9

The lying got easier. And taking care of the house by herself wasn’t difficult. She conserved propane by rarely using heat. She wore layers of clothing and turned on the furnace only if she was afraid the pipes might freeze. She was careful not to use the food in the big freezer. She often ate out with Jackie after school, and a few times she had him take her to the grocery store to get perishables. The credit card Mama had given her continued working.

She went to school every day, did her homework, got good grades. She went out with Jackie and their friends as often as she had before. She made sure there was no reason to suspect anything in her life had changed.

At the beginning of spring break, the water stopped working inside the house. Something was wrong with the well pump. That had happened before, but Raven couldn’t remember what repair was needed. She knew how to do many repairs—clogged sink pipes, jammed kitchen disposal, leaky toilet tanks—but this was beyond what she knew.

Though she knew which plumber Mama used, she wasn’t sure if he fixed wells. And she had no phone now that Mama wasn’t there. Mama believed phones were strictly utilitarian devices. She had used hers only to order groceries or call repair services. Her phone was always locked, and Raven didn’t know the code.

She would have to ask Jackie to call the plumber. He was coming to the gate with Huck and Reece to pick her up for lunch. Huck’s spring break from the university coincided with their high school break, and Reece had his day off from work.

She dressed without a shower. She made tea and brushed her teeth with emergency bottled water Mama kept in the pantry.

She thought about how she would explain needing Jackie’s phone as she walked down to the gate.

The boys arrived a little late. Reece hung out his window as the car slowed. “Need a ride, babe?” he asked.

Raven messed his hair with her fingers.

“Hey, I worked on that for an hour!”

She sat in back with Jackie. As Huck started down the road, she asked, “Do any of you know who to call when a well pump isn’t working?”

“What’s wrong with it?” Reece asked.

“I don’t know. All I know is I had no water to take a shower.”

“Is that what I smell?” Huck said.

“I thought we’d driven over a steaming sewer,” Reece said.

Jackie kissed her cheek. “You smell great.”

“Doesn’t your mom know who to call?” Reece asked.

“She’s not here.”

They all shot surprised stares her way.

“Where is she?” Jackie asked.

“She went to be with my aunt for a little while.”

“Where is that?”

“Chicago.”

“She left you here alone?” Reece said.

“I’m old enough.”

The car went silent. Jackie looked in her eyes, his gaze searching. He’d promised he wouldn’t tell anyone her mother was sick. And with Huck and Reece there, he couldn’t ask how her mother had gone on a trip when she was so ill.

“Did you tell her the pump is broken?” Reece asked.

“I can’t. She’s getting medical treatment.”

Jackie couldn’t hold in his question. “She went to a doctor?”

“I finally convinced her. She called my aunt, and my aunt knew of a good doctor in Chicago.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Huck asked.

“We’re still not sure. She’s getting tests.”

“That’s great!” Jackie said.

“I know,” she said.

“Why didn’t you go with her?” Reece asked.

“Because of school. She left before spring break.”

“You’ve been living alone?” Jackie said. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You know why. My mother doesn’t like me to talk about our personal matters.”

She was proud of the story. It was believable. But lying to the people she loved hurt.

She told herself it wasn’t such a bad lie. Mama was getting healed. Raven had to believe she was. With all her heart and soul. That was the only way she could bear the pain of Mama’s absence.

“Turn around,” Reece said to Huck.

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to look at the pump.”

“You know about wells?” Raven asked.

“Reece knows how to fix anything,” Jackie said.

“Except my mother,” Reece said.

Raven understood him so much better now. The pain of watching your only parent struggle with illness when you were powerless to help.

Huck turned the car around. “Will it be okay for us to go on your property?” he asked. “Won’t your mother be angry when she comes back and sees that on video?”

“I think it will be okay,” she said.

She pressed the code to open the gate, and Huck pulled the car through.

“I don’t believe this. I’ve entered the Forbidden Kingdom,” Reece said.

The log house came into view.

“What an awesome house!” Reece said. “Can we see inside?”

She unlocked the door and let them in. She’d turned off the alarms when she left.