A hand on my shoulder jolted me back to consciousness.
“Millie. It’s 3:30.”
Becky’s voice was low and steady. I opened my eyes. The light in the room had softened, casting long, deep shadows. I had slept for an hour and a half.
We didn’t speak. There was nothing left to say. We both went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on our faces; the shock of it sharpened our senses. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. The girl in the floral dress was gone. In her place was a woman with shadowed eyes and a tight, determined mouth. I changed back into the dark jeans and turtleneck from this morning my armor.
We crept out of my room. The house was quiet. My parents, exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the day, and were napping in their bedroom. The silence was a blessing. We wou
