Callie’s POV
When I got home, I noticed my mom wasn’t there—which was strange given the time, but I assumed she had gone out looking for another boyfriend. This time, though, unlike before, it didn’t worry me at all. I didn’t even bother locking the door, and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
The next day, I was clearly sleep-deprived, and I had to use more makeup than usual to hide the dark circles under my eyes. It struck me as odd that, being almost noon, Mom still hadn’t come back. I figured she must have stayed over at whoever she hooked up with the night before.
I threw together something for lunch, and while I was washing the dishes, Lila showed up to see me.
“I talked to Mr. Constanza,” she said as we rode our bikes around the neighborhood. “I hinted at what happ
