Nine
MAY-13 YEARS OLD
Dinner was always a big production in our house. We ate on real plates at the table, where most people just use paper plates. Not us. Mom has always had a weird thing about etiquette and making sure we “make our name proud” especially now in this small town and the one next to it. I think it’s because our name is important here, though I’m not quite sure why, but probably because Pawpaw lived here for so long. I just know that I feel noticed, in a positive way, for the first time in my life. Here, I’m not just a target or a punching bag.
Mom put the last bowl in the middle of the table and sat down. As always, she folded her napkin and put it in her lap. She did it real slow just to be sure she did it right. Audrey and I looked at each other and smiled. When Mom di
