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eyes. “Can’t you go someplace far away, like Idaho?”
    “I can’t go far away because it’s too expensive, remember? I really want to go to Berkeley but they won’t pay for it.”
    Kiki was an honors student, a pretty girl with long auburn hair, very straight teeth thanks to $4,200 of orthodontia and green eyes like Cyn. She’d only held two part-time jobs, one as a hostess at Bob Evans and the other at Drexel’s Drycleaners, both of which she quit after six weeks because, Working conditions were poor, management was unmanageable.
    “I think that’s enough, young lady.”
    “It’s always enough. It’s not our fault you blew it and quit college to get married. You didn’t do anything with your life and now you’re trying to make us pay for it.”
    “No, that’s not true.” Cyn fought to keep her voice steady. “I’m trying to make you see life isn’t just about you and it’s not always fair, so stop expecting it to be.”
    “You could do this for me, if you really wanted to,” Kiki said.
    “I would only be hurting you in the long run.”
    “That is such psycho parent bullshit.”
    “It’s how your father and I feel.”
    “It’s twisted. You should be doing everything you can to help me and Janie.”
    “I am, and I do.” Who was this stranger?
    “What? Making chocolate chip cookies for the PTA? Baking meatloaf and other gross stuff that nobody wants to eat?”
    “Your father loves my meatloaf.”
    “He might like it more if you brought home a paycheck.”
    “Go to your room,” Cyn exploded. “Now!”
    Kiki grabbed her books and shouted back, “I can’t wait to get out of this house!” She ran past Cyn, boots clicking staccato on the wood floor. When she reached the steps, she threw one last volley. “I can’t wait to get away from you!”
    When Kiki’s bedroom door slammed, Cyn let out a long breath, her gaze sliding over her youngest daughter. Janie sat very still, dark head bent over her algebra book. She didn’t fool Cyn. Janie had formulated her own opinion, for or against her mother. But right now, Cyn didn’t want to know.

     

Chapter 5
     
    Cyn liked to talk to Sam at night when they were in bed. She saved up her concerns and anxieties, mostly about the girls, for the nights when he wasn’t traveling, when she could feel his warm body next to hers, the scent of Lagerfeld faintly covering the sheets. Talking to him was like writing in a journal, only better because she could spill her heart out without paper or pen. Sam, for his part need only provide small sounds of commiseration like “uh huh” and “oh.”
    “Do you think Kiki’s doing drugs?” This had been on her mind since Derry told her about the pot party at the Klingshen’s. The Klingshen’s were nice people, a doctor and a teacher. Molly served as National Honor Society President and she’d been class Secretary the past three years. You just never knew.
    “Why would you say a thing like that?”
    Cyn rubbed her hand along his stomach, moved her fingers in small circles over his chest. “I told you about Molly Klingshen. She’s friends with Kiki. Who knows?”
    “You need to relax, Cyn. Kiki’s a smart girl.”
    “Smart girls make bad choices, too. You didn’t see how she went berserk this afternoon, accusing me of having no life, demanding I get a job so she can go on that damn Spain trip. I have half a mind to call that teacher and chew her out for telling Kiki she was the ideal candidate. Why would a teacher do that? Don’t they know what it does to these kids?”
    “Relax, Cyn. Kiki’s a good kid. She’s got her head on straight.”
    “I’m not sure about that anymore. I thought we were trying to raise socially responsible individuals but the more I see and hear from them, the more I’m afraid we’re turning out a bunch of selfish, spoiled brats, especially our eldest.”
    “She’s got a lot on her mind.”
    “Don’t stick up for her. She’s different these days. We’re barely