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Back The Mother Next Door
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Dedication
  4. About the Author
  5. HALLOWEEN
  6. Seven Weeks Before Halloween
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. HALLOWEEN
  11. Six Weeks Before Halloween
  12. FOUR
  13. FIVE
  14. SIX
  15. HALLOWEEN
  16. Five Weeks Before Halloween
  17. SEVEN
  18. EIGHT
  19. HALLOWEEN
  20. NINE
  21. TEN
  22. HALLOWEEN
  23. ELEVEN
  24. TWELVE
  25. Twenty-Five Days Until Halloween
  26. THIRTEEN
  27. FOURTEEN
  28. HALLOWEEN
  29. FIFTEEN
  30. SIXTEEN
  31. SEVENTEEN
  32. EIGHTEEN
  33. NINETEEN
  34. TWENTY
  35. HALLOWEEN
  36. Eighteen Days Until Halloween
  37. TWENTY-ONE
  38. TWENTY-TWO
  39. HALLOWEEN
  40. TWENTY-THREE
  41. TWENTY-FOUR
  42. Eleven Days Until Halloween
  43. TWENTY-FIVE
  44. TWENTY-SIX
  45. Eight Days Until Halloween
  46. TWENTY-SEVEN
  47. TWENTY-EIGHT
  48. TWENTY-NINE
  49. HALLOWEEN
  50. THIRTY
  51. Four Days Until Halloween
  52. THIRTY-ONE
  53. HALLOWEEN
  54. THIRTY-TWO
  55. Two Days Until Halloween
  56. THIRTY-THREE
  57. The Night Before Halloween
  58. THIRTY-FOUR
  59. HALLOWEEN
  60. THIRTY-FIVE
  61. Halloween, Present Day
  62. THIRTY-SIX
  63. THIRTY-SEVEN
  64. HALLOWEEN
  65. THIRTY-EIGHT
  66. HALLOWEEN
  67. THIRTY-NINE
  68. HALLOWEEN
  69. FORTY
  70. HALLOWEEN
  71. FORTY-ONE
  72. FORTY-TWO
  73. FORTY-THREE
  74. FORTY-FOUR
  75. HALLOWEEN... NOW
  76. FORTY-FIVE
  77. Seven Months Later
  78. FORTY-SIX
  79. FORTY-SEVEN
  80. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  81. ALICE SWANSON’S
  82. Reader's Guide
  83. Questions for Discussion
  84. Booklist

But my shoulders hung heavy as I made chicken wings—my mother’s special recipe. They were one of Adam’s favorites, too, though he didn’t even acknowledge the delicious smell that filled the house. He was keeping busy, hauling out the card tables and the lawn chairs I’d bought on clearance at Lowe’s at the end of summer back when he hadn’t hated me. The cloud of anger hovering over him tainted any hope I’d had of making happy memories tonight. Lily wasn’t much better. She had holed up in her room with Ellen the rest of the night after our fight, and now they seemed to be sleeping in late.

And the bonfire last night. What the Ivies had told me about Jackie. I didn’t want to think about that. No wonder the Ivies hadn’t brought her up originally. No wonder they never mentioned that night. It must be horrible to suspect your friend might’ve driven someone to do something so awful.

They were just trying to protect Ellen, after all. To keep Ivy Woods from being marred by scandal, from people like Maggie Lewis who wanted to dig up things that should stay buried for everyone’s sake. I’d almost ruined all that. I should’ve never lied to them. I should’ve never lied to anyone. It was all coming back to burn me.

If I could just get through this day, this party, I felt sure I could fix things. Show the Ivies I could keep their secret. Come clean to Lily. Explain everything to Adam. Beg forgiveness.

I left the chicken wings cooking and stepped outside to see if anyone needed help. You couldn’t miss Kendra the fox in her bright orange costume. She was busy, weaving in and out of groups of neighbors, giving orders.

“Can I help?” I asked when I was able to snag her alone.

“Yes,” she said, and motioned toward a group of pumpkins on a nearby picnic table. “Take one to carve for tonight since none of the others survived Mischief Night.”

“None of them?” I gaped, remembering the satisfaction I’d felt smashing mine. But only mine. Who had destroyed the others?

“Where’s your costume?” Kendra snapped. I couldn’t tell if her tone was abrupt because she didn’t actually trust me, or if she was just stressed. Either way, I’d been hoping for a more promising start.

“I’ve got it. I just thought it was easier to set up without—”

“Well, just make sure you’re dressed by three o’clock. I want us to all get pictures together down by the lake.”