Chapter 66

ELLIE

I didn't get why she had to be making that call there at that moment. It felt like the sound of her voice had suddenly brought a cloud over the beautiful sunny Saturday.

“You had the nerve to hang up on your mother the last time I called you…” she sounded deranged as she spoke hurriedly in a hushed tone that made her sound dangerous. “You just have five months and some days and I'll be back for you and your father…”

The thoughts of my childhood and those dark times of being stuck all alone with her at home came playing back in my head in full color. She was simply everywhere in my head.

“By the way, you have no idea just how much we would have to discuss when I'm finally out of here…” she said. “You just brace yourself for—”

Just like I did the last time, I hung up on her without thinking twice about it. I couldn't afford to have a breakdown when everyone was gearing up to have fun. I would be killing the energy of the whole outing and I didn't want to be guilty of that.

“You r