Mom nearly caught me yesterday when I was searching her room." She hated it when Mom was upset with her. Macho raised his head. "Lucky I hid in the closet." He slumped in relief. "Didn't think she'd be as mad as Father, so I almost came out and let her know I was there." She frowned. "But Mom limped across the room to her nightstand, took this sparkly bracelet thing out, sat down, put it around her wrist and then started crying. Ya, crying. Father wasn't even there to yell at her or hit her, and she started crying anyway. All by herself. And I felt really sorry for her and thought I should comfort her like when she comforts me when I'm sad." She hugged Macho to show him how she wanted to hug Mom. "But I didn't, 'cause I wasn't sure, and she left, and I don't think she even knew I was there." Nellie looked around her bedroom. Sun streamed in the window and in its path, she could see dust floating down like snowflakes.
