Dead People (Haunted Hearts, Book 1)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Erin waited until Luke was in the hall, and then looked at the phone on the library table for a long moment, her palm itching to lift it and call her mom. But he would see it on the phone bill, and if he complained to the police, her mom would go to jail and it would be her fault.

She got up instead and folded down a page of the book, a good one about kids abducted by aliens and given super powers. She’d finish reading it upstairs, where no one would interrupt her. Where he wouldn’t come and talk to her.

She didn’t know why he bothered. He didn’t do it well, not like Danny who bounded in with a smile and a present, even after he and her mom broke up. Her dad was the anti-Danny.

In the hall, she listened for her dad but didn’t hear him. Dad. It still felt weird calling him that. When she was about three, she asked her mom if Danny was her dad, and Vanessa said no, that her real father never wanted her.

A tightness pinched Erin’s chest like two giant fingers. She ran up the stairs to her room. In her puke yellow room with the stupid white furniture, she hurried to her stupid white desk with painted on gold stars. Yuck. A little girl’s room.

At least the laptop was a big girl’s.

The pinching stopped, her breathing easier. She dropped the book on the desktop, then sat and opened her laptop, going straight to her email. Fifty-one messages waited for her.

The “From” name on every one was the same.

Vantastic.

She scrolled down. Vantastic, Vantastic, Vantastic, Vantastic, Vantastic...

Tears nuked the back of Erin’s eyes. Her dad wasn’t so smart, never checking her email. If her throat didn’t hurt from looking at all the emails, she’d laugh.

She clicked open the first message. Call me, baby. I need you. Love, Mom.

A tear straggled down Erin’s cheek, though she tried to blink it back. She heard her mom’s voice in her head, what she’d said the day after Erin’s tenth birthday, after she remembered she’d missed it.

You know I love you, baby. Good thing you’re so strong. Cuz I’m weak and need you to take care of me. Without you, I don’t know what I’d do.

Erin hit reply.

Mom, I want to come back to you, but he won’t let me. Can you come and see me?

She backspaced, deleting the last line. Her mom couldn’t get on a plane without drugs, or she’d have a panic attack. And if she took drugs, she’d get arrested again, and this time she’d go to jail. Anyway, because her mom was on probation, Erin was pretty sure her mom couldn’t leave California without being arrested, although she didn’t know this for sure.

I hate it here. The other kids all look at me like I’m a freak. They dress funny and talk funny. I want to come home. With you.

I love you.

Erin

She sent the message and clicked on her mom’s next email. This one was more wordy, as if the first was practice.

Baby Erin. Your dad took you away cuz he’s mean and wants to hurt me. If you love him, I won’t want to live.

Without you, I’m lost. I miss you like crazy. I cried myself to sleep last night, missing you.

My love for you is as big as an elephant.

Mom

Erin hit reply.

If you go back to rehab and stay this time until they say you’re all cured, maybe you can get custody of me. Will you do it, Mom?

I love you.

Erin

She scrunched her forehead so hard it hurt. Should she say this?

She clicked send.

Then, one by one, she went through the remaining forty-nine emails. If she missed replying to one, her mother would cry until she threw up whatever was inside of her, even if it was just wine. And it would all be Erin’s fault.

Again.