“You’re overreacting,” Mama said evenly. “He’s in Leni’s class. That’s all.”

“You knew,” Dad said to her again.

“No,” Leni said, suddenly afraid.

“I saw her leave,” Dad said. “But you saw her go, too, didn’t you, Cora? And you knew where she was going.”

Mama shook her head. “N-no. I thought she was going to work, maybe. Or to pick some balm-of-Gilead.”

“You’re lying to me,” he said.

“Dad, please, it’s my fault,” Leni said.

He wasn’t listening. His eyes had that wild, desperate look. “You know better than to hide things from me.” He grabbed Mama and dragged her toward the cabin.

Leni followed them, tried to pull Mama away.

Dad shoved Mama inside and Leni out of the way.

The door slammed shut. The bolt came down hard, with a clank, and locked them inside.

Then, from behind the door, a loud crash, a bitten-off scream.

Leni hurled herself at the door, banged on it, screaming to be let in.

Chapter Seventeen

SEVENTEEN

The next morning, the left side of Mama’s face was swollen and purple; one eye was blackening. She sat alone at the table, a cup of coffee in front of her. “What were you thinking? He saw you leave and followed your tire tracks in the mud.”

Leni sat down at the table, ashamed of herself. “I wasn’t thinking.”

“Hormones. I told you they were wicked dangerous.” Mama leaned forward. “Here’s the thing, baby girl. You are on thin ice. You know it. I know it. You need to stay away from this boy or something bad is going to happen.”

“He kissed me.” He wants me to sneak out to meet him tonight.

Mama sat there a long time. Quiet. “Well. One kiss can change a girl’s world. Don’t I know that? But you’re not an ordinary girl in the suburbs with a Mr. Cleaver dad. Choices have consequences, Leni. Not just for you, either. For your boy. For me.” She touched her bruised cheekbone, wincing. “You need to stay away from him.”

*   *   *

MEET ME. Midnight.

All day, Leni thought about it. At school, every time she looked at Matthew, she knew what he was thinking.

“Please” was the last thing he said to her.

She’d said no and meant it, but when she got home and started on her long list of chores, she found herself waiting impatiently for the sun to set.