: Chapter 34

Dad rushed inside, his gaze flying around until it landed on me in the corner.

“Oh, Margo,” he said. He was sad.

I was… something else. Not really in my body anymore.

Tears streaked down my face. My fingers hurt. My chest hurt. My head ached.

“You’re okay.” He scooped me up and sat on my bed, cradling me to his chest. “Let me see.”

I sucked in a shaky breath, on the verge of tears again. My fingernails were torn, bloody. Every single one. I hadn’t realized until I stopped screaming and dissolved into tears. Then I cried until I couldn’t breathe.

Now I’m empty.

“We’re going to clean you up and go to the park, okay?”

I nodded and closed my eyes. He left me on the bed and returned a moment later with a warm, damp cloth. He gently cleaned off each finger, wrapping them in Band-Aids. He helped me change my shirt and put on a zip-up sweatshirt. New pants, socks, shoes. He brushed out my hair, then stood.

“Come on, Margo. Time to be strong.”

He took my hand, and we walked out the house. Straight down the driveway and into his car, which was the only one there. He buckled me into the seat, and I watched the sky on the way to the park.

“Where’s Mom?” I asked.

He sighed. “She lost her marbles.”

“Is she looking for them?”

He glanced back. “Yeah, kiddo.”

We got to the park. Once we were free of the car, he took a deep breath. “I need you to pay attention to me, Margo. Things are about to change.”

“Why?”

“Because you told me a secret, but I couldn’t keep it. I had to tell another adult.”

I had to keep the secret. Caleb begged me not to tell, but I did. I told my dad, because he was trustworthy. And now my dad told someone else?

“Is Caleb going to be mad?”

He glanced down at me, but then we were at our bench, and he looked away. Finally, he said, “He might be.”

I sniffled. I ran my finger across the bracelet. I had told Dad we were married, but all he did was chuckle and kiss the top of my head. What was I supposed to do when Caleb was mad at me? When Mom was mad at Dad, she went to the Ashers’ house.

Dad glanced over his shoulder, then back to me. “Listen to me, Margo.”

I met his gaze.

“Don’t believe what they say about you and me. Okay? You’re a Wolfe. You’re strong. Your—” He broke off and squeezed my hand. “Your grandmother would be proud of you.”

I’d never met my grandma, although Dad talked about her a lot.

He revealed a small bag of bird seed. “How about you go feed the ducks?”

I grabbed the bag and hopped up. The ducks swarmed to the edge of the pond, crowding me without getting too close. They weren’t that brave. And really, neither was I.

There was a commotion, and I spun around. A police officer was taking Dad away!

I dropped the bag and rushed back.

“Daddy!” I screamed.

A woman caught me by the shoulders. “Shh, Margo. It’s okay. You’re okay. Can we sit? We need to talk.”

Things are going to change, Dad said. I didn’t think he meant so soon.

Instant. One minute we’re gasoline, the next we’re aflame.

And I haven’t stopped burning.