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t turned out I was only about a mile from home. A right turn, a left, and then a right onto my road. In the hollows of the mountains, roads run like streams in the crevices, and so I just hadn’t been up that one yet.
The ride was mostly quiet. I told Mr. Tindall where to go. He nodded. When we pulled into my driveway, I said, “Thank you,” and he said a solemn, “Welcome.” I climbed out, and he drove away. Simple.
Well, simple until I got to the front door and saw Mom’s face. Her jaw was set so tight she could have split a penny with her molars. She stepped aside and let me into the house, and I headed right for the fireplace and the roaring fire.
I didn’t speak. I wasn’t stupid. It took her a while to calm down enough to come over and say, “Mary Steele, what were you thinking? Tak
