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Back Where I Left Her Save as PDF
Chapters (47)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  47. Booklist

“Same day he called me fat.” My lips trembled, remembering. “Right after he shoved me against the wall and grabbed...at me...and...” My voice trailed off, unable to relive it again. I’d already told her what a monster he was. But she didn’t want to listen. That’s why I had to show her. I tried to run my fingers down her arm, but they felt numb.

She set down her glass, raked her fingers through her hair. “Oh, my God. So, you are telling the truth?”

I wasn’t, actually. I mean, I was about the touching and saying mean things. But I wasn’t about the pills. I’d found those in my mom’s medicine cabinet. They were just pain pills. I’d seen her take a couple at a time before, so I wasn’t worried. I’d be fine. But Millie didn’t know that, and that’s what mattered.

“Why would you take so many?” Her voice sounded shrill.

Finally. There was that compassion I’d been looking for. I had her.

“The more I take, the thinner I’ll get. Then maybe your boyfriend will approve of me.” I lowered myself back on the couch, my limbs heavy, my head cottony. “It’s not like it matters, anyway.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Yess, I am. Perfect sensssse.” My words were coming out a little slurred. My eyes felt weighted. The ceiling seemed to move, up and down, slowly, like ocean waves. It concerned me. I wasn’t expecting to have this kind of reaction. “You chose him over me. You always choose him over me.” Feeling nauseous, I rolled over just in time to puke into the carpet. Darkness crept in at the edge of my vision. My skin felt cold, clammy. I tried to grip the side of the couch, but my fingers slid off. My body followed, toppling over onto the floor. The room was spinning faster now.

I could hear Millie screaming in the distance. Felt fingertips brush over my wrist. Then everything went black.

28

SUNDAY, 4:15 A.M.
OVER THIRTY-FIVE HOURS
AFTER DROP-OFF

THERE IT WAS—the house Whitney had dropped Amelia off at. It stood in front of her. Quiet. Imposing. Lips locked, refusing to share the answers Whitney knew it had. Hiding behind its freshly manicured front lawn and rosebushes. Looking pristine and regal, so no one would suspect a thing.

Whitney knew she couldn’t stop her car here, couldn’t park out front where anyone driving by could see.