“Girl!”

He stood not so tall but gigantic to the teenagers. Even Den Mother would have been more welcomed. They were all startled by Amy’s stepfather. “Girl!” he barked again. Mr. Frank rarely called Amy by her name.

As though ordered to attention by an army sergeant, she jumped to her feet.

Bara didn’t like Mr. Frank. There was no way she wanted him to know about the diary. She slipped it into her bag.

Mr. Frank didn’t bother with Bara but to Colin gave a threatening grimace. “You were to meet us five minutes ago,” he told Amy. “I’ve better things to do than wait around for you all day.”

Amy looked down.

“I’m sorry,” she returned. “I forgot.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough. You be on time. You hear me.”

Colin had never met Mr. Frank before, but the look he passed Bara confirmed he now shared her feelings about him.

“Get a move on then,” Mr. Frank ordered and then stomped away.

Amy couldn’t even look at her friends. “Bye,” she said, head still lowered. “Have a happy holiday.”

Happy holiday? Bara had been so caught up in the diary and the dreams. She’d forgotten it was Thanksgiving break.

Bara lay across the four-poster bed. She flipped through a magazine, her sock feet crossed behind her head. Her mother was choosing clothing from a large walk-in closet. They were in a very beige bedroom, accented with slightly darker earth tones, nothing to offend or catch the eye.

“Where are you going?” she asked her mother.

Beth Cavanagh took a sip of wine before answering.

“I’ve decided to take a vacation, refresh my batteries.” She held out her glass. Betty, rushing about, placing chosen pieces in trunks and suitcases, paused in her task and refilled the glass. “I’ll take the flat shoes,” Beth told her.

“No heels, madam?”

Beth sipped from her glass again before answering. “I don’t think I’ll need them,” she said after the swallow.

Bara threw the magazine aside and jumped up from the bed. She grabbed the shoes and hugged them to her chest. “Where are you going?” she demanded.

Betty winked and waited patiently. Beth sighed.

“To a spa a friend from the club suggested. Her cousin went and came back looking ten years younger. Now, will you give me my shoes?”

Bara cringed. Her mother had never cared much about getting older before Courtney. Now she was obsessed with shedding the years. Bara gave up the shoes.

Beth drained her wine and held out the glass again. Betty stopped what she was doing and refilled it.

“You look fine, Mom,” Bara reassured. “You don’t need to look younger.”

“You’re so sweet. What a sweet child I have, Betty.”

Beth cusped Bara’s heart-shaped face. She kissed her forehead and then continued to go through her clothes.

Betty ruffled Bara’s curls. “You do, ma’am,” she agreed. “Never met a nicer child.”

Beth began to instruct the packing of a third suitcase.

“You’re taking a lot,” Bara noted. “How long are you going for?”

“A month or so.”

“A month! That means you’ll be gone for Thanksgiving.”

“You’ll be with your father. You won’t miss me.”

“Yes, I will.”

Beth studied an array of sweaters. “I’ll take the blue set,” she told Betty. “It’s in the third guest room. Fetch it, will you, and bring another bottle of chardonnay.”

“Another bottle, ma’am?”

“Yes, Betty. Another bottle … from Napa.”

Betty gave Bara a sympathetic smile and went in search of the sweater set and wine. Bara waited for her to leave and then leaped from the bed. She grabbed hold of her mother’s sleeve and tugged like a toddler. “You can’t go!” she pleaded.

Beth pulled from her grasp. “Bara, really.”

“I will miss you, Mom.”

“And I’ll miss you, but it’s all been decided. You can spend most of the time at the dorms and go to your father’s for Thanksgiving. It’ll be good to spend some time with him.”

“I could stay here?”

“By yourself?”

“Betty will be here. She’ll keep me company.”

“I’ve given her the month off. It won’t do and I’m redecorating.”

“Redecorating?” Bara echoed. “Why are you redecorating?”

“The house needs a freshening up, new drapes and paint. The place will smell of fumes. You need to go to the Lavender House.” Beth swallowed what was left of her wine. “Betty, where’s that bottle?” she hollered.

Bara watched Amy scurry after Mr. Frank. She didn’t know who she felt sorrier for—Amy, who’d have to avoid the anger of her stepfather—or herself, who’d be dodging the supposed goodwill of her stepmother.

Okay, she felt sorrier for Amy. The Frank family car, a run-down sedan, was parked on the edge of the square. Amy got into the back seat. She looked so sad. Bara didn’t know exactly what went on in the Frank home but knew one thing. Amy was a lot happier living in the dorms. It would be a relief when they were both back at school.

Colin interrupted her thoughts. “It’s getting dark. Don’t you have to be somewhere?” He knew she was spending the holiday with her father. He’d been invited for Thanksgiving dinner. His own parents were out of the country. He grinned. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

Her father’s new home, the Lavender House, was in the Grande Oaks District, so named for its Oak-lined streets. It was but a mile from the library. Bara wished it was further.