Dwelling Places Read Free Page A

stressed. She isn’t sure she can have both things at the same time, in the same house.
    During the past two weeks, home has been calmer in some ways than it was when Dad was here. A lot of tension has left Mom’s face, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy. Not having to worry so much about Dad has been good for her. She hasn’t seemed as angry. She’s repainted the downstairs bathroom and rearranged the outdoor potted plants in the spare bedroom, where they will catch the best light during the winter.
    When Kenzie opens the kitchen door, heat and the aromas of ham and pecan pie surround her. Mom is coming in from the dining room. “Hey, can you finish setting the table?” She looks happy and scared.She’s wearing brown corduroys that match her hair and eyes, and a fluffy sort of tan turtleneck. Now that her hair is growing longer, nearly to her shoulders, she’s begun to pull it back with combs. Kenzie’s happy to see Mom looking dressed up, ready for something special. “I took the plates in already. Get the silverware and glasses.” Mom turns to the sink and picks up the vegetable peeler.
    â€œOkay.” Kenzie brushes by and pats her on the shoulder. Mom doesn’t know this, but each time Kenzie pats her like this, she says a prayer for her. It’s usually short, like, Jesus, bless Mom, but she tries to do it a few times every day.
    â€œWhere’s your brother?”
    â€œDon’t know.”
    Mom rips the skin off a carrot and says in a low voice, “Well, he’ll be here or he won’t, I guess.”
    â€œHe’ll be here. He just likes to make everybody wonder. It’s part of being dramatic or something.” Kenzie finishes with the silverware and glasses and goes upstairs to change. There’s a little time left, so she writes in her journal for a few minutes. Thinking about Young Taylor has brought on the urge to do that.
    Â 
    Dear Jesus,
    Last night was so awful. I tried to say the right things, but it fell apart anyway. Mom and Young Taylor and I were eating supper together, and Mom said that Dad would get to come home tonight, and she and Grandma were going to cook a nice meal to welcome him, and she wanted us to both be home early. She’d talked to Dad that afternoon, and he couldn’t wait to see us.
    Then Young Taylor has to ask if Dad would be taking medicine, and Mom says yes, for a while. And all I say is, that’s normal for somebody who’s been depressed. And Young Taylor gets snotty about it, asking how would I know, and I told him that Denise Lowell’s mom went to the hospital for depression, and she was on medicine afterwards. Young Taylor’s sitting there with his head down, so we can’t see his eyes behind his bangs.He’s dyed his hair this really dark black, which looks lame, but Mom doesn’t say anything about it. Young Taylor acts like he knows everything and the rest of us are stupid, and I shouldn’t let it get to me but it does.
    Then Mom says that the doctors think Dad’s well enough to come home, but we can’t expect everything to just go back to normal right away. She’s not looking at me or Young Taylor—it’s like she doesn’t want us to argue with her.
    And then Young Taylor says, “I hope we’re not going back to normal.” Does he say things like that just to hurt Mom? I wished Mom would get after him for talking like that, but she doesn’t say anything. Young Taylor just sits there, not looking at us. He’s wearing black boots with silver studs all over them. And tight black jeans and a black shirt with a black velvet vest. Who’s he trying to impress? Does he know how ridiculous he looks hanging out at school by the bus barn with Lydia and Kyle, their little Goth trio trying to look too cool for the universe? Kids are saying that Lydia does it with every old divorced guy in town, and Kyle is so weird that even the