Something She's Not Telling Us - Darcey Bell Page 0,69

his memory—and his business. And I hated how Charlotte treated him, like a total loser.

The driver confirmed Charlotte’s worst impression of me. She hates the fact that Daisy thinks I’m fun. It isn’t fair that Daisy belongs to Charlotte just because she gave birth to her.

I see Daisy. I see her more clearly than her parents do. And I know I’m the only one who can really help her become the amazing little person she could become. Daisy’s life would be so much better if she were my daughter.

I’m the only one who knows the truth about Charlotte. Maybe I shouldn’t have hinted that I know. Charlotte really hates me now.

When I saw how Charlotte reacted to that creepy mask, I saw what her mother didn’t like about her. Which also meant that I saw her. I knew what Charlotte’s mother wanted her to be. I knew what her mother wanted. And I knew what I had to do.

I told Rocco we’d split the cost.

I spent so long trying to get a break from the old man in the antiques shop that I was late for the party. Which was a huge mistake. I put the mask on Rocco’s card. We’d work the details out later.

I was stressed by the time I got to his mom’s. The party was going full blast. I found my boyfriend deep—deep—in conversation with the hottest woman there. That was my reward after all I’d gone through, all that bargaining, turning on all my charm, pretending I didn’t understand when the pervy antiques-store guy said he’d half the price if I blew him in the back of the shop.

The old freak! I was trembling when I left the store, but I had the mask under my arm.

When I saw Rocco talking to that woman, I didn’t trust myself. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I counted backwards from ten. I told myself: Nothing is going to happen between Rocco and a woman in Oaxaca. Neither of them is going anywhere. She isn’t a threat. She’s no one—nothing—I have to worry about. Or do anything about.

Or is she?

I could tell that Rocco’s mom loved the mask. But she wouldn’t keep it, not if it came from me.

I saved their asses with the mariachis, and I saved their asses again when I found Daisy’s inhaler. In the meantime, our dance made Daisy the happiest she’d been since she got to Mexico.

Did any of them thank me? Quite the opposite.

By the time we went to bed, Rocco wouldn’t look at me. I assumed he was angry at me for interrupting his intimate chat with his mom’s friend. Or maybe he blamed me for that awkwardness with the driver, which wasn’t my fault.

It really wasn’t my fault.

Rocco was in the shower when the driver texted me.

Any normal person would have gotten suspicious when the driver texted (in bad English) that he was sorry. He’d lied about the money. He wanted to return it. Would I meet him in the park?

Any normal person would have assumed he meant to rob me or worse. So maybe I’m not normal. Stupid me, always wanting to think the best of people. I believed that he meant what he said. Because it was true: He did lie. He should return the money.

Besides, I needed cash. If the driver returned what he’d squeezed out of Rocco, I could repay Rocco for half the price of the mask. Also it was a good excuse for a walk. A reason to get out of the house. I couldn’t sleep. When I closed my eyes, I saw Charlotte’s face—her jealousy and rage—when she watched me dance with Daisy. Poor Charlotte! Imagine how it feels to realize that your daughter is having more fun with someone else than she ever has with you.

I told Rocco I’d gotten my period early. I had to go get tampons. He asked if it couldn’t wait.

I said, “Not unless you want your mom’s bed looking like a crime scene.”

He offered to come with me, but I said I wanted to be alone, and besides, he didn’t mean it. It wasn’t very gentlemanly, but he wanted some alone time. Sure. I understood. The party had been stressful.

The driver was waiting by the Porfirio Díaz statue, just where he said he would be. He gave me back the money from Rocco. He said he was sorry.

I said, “Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” which wasn’t true. It wasn’t nothing. I was glad to have