‘You aren’t smokin’ in this house, young lady.’ She looked at me with an evil eye that sent one long chill down my achin’ spine.
‘Who said anything about smokin’?’ She sparked the lighter, held it in two precarious fingers, and smiled at the dancin’ yellow flame. Figure chances were about even she would close it up or drop it on the threadbare rug.
I gasped when a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed it. Deliah was standin’ feebly in the middle of the room, her chair recoilin’ back and forth from the motion of her gettin’ up.
‘Well, look who’s up and at ‘em today. Give that back to me, Deliah. Like yesterday.’ Lea was still stretched out on the couch, but I could see the anxious air risin’ up off her like someone just stole her rabbit’s foot.
‘Listen to you mother. Do as she says. She’
