The Truth She Knew Read Free Page B

night, but I never gave him my phone number.”
    “ Well, how in the hell did he get it then, Lacey? You’re lying—it’s written all over your face.”
    “ No, Mama, I swear I just met him last night. Maybe Joss gave it to him.”
    “ Tell me who he is and who gave him the number if it wasn’t you. Your friends know not to hand out your information, and they don’t call after nine . ”
    “ Mama, I’m sorry. I’ll find out and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
    “ Yes, you will. I pay for an unlisted phone number, and that means I don’t want it given to other people.”
    I got up from the table, rinsed my bowl, and loaded it into the dishwasher.
    “ I need to get ready for work.”
    “ No, I’m not finished yet. Come sit down.”
    I winced and grabbed the blanket off the back of the chair. I might as well get as comfortable as possible; this was going to hurt.
    “ Are you lying to me about going to work today?”
    “ What? No.” I tried to remain calm, but my heart knocked against my chest, and my head began a throb in rhythm with it.
    “ Where did you meet Walker?”
    “ At Joss’s last night. Her brother invited friends over and he introduced himself.”
    Her eyes narrowed as she searched my face. I had nothing to hide, but I’d been defending my interest in boys since the age of thirteen. I’d been a late bloomer, and when I had my first kiss I told Mama about it. She screamed at me for an hour. She called me a slut and a whore. By the time she finished, I had promised myself never to share those first moments with her again. I took the piece of me that wanted a good relationship with her, locked it, and buried the key.
    Mama turned to Patsy. “What do you think, Patsy? Do you think she’s lying?”
    I turned to Patsy and mentally reminded her that she owed me for last night. I didn’t have to come home and help diffuse the situation. I could have made up a story about a flat tire and left Patsy to fend for herself.
    Patsy glanced at me briefly as fear flickered across her face.
    “ No, I think she’s telling the truth, Lynn,” she said. Her body tensed up as the words left her mouth.
    We both waited in silence for Mama’s reaction.
    “ Lacey, you’re not trustworthy enough to date boys. You’ve been boy crazy since you were in kindergarten and have made horrible choices since you were thirteen. I thought, after all this time of praying for you, it might help, but there’s something deeper here. I’ve been praying more, and God has shown me you are possessed by a demon. It’s a demon of lust, and it draws you to these boys who just want to sleep with you. Then, you give out our phone number to anyone who pays any attention to you. You don’t show any regard for me, Patsy, or even yourself. I’ve told you before, and I guess I’ll say it again to get it through your thick head. You don’t give out my telephone number unless you ask my permission first. I’ve told you that over and over again. Yet, here you are giving it to some boy you met for five seconds.”
    “ Mama, I didn’t give it to him,” I snapped.
    I sank back in the chair realizing that my frustration had gotten the better of me.
    “ Shut up, you filthy demon! You won’t take my daughter!” Mama spat.
    Silence spread through the air like a bad disease and Mama glared at me. I didn’t dare utter another word. I’d said too much already.
    Fear flowed through me, and I tried to ignore the small voice inside my head telling me she was right again. A heaviness settled inside my chest as I realized she was telling the truth. I had made some wrong choices with guys. I didn’t know why I liked the bad boys, but I did. I tried to hide it, but she always found out. I was tired of screwing up and I was sick of hurting Mama. My eyes filled with tears.
    “ Mama,” my voice came out as a whisper. “I’m sorry. I don’t want a demon. I’ll keep praying and change.”
    “ That’s what you always say, Lacey, but