BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Shadows Of A Perfect Life

e’s

up earlier from Brown Bag Bakery were still slightly warm. The butter was organic and local, from grass-fed cows. All the sorts of things I would’ve thought she’d appreciate. The kitchen floor had black and white tiles and glass door cabinets with little panes that mad

“It’s so quiet. What on earth are yo

ve been managing

ust wait until the newness wears off—then you’ll be crying to move back to the city, where, you know, life is actually happening. Are there any

in a rural area like this, where the trees outnumbered both the people and the buildings, but so far, I li

rgrown garden in the back that I’d been thinking about maybe doing something with. I just liked the fact that I had a yard, even if it meant a lawn that I would have to mow.

l. It had gotten worse over the years, though my mother was somehow blind to it all. How was that possible? The few times I had tried to talk to her about it, she had gotten irrationally angry and said that I was jealous and ungrateful. That Bill had provided for us ove

were alone (which I tried to make sure never happened), that wounded look would change to someth

is place wears off, you’ll be—” She stopped and straight

part of town weren’t right on top of each other, but they were cl

s one of my nei

quinting. “He’s very handsom

N

asn’t come over to

pretty busy. H

r to live anywhere but in a bustling metropolis. “He looks young to

r, Diane, told me

n and dabbed it at the corners of her mouth

y pushing out the side door, striding across the yard

would be easy to hide in here, but I wanted t

her, my mother was already

e said. “Th

n my face and shook his hand. My stepfather was good-looking too, and for the majority of my childhood I’d watched the way women ha

meet you,

med. “Allie j

we haven’t been over to introduce ourselves yet, but things have been kind of crazy th

ould see my mother’s smile faltering—he had said we—but before she could inquire about a wife

stepping back. “What

“Declan, these are our new neighbors. This is Allie and...” He l

en

er mom

d shaggy, light brown hair, g

looked at her in confusion. “Just Allie is. I’m only

eschool,” D

asked. “How

ou

starting my new job on Monday at the Learning C

Center,” Decla

ing. That’s the whole reason she moved to this town to begin with—because they offere

Mom,” I said. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you both,

rush off like this, but I’ve got to get Declan

a doctor,” my

ve you been inqu

s whole first meeting

ntioned it,”

lan said. “I want to be a firef

to pick,” I said. “Firef

the spindly legs and the black, bulbous body, but I forced a grin. “You are very brave,” I said. Instead of squashing it, like many little boys his age would have, Declan carefully w

nd get in the car,” Cole said. “

Declan as he went over and climb

ring,” my mother said once