Free Eyes in the Mirror by Julia Mayer Page A

lips. “Well,” she said, “I was a lot like you in high school. I loved high school, just like you do.” I hate high school . “I contributed to the lit magazine, but I wasn’t assistant editor, like you.” I get out of school as quickly as possible, no after-school activities . “I was really close to my mom,” she said with a smile, but all I could think was I don’t have a mom . “I used to love horses when I was little. I wanted to learn to ride, to compete.” I saw the past in her eyes. I saw her watching horses gallop around a park nearby.
    â€œBut you know how things are. Never happened. Maybe as a retirement present to myself.” She smiled at me. “Finish up. Come on, you’ve got to get going soon.”
    I took a deep breath. There was one question I hadn’t been able to ask Dee, and more than anything I wanted to know the answer. “Mom?”
    â€œHmm?” she said absentmindedly.
    â€œSomeone did a story about her parents for the lit mag, and it made me wonder…I mean, I couldn’t remember…how did you and Dad meet?”
    She put the paper down next to her and sighed, brushing her hand along her cheek. She turned away, and I couldn’t tell if I saw a tear in her eye. I’m sure I imagined it because when she turned back, it wasn’t there.
    â€œNot now, Lorna. I don’t know why you’re asking all of these questions all of a sudden. I’ll tell you that story again another time, okay? Just get ready for school. You’re going to be late.”
    â€œYeah,” I said, stumbling over my words, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
    â€œThat’s okay. This just isn’t the time.”
    I got up quickly. I hadn’t meant to upset her. I cleared the table and grabbed Dee’s bag from her room. She had left it right next to the bed for me, fully packed for the day. On my way out the door, Dee’s mom stopped me to give me a kiss.
    â€œHave a good day, sweetheart.”
    â€œThanks,” I felt it stick in my throat again, “Mom.”
    ***
    Dee’s neighborhood was just as easy to navigate as she’d said it would be. It was a lot like my neighborhood, the epicenter of a couple of different suburbs. The local high school was within walking distance from her house, and like mine, it was fed by middle schools in a couple of other neighborhoods.
    When I walked out the door, I ran directly into a steady stream of students. I walked with them down the street, trying to make landmarks for myself so I could find my way home at the end of the day. I followed the crowd toward the school, accidentally taking a detour with older kids who were dropping off siblings at elementary and middle schools.
    When I was about to walk through the building, I heard someone call, “Dee!” I took a deep breath and smiled as I turned to watch a girl in a deep pink velour tracksuit run toward me.
    â€œHey, sweetie,” I said, leaning in for an air kiss and doing my best to look as carefree as Dee would have been at seeing this girl.
    The girl seemed to catch the eye of someone behind me and hurried up a little. “Sorry to bug you. I just wanted to check if you finished looking over the pieces for ‘The Brick Bard.’ I want to start getting it laid out this afternoon.”
    I stared into my bag emptily for a moment, silently wondering if I would be able to recognize what she was talking about.
    â€œUmm, I’m not sure if I remembered…” I trailed off because there was a Post-it sticking up from a CD with “LitMag—for Kelly” written on it.
    â€œSure, here you go,” I said, pulling it out and desperately hoping she was Kelly. I felt the tension build in my back for a second. But when she smiled and took it, I felt myself relax again.
    â€œThanks a million,” she said, and bounced away toward a group of girls who looked