Steven stood up abruptly. “I’m hungry … who wants a snack?” He saw Lolly and Dustin raise their hands without looking at him, as they were focused on each other. Steven knew that Dustin wasn’t going to like what he heard, and he didn’t want to be there when Lolly spilled the beans. Steven had finally found a little peace these days after the drama of V-Day and the hubbub surrounding Anna’s boyfriend’s car accident, so he left in search of comfort food.

“Kimmie’s been away, Dustin,” Lolly reported. “My mom took her to a wellness center in Arizona. I thought it was a spa trip, because she had been so … under the weather. But then my mom returned alone and told me Kimmie was in a program to get help.”

Dustin nodded even though he didn’t really understand what Lolly was talking about. He was confused, concerned, and cursing himself for letting his curiosity get the better of him. “What kind of program?” he asked. “I mean, obviously it’s none of my business, so if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.”

“My mom said Kimmie’s depressed. My dad was against putting her on medication, so this program is pretty intensive, I think. Honestly, I don’t know. My mom told me Kimmie didn’t want to hear about anything, so when I talk to her, we really only discuss how she’s feeling. I spoke to her yesterday and she sounds better. Stronger.” Lolly was speaking the truth, because Kimmie had sounded more confident and self-assured on the phone, but she still seemed weird to her. Kimmie told Lolly that she had dyed her hair purple, but she couldn’t send a picture because she wasn’t allowed to have a phone. Lolly was shocked to hear this, but her mother told her to be positive when she spoke to her little sister, so she’d said, “That sounds awesome, Kimmie. I’m sure you look amazing.”

Kimmie had told her that she’d met a friend in group therapy, and the two had become besties. She also told her not to tell her mother, because Danielle would not take the news of her youngest daughter hanging out with an ex-methhead very well. The other thing that Lolly noticed about Kimmie was there was a steely edge in her voice, and her sentences were peppered with therapy-speak. Empowerment. Victimhood. Emotional highways. Honestly, it all sounded like nonsense to Lolly, so she kept up a steady refrain of positive adjectives and eagerly anticipated the moment when she could get off the phone. The most disturbing thing was when Kimmie said she intended to confront Vronsky for what he did to her. “He needs to take responsibility for his actions, and I can’t let go of my pain until he gives me the apology I deserve.”