For a split second, Aleah thought she would pass out from how hard her heart pumped behind her ribs. It was a stampede of wild buffalos in her chest. She could hear the blood rush in her ears and spots danced in her vision, almost obscuring the sight of her mother frowning at her.
In her mind’s eye, Aleah saw the drama unfold in the Poverly guest bathroom like a scene in a Telenovela series. The air grew thin around her, but Aleah drew a sharp breath, prepared to explain that things were not what they seemed. But just before a single word could slip past her lips, Aleah realized that the man she had been talking to was behind the open door and out of sight.
It still took several seconds for her to really grasp it though, she was still confused and darted her eyes between the door, hiding
