

His eyes widened. “Oh, okay. What made you decide?”

She gave a slight nod of her head in the direction of Scarlett and Olivia. “I don’t want to be traveling so much right now.”

He smiled. “Can’t say I’m not glad. I kinda like having you around.”

“That’s nice to hear,” she said. She clapped her hands. “All right, kiddos. Time to get going.”

“You didn’t eat anything,” James said.

“I’ll grab something at the office later. Not hungry.”

He handed her a banana. “At least have this. You know your blood pressure gets low if you wait too long to eat.”

“Yes, Doctor. Go see your actual patients.”

He didn’t move, still looking at her.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Annabelle peeled it and took a bite. “Happy?”

“Good girl.” He kissed her on the top of her head and left.

She gave the rest of the banana to Parker. Good girl. What, was she a dog?

On the way to school, Scarlett took her AirPods off and turned to her mom. “Oh, by the way, I’m going to the mall after school with my friends.”

“Okay. How are you getting there? Is Zoe’s mom picking you up?”

“Zoe and I aren’t friends anymore.”

This was news to Annabelle, but she flashed back to her dream. Had Scarlett told her, and she’d forgotten? “Since when?”

“Since she stole my crush and turned our friends against me.”

“Who’s your crush?” Olivia piped up from the back seat.

“None of your business,” Scarlett said.

“Who cares anyway,” her sister shot back.

Annabelle pulled up to a stoplight and turned to look at her. “Honey, I’m so sorry. You two were always so close. Why didn’t you tell me?” She put a hand on Scarlett’s arm, but she pulled away.

“It’s no big deal. I’m hanging out with some other girls now.”

Zoe’s mom and Annabelle had always been friendly, if not close. They all belonged to the same yacht club, and the girls had taken sailing lessons together every summer for the past eight years.

“If you want to talk—”

“I’m good.”

Annabelle pulled up to the school, her stomach now in knots.

“Love you girls. Have a good day.”

She thought about her dream again. Who were these new friends? Was Scarlett getting in with the wrong crowd? She would talk to her about it tonight. One of the reasons she had decided to send the girls to the public school was so that they’d form friendships with others close by. The schools were terrific, and most of their friends sent their kids there as well. But James’s parents, Charlotte and Art, had been disappointed when they’d learned that she and James weren’t sending them to St. Luke’s, the school James had attended. But the public schools in Bayport were some of the highest rated in the country. It was the one thing Annabelle had been firm about. There was no way they were going to spend in excess of a hundred thousand a year for middle and high school, when their schools were so good. But it wasn’t only about the money. Annabelle wanted them to have friends in their own community. It was one of the few times she’d argued with James’s mother. His parents had offered to pay for the girls. The four of them had been out to dinner, and Annabelle could see that James was wavering.