A Happy Family Without Me novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: What Poppy Knew

I did not remember driving home.

I remembered the photograph of my daughter in yellow rain boots, with pie in front of her.

Two children I had met at a birthday party sat on either side of her.

Maeve had stayed with Poppy.

I thanked her in the kitchen with my coat still on.

"You look terrible," she said.

"I know."

"What did she want?"

"Later. Go home. Sleep. Come back for dinner tomorrow."

She looked at me for a long moment.

"If it's about Garner, I'll drive over there right now," she said.

"It's about everything. Tomorrow."

She went.

Poppy was already in bed, with her book face down on her chest.

I sat on the edge of the mattress and smoothed her braids off the pillow.

"Poppy," I said. "I need to ask you something, and you're not in trouble."

She looked up at the ceiling.

"Is it about the pink door?"

"No. It's about Grandma's house."

Her eyes slid to me and away.

"You've been to Grandma's with Daddy a lot of Saturdays."

"Yes."

"Who else was there?"

She turned her face into the pillow.

"Poppy."

"Daddy said I'd be in trouble."

"You're not. I promise. Not ever, for telling me."

She was quiet. A car passed outside and its lights ran across the ceiling.

"Lorna's kids," Poppy said, in a very small voice.

"The boy and the girl. We played in the yard. Grandma made pie."

"Did Daddy say who they were?"

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