e

of the mountain road like s

noon sun. A fountain in the middle of a driveway so long

my new blouse

em that morning with my emergency credit card, the one I had promised myself I would never touch.

now, I needed this job more th

saw t

ers and résumés. Twenty, maybe thirty of them. Some looked fr

bled out with her hand pressed over her mouth. Her mascara

" I whispered to the wom

tired look.

mach t

bad. How bad can

the thirty days, now twenty-eight

stood with a clipboard, her gray hair pulled int

am

a Mon

nger down the

pressed into a thin line. It was the same look the pri

he said coolly.

de and walked into

d every seat was taken. I found a spot near the window and

n. I'm patient.

unded down t

necklace rushed past, her

"A little devil! I've raised four children of

oor slammed

d. One by one, the women gathered their bags and

A child. The emp

loudest, angriest kids there had always been the loneliest ones. A l

n't l

wai

arpet orange. My eyes grew heavy. I had barely slept since t

'd close my eyes

s Mo

hook my

ing. The room was dark except

me, her face stiff

ell as

rambled to my feet.

e any more candidates." She crosse

dn't. Not afte

"Just five minutes

man here

cked. "I need this job. And I'm goo

g moment. Something in her

t last. "But you'r

a long, quiet hallway, then stop

breath and s

s and blocks and a pink playhouse. At the far end st

o meet anyone else!" a sma

rward slowl

ir spun

round cheeks, and the brightest blue eyes I had

traight at me, fists up, shri

dn't

p back. I simply crouched d

d to a sto

softly, brushing a curl away from

ed. Closed. He

chasing everyon

lips trembling. "Becau

ia

acked. "They want his money. They only pretend

rt squ

at. But I knew exactly where that sound cam

p in an orphanage. Nobody ever picked me.

widened.

all

a long moment, then n

ing to stea

e. I'm not here for your daddy,

le

ehind us. "Miss El

ant

tightly. She said it so loudly

repeated, grinning

the first time that day, the w

t door open and stared at me li

th years of experience. None of them

ound something w

thought I caught the t

omorrow morning. You'll sign you

hesitated. "Could you te

til you

shut in

e a fool, my heart racing. A real

ea who her

find out s