Part 14 (2/2)

No one noticed that she'd had three pieces of cake and smeared icing on

the collar of her new dress. There had been no other little girls to

play with, and Emma was too young to be dazzled by the names and faces

of the luminaries of the music business who had wandered through the

house. Bored, a little queasy from cake, she'd gone off to bed, lulled

by the sounds from the party.

Later, she'd woken. Restless, she had dragged Charlie out of bed to go

downstairs. But the heavy scent of pot smoke had stopped her. She was

familiar with it, too familiar. Like the stink of gin, the sweet scent

of marijuana was firmly linked in her mind with her mother, and the

shakings and beatings that had come whenever Jane had crashed from her

highs.

Miserable, she had huddled on the steps, cooing rea.s.surances to Charlie.

If her mam was here now, she would take her away. Emma had known she

would never again wear the pretty pink dress, or hear her Dad's voice,

or go into the big, bright stores with Bev.

She'd cringed when she heard the footsteps on the stairs, and waited for

the worst.

”h.e.l.lo there, Emma luy.” Soaring, at peace with the world, Brian had

dropped down beside her. ”What're you doing?”

”Nothing.” She'd curled tighter over the stuffed dog. She made herself

small, very small. If they couldn't see you, they couldn't hurt you.

”It's quite the party.” Leaning back on his elbows, he'd grinned at the

ceiling. Never in his wildest fantasies had he believed he would one

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