26
The kitchen is enormous. And there are at least ten people in here, scurrying, mixing, sautéing, chopping—whatever it takes to feed a crowd.
One of the workers is Celeste, sitting on a stool, chewing a stalk of celery and stirring a pot on the stove while she talks to her mom.
I wasn’t prepared. It’s even worse than meeting their father. He was dead, now he’s alive. But Elena—Elena has always been alive. And to me she’s been like a second mom.
And seeing her, I’ve never felt so lonely and orphaned in my life.
I wonder if I’m ever going to see my real mother again.
My real life again.
Any of the people, the places, my school, the real Will, the real Lydia, the real Halli—
“Miss Halli!” Celeste cries out. She’s just spotted me. Right now I would like nothing better than to run out
