The Long Way Home by Karen McQuestion Read Free Book Online Page A

pictured when you were a kid?”
    Marnie squirmed in her seat. “Not exactly, but I was a pretty unrealistic child.” She smiled, recalling. “I wanted to be a princess and wear diamonds every day. I wanted to own a thoroughbred horse that came when I called his name. His name was going to be Lancelot. When I was grown up I was sure I’d have five children: three girls and two boys.”
    “And did you?” Leticia asked. “Have five kids, I mean.”
    “I didn’t have any,” Marnie said sadly. “But I raised one, and he was mine in every way. I taught him how to tie his shoes, and I took care of him when he was sick. I went to his parent-teacher conferences.” She had the job, but not the title. Every day after school she’d spent time working on homework with Troy, something Brian had no patience for. She’d packed hundreds of school lunches, provided snacks for Troy’s visiting friends, called other parents to coordinate driving to school events. And she always referred to herself as Troy’s stepmom, and he did too, but she realized too late that it had all been a façade, a beautiful dream taken away by Brian’s death and Kimberly’s reappearance.
    When she started to cry, one of the women handed her a yellow Kleenex. Marnie suppressed a sob and forced herself to speak through tears. She told them about the funeral and how Kimberly waltzed into town, smelling like expensive perfume and toting patterned luggage, the kind with designer tags. Upon arriving at the house, Kimberly immediately gave Troy and Marnie hugs and listened while they talked about how Brian had collapsed and died right in front of them. “Oh, you poor, poor things,” she said, tapping her long, glittery nails on the kitchen counter.
    She didn’t hate Kimberly then: in fact, she felt a kinship with her. The hatred came later, when she realized the woman was stealing Troy. Kimberly was matter-of-fact about it too, asking Troy what he wanted to take with them on the plane. “Anything that doesn’t fit in two suitcases will have to be shipped,” she said. “Or else I can get it when I come back to sell the house.” Troy looked shocked, the blood draining from his face. Marnie felt like she’d been struck from behind. She should have seen it coming, but she didn’t. “Can’t he just stay here with me?” she asked Kimberly. “He’s fourteen. He starts high school next year. His friends—”
    Kimberly laughed, the kind of low, throaty laugh men found sexy. Marnie wanted to choke it out of her. “They have high schools in Las Vegas,” she said. “And Troy already knows a few kids in my neighborhood, right, Troy?” Troy had nodded mutely, which astounded Marnie. What happened to the mouthy, opinionated, moody boy she loved so much? Like all males, he was mush in Kimberly’s presence.
    Marnie spilled out the tale to the group of women and found herself staring at eight sympathetic faces. The woman next to her reached over to give her a hug. Marnie had never been so grateful for the kindness of others.
    Rita raised her hand slightly. “How is it that Troy knew kids in her neighborhood?”
    “Oh, that.” Marnie wiped at her eyes and blew her nose. “Troy always went to visit her for three weeks in the summer. And then sometimes for long weekends during the school year. He hated going, but it was part of the agreement.” She didn’t mention that Brian often joined Troy midway through the summer visit and that both Troy and Brian returned in bad moods. Sometimes it would take weeks for them to get back to being themselves. She was never invited to Kimberly’s house. Even if she was, she couldn’t have gone because Brian and Troy always flew to Las Vegas. She’d had a traumatic incident on a plane trip during her high school years and hadn’t flown since.
    “Do you keep in touch with Troy?” Jazzy asked, leaning forward, a hand on each knee. She had the expression of someone determined to solve a problem.
    “I try,”