CHAPTER ELEVEN
MID-JULY
It seemed like I had just entered a chat room for deaf people on the computer when I felt a gentle tap on the shoulder. I jumped and spun around. Mom stood with a sort of apologetic expression on her face and held a fist against her chest, rubbing it around in small circles over heart. Sorry.
Usually my family got my attention by switching lights on and off or gently tapping me on the shoulder. When I could hear, I might be in my room listening to music with headphones on, eyes closed, and Brenda would sneak up behind me and grab my shoulders. I’d scream loud enough to rattle the windows. The tapping-thing wasn’t easy to get used to.
I didn’t scream this time, but I could have, until I saw the pad Mom carried. It had an important word written on it in capital le
