Disconnect by Lois Peterson Read Free Book Online

yesterday,” I said.
    â€œDaria,” said Selena. “I’m mad at my mom, you know. It’s all…”
    â€œForget it. It doesn’t matter,” I told her. It seemed so unimportant, compared to the memory of Caden, dead-white, not moving, with a pool of blood under his head.
    But I didn’t tell them about the blood. I didn’t tell them about the hospital. And I didn’t tell them what Dad had said. About me not being there with the kids while I was on the phone.
    Until now, Selena, Josie and I had always told each other everything.
    I turned toward the clock radio on my bedside table. “I’ve got to go,” I said. “I’ll catch it if they hear me on the phone.”
    â€œSo we really can’t reach you for a month?” asked Selena.
    â€œThat is SO brutal,” said Josie.
    â€œI’ll try to connect with you later.” Maybe I could squeeze in a call or two after I’d picked up my phone from the kids’ house.
    In the kitchen, I replaced the phone on its base and grabbed a snack. As I opened a can of juice, I thought of Caden running around the house yelling “Vomitvomitvomit” and giggling like a maniac. I longed to hug his wiry little body and nuzzle his neck to make him laugh. So I went downstairs, grabbed my jacket and headed out again.
    Emmy opened the door, swinging her homemade phone by its string. “Mommy!” she called behind her. “Daria is here.” She frowned at me. “My mom is real mad with you. We have to find another sitter.”
    Caden pushed in front of her. “I had to stay in the hospital,” he said. “I got shaved and they gave me twenty-one stitches in my head.” When he turned around, I could see a white bandage taped across his scalp.
    Ms. Clarkson appeared behind him. “I thought I told you not to run around.” She put a hand on Caden’s shoulder and looked at me without smiling. “I expect you are here for your backpack.”
    â€œAnd my phone.”
    â€œYou’d better come in.” Ms. Clarkson stepped aside to let me pass.
    â€œI nearly bleeded to death,” Caden boasted as we headed for the kitchen. “The ambulance people saved my life. I was asleep,” he told me. “If I had been awake, I could have drived in the front with Emmy.”
    â€œDon’t keep telling it over and over,” said Emerson.
    Caden ignored her. “I had lots of stitches. It hurt so much. But I was very brave. Right, Mom?”
    â€œYou were very brave.” His mother smiled at him. “Now, how about you and your sister go and play?
    â€œBut I want to show Daria my new LEGO,” whined Caden. “It’s a fire truck!” he told me.
    â€œDo as you’re asked.” Ms. Clarkson steered the kids out of the room.
    â€œI just came for my things,” I said.
    She handed me my backpack. “It’s all here.”
    I itched to find the phone and stuff it in my pocket, where it belonged. Instead, I wrapped my arms around my bag. “I really am sorry about Caden’s fall.”
    â€œI expect you are.” I felt a flash of hope until she added, “But I trusted you to take care of my children.” She blinked away tears. “We’re just lucky it wasn’t much worse.”
    â€œCan I say goodbye to the kids?” I asked quickly before I started crying.
    â€œOf course. Take care of yourself, Daria.”
    I could feel her watching as I ducked into the living room. “Bye, guys,” I said. “I’ve got to go now.”
    Caden was lying on his stomach on the floor stacking LEGO blocks. “Bye,” he called without looking up.
    â€œI finished my project,” Emerson told me. “I wanted to show your friend.”
    â€œMaybe another time.”
    I stumbled out of the house and down the front path without looking back.

Chapter Twelve
    The next day, Cleo dragged me into the library