Heavenly Read Free Page A

have to continue."
    "So when are you going to stop?"
    Her eyes met mine; weary and hopeless. I hated that look. The Mom I remembered before Abria was diagnosed was
    lively, determined, strong, and never gave up. This Mom I'd seen gradually worn down, sanded away until only tissue paper
    remained.
    Abria was still standing on the chair. Her perky eyes looked off into nowhere as she muttered endless no-nonsense
    phrases.
    At that moment, I wanted to stuff her back into her seat. My fingers squeezed into fists. With Mom so obviously
    tense, I turned to leave before I did something I'd get in trouble for.
    "Where are you going?" Mom demanded.
    "I can't stay here anymore."
    "Well you can't walk out either," Mom snapped. She didn't want to be alone in her misery. "Set the table. Dinner's almost ready."

    I muttered curses under my breath and crossed the kitchen to the cabinets. Robotically, I pulled out a red and white
    tablecloth and laid it out. Abria, still standing on the chair, now stepped onto the table.
    "Get down!" I strode over, yanked her down and plunked her into the chair.
    I shot a glance over my shoulder at Mom, afraid she'd disapprove of my harsh treatment but she was wiping down the
    other counter. Her back remained turned.

    I didn't have dinner, too angry to eat. I couldn't wait to get out of the house and hang with Britt. We'd planned on
    driving around, blasting music and maybe picking up some hot guys if we came across any. Britt's parents didn't care if we
    brought kids back to their house to watch movies or raid their fridge.
    We never went to my house.
    I put on a short black skirt and tight white shirt. Mascara defined my green eyes. Blush and sparkly lip gloss colored
    my pale skin and lips to a soft, rosy hue. I left my dark hair long, a tempting flow around my shoulders, then I headed for the front door. Upstairs, I heard Mom's raised voice, "Time for bath, Abria."
    Abria shrieked. The sound of her running footsteps, followed by Mom's frantic pound of feet followed. "Stop running away from me!" Mom shouted. I went out the door.
    Two seconds later, the front door opened. I whirled around, ready to scream that I was not going to stay. Luke came
    jogging after me. He had on jeans, a tee shirt and a long sleeved striped shirt in blue and white that made his eyes bluer than afternoon sky. When he saw me dressed up, he slowed and sighed. "Man. So you're going out? I was hoping to use your car."
    I continued on. "Sorry, bud." "Can you drop me somewhere?"
    Sticking the key in the lock, I grinned at him. "What? Can´t take another moment of home sweet home?"
    Luke snorted and opened the passenger door. "Save me." I got in. "So, what have you got going on?"
    He slid in, shut the door and shrugged. "Nothing. Getting out of the house is my only plan." He buckled his seat belt and I started the engine.
    "I hear ya," I said, pulling onto the street. "Abria's been on one for days. I can't stand to be around her."
    He nodded, looking out the window at the houses we passed. Night blackened the sky. Lights from houses cast golden
    beams onto lawns and streets.
    "I don't know why Mom and Dad don't look into putting her in one of those special care places. Do you know how
    much easier that would make our lives? Not just Mom and Dad's but all of ours."
    Luke didn't say anything, just kept staring out the window and into darkness.
    "They take care of those kinds of people, you know?" I went on, my voice rising. "We're not equipped to take care of her.
    She's so out of control, breaking everything, crawling on everything, making holes in the walls, running away. You know, it
    isn't going to get any easier as she gets older. She's so strong now. Dad can barely control her when she has a spaz. Imagine what it will be like to have someone your size, or my size, throwing a fit in the mall or something." I crammed my hand into my hair and let out a groan.
    Luke kept his face averted. "Yeah."
    "I mean," I shifted gears, rewing faster