Page 99 of Leah

I walked down the stairs instead, opting to put the lunchbox away first before I pestered her. In the kitchen, I decided to take an extra step and rinse it myself. I scrubbed it and set it on the dishrack, and then I dried my hands, as the key burned a hole in my pocket.

She was going to be happy I did something. Maybe she’d give me a real smile. I hadn’t seen one of those in a long time.

I was just about to go up the stairs when the phone rang. By the fourth ring, I picked it up and answered.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hey, buddy,” replied Dad. “What’re you guys up to?”

“I’m making a song,” I told him. “I can’t get the rhymes right, though.”

“That’s why you have to keep practicing. Is Mom helping you out? She hasn’t called me yet and it’s not like her.”

“No, she’s still in her room.”

He was quiet for a moment. “What is she doing, Carter?”

“I think she’s sleeping.”

“Now?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you go and check?”

“Sure.”

I walked up the stairs with the phone held to my ear. I kept trying to rhyme things in my head with each step.

What rhymes with step?

Hep? Pep?

“Did you hide that key, by the way?” Dad then asked. “I gave you it in the morning because I’m staying back.”

I paused outside the bedroom door. “Yeah, it’s in my pocket.”

“Pull it out for me.”

I dug my hand in the pocket I put the spare key in. When I felt nothing, I confusedly swapped hands with the phone and dug into my other pocket.

Nothing again.

“Carter?” Dad pressed on the other end, his voice sounding strained and anxious.

“I…I put it in my pocket,” I swore to him. “It’s gone.”

“Oh, God,” I heard him say under his breath. “Okay, look, I’m coming home right now. Don’t open the door. Just stay in your room, alright?”

“Alright.”

He got off the phone, and I stared at the door for some time.

There was no key burning a hole in my pocket.

Why?

“Mom?” I called out to her.

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