Chapter 20 Something was wrong. She was certain of it.
It was the heightened sense of a chronically tired, single mother whose entire life was invested in her son. With the challenges she faced on a daily basis, it was the strict adherence to rules and routine that kept her grounded and sane. Her son had learned to be compliant. It had taken years of trying patience to get there through sometimes unconventional practices, but the two now had a clear, mutually respectful understanding that he’d have his freedom within the limits of Winston as long as she knew his whereabouts at all times. It had been suggested in a book she’d read by one of the many experts in the field. At his age, it was time to “pull back, give him more independence,” but keep a tight hold on the itinerary. That schedul
