Heart Like Mine A Novel - By Amy Hatvany Page 0,104
that’s why they wanted nothing to do with her? That would totally make sense. They’re super religious, right?”
“Right,” I said slowly. “But why would they send her there in the first place?”
“Maybe it was like our school, small and private with good teachers, and they just wanted her to have the best education. Isn’t that what your grandma said? And then she met a girl and like, experimented with her, and that was the end of it for her and her parents. Like they couldn’t deal with it or something.”
I nodded, my thoughts racing, unable to process what this all meant. “But she loved my dad. I know she did. How could she be in love with a girl and then get married and have kids with him?”
Bree shrugged and we started walking again, turning the corner that led to my old house. “Maybe that’s part of why they got divorced? And why she was looking at private investigators after your dad left. She could’ve been trying to find the person she wrote that note about.”
“It’s possible, I guess.” We approached the house, and a weird feeling began to form in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t like thinking about Mama this way. I wanted to remember her as I knew her. I wondered if maybe I shouldn’t have been trying to find out about her past at all.
“What else could it be?” Bree said. “I mean, what else would make her parents flip out like that and totally disown her? It had to be something big, right? Her being a lesbian is pretty big.”
“My mom was so not a lesbian!” I said with more force than I’d intended.
Bree’s shoulders curled as she looked away from me. “God, sorry.”
I sighed again and reached out to touch her hand. “No, I’m sorry. I just . . .” I paused, struggling with how to verbalize everything that was spinning inside my head. “It’s just that we don’t know for sure that’s what happened.” She nodded, and we walked up the front steps. I put my key in the lock when suddenly, the sound of my name stopped me from turning it.
“Ava?” It was Diane. Shit. I hadn’t thought about her being home. Bree grabbed my arm again and squeezed as Mama’s friend made her way across the lawn and to the front porch.
“Hey, Diane,” I said with a big smile, hoping if I acted like my being there was totally normal, she wouldn’t tell my dad.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at us. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at school?”
“It’s a half day,” I lied, which, apparently, I was getting good at doing. “Teacher’s conferences or something like that.” I tilted my head toward Bree. “We’re just picking up some of my stuff.”
Diane gave me a strange look. “I thought Grace and your dad had already done that.”
“Most of it,” I said. “But they forgot a few things. My mom’s things, actually. I sort of want to have more of them with me, you know?”
“Of course,” Diane said, pushing back her frizzy brown hair from her face. Bree’s grip lessened on my arm. “Do you need some help? I could drive you home.”
“It’s not much, really. Thanks, Diane. I appreciate it.” I turned toward the door, hoping she’d take the hint and leave us alone, but she spoke again.
“So . . . are things okay at home? Have your dad and Grace set a date for the wedding?” she asked, and everything inside me went cold. Diane went on. “I know your mom was pretty upset about the engagement when she found out, but I think she would have eventually come around, don’t you?”
Bree dug her fingers into my arm so deeply I was sure she’d leave a bruise. Dad and Grace were engaged? And Mama knew about it? I took a deep breath and lied to Diane again. “Sure. It’s fine. They haven’t set a date.” My voice felt brittle enough to snap in two. I gave Diane a smile. “We should probably hurry up. Grace is expecting me back soon.”
“Okay,” Diane said with a short wave. “I’ll leave you to it. Nice to see you, honey. I’ve missed having you next door.”
“Nice to see you, too,” I said, and finally, Bree and I were able to slip inside the house. I reached for the light switch, but when I flipped it, nothing happened. My dad must have had the power turned