Shawn’s voice got hard. “My wife is a good
person, and I don’t want to hear anything about
her. I don’t need you to clean anymore.”
“And I don’t want to hear anything bad about
her, or you won’t have a job.”
I chewed over his words.
Maybe he didn’t hate me.
He was protecting me.
Shawn said some more mean things, and she
left.
I walked out and Shawn looked me in the eye.
He knew I heard everything.
He opened his mouth, and I said, “Thank you.”
He said, “If you know you are trouble, throw out
that gross pillow. Show me you mean it.”
I said, “No way! I can’t sleep without it.”
“It saved your life or something?”
I answered, “It’s the best one. What would I
hug?”
Shawn’s mouth curved up. “Is that right? So I’m
not as good?”
I whispered, “You’re not for touching.”
Shawn took a step closer, we were so close.
I could see myself in his eyes.
“What if I said my girlfriend was?”
I frowned, “What does that have to do with
me?”
Shawn stopped and tapped my forehead and said, “You go live with that pillow!”
What?
He turned around and went to his room.
I found some anti–itch cream in my hand.
11
A week later, I was right.
My mom showed up.
Moms know their daughters.
She decided Shawn was her son–in–law.
854
She wouldn’t wait for new year. She and my
<
dad came.
I was working all day and didn’t see the texts. I
saw a video of my parents with Shawn’s
parents.
I wanted to die.
I rushed home and saw that Shawn wasn’t
home yet. I paused.
I wanted to text him.
Then he showed up and asked, “Why are you outside?”
He put his hand on the lock.
I told him what happened and waited.
But he wasn’t mad or bothered. He seemed…
happy?
3:21
