Chapter 6 - LILY'S NOTEBOOK
Lily kept a notebook under her mattress.
Not a diary exactly.
Lists.
Things Dad forgets:
where keys are
movie names
big words
Things Dad never forgets:
my lunch
my bus
Friday pancakes
Mom visits make me nervous
my purple inhaler
Then:
Things Mom says:
Dad needs help
Dad is like a kid
I need a normal house
I’ll get used to living with her
Karen found the notebook only because Lily showed it voluntarily.
One page worried her.
IF I SAY I WANT DAD, MOM CRIES.
Another:
MOM SAYS JUDGE WILL THINK I’M BRAINWASHED.
Karen asked Lily what that word meant.
Lily shrugged.
“Like Dad makes me think stuff.”
“Does he?”
“No.”
“What does Dad say about your mom?”
Lily thought.
“He says she’s my mom.”
“Anything bad?”
“He says grown-up stuff is grown-up stuff.”
That phrase came from Rachel.
Ben had memorized it.
Then another page.
MOM SAYS I COULD HAVE A BIGGER ROOM.
Lily drew two bedrooms.
Sarah’s:
large bed.
pink walls.
desk.
Ben’s:
small room.
stuffed rabbit.
books.
night-light.
Under Ben’s:
HOME.
Karen closed the notebook.
May you like
A child’s preference was not the only factor.
But it was not nothing.
