“I’m glad you’re in my life,” I say.

Sean wraps me in a hug and murmurs in my ear.

“I’ll stay as long as you let me.”

By the time Betsey’s class is over, Sean’s up to speed on the break-in plan and has a list of items to get to help with the mission, ranging from the practical, like his camera, to the somewhat ridiculous, like a laser pointer.

“Why on earth would we need a laser pointer?” I ask.

“I have no idea,” Sean says, “but it just seems cool to have one.”

I giggle to myself about how when I first met Sean, I thought he looked like an off-duty superhero; now I think that sometimes he acts like one, too.

He walks me back to the car and kisses me once more just before Betsey emerges from the building.

“Oh, hey, I almost forgot, I brought you a replacement spy phone.” He turns and jogs to his car, retrieves a package, and jogs back.

“Thanks,” I say, taking the paper bag from him. “I guess I’ll have to find a better hiding spot.”

“Yeah, well,” he says, half smiling. “I brought you three more, just in case.”

When Betsey and I pull off the main road and stop at the gate, we’re still excitedly talking over each other about the office break-in plan and what we might hope to find. Betsey jokes about Mom being a janitor while I type in the code and wait for the gate to open. I take my foot off the brake and start easing down the driveway, and just as I do, I notice a car parked down the lane like the time after Sean’s when I came home because Mom was here. The car is obscured by trees before I have time to mention it to Betsey, but for some reason, it bugs me long into the night.

twenty-five

A little over a week later, I wake up like I’ve been shot with adrenaline. Today’s the day. At some point in the next twelve hours, I’m going to break into my mother’s office and discover what she’s been hiding. Then Betsey, Ella, and I will confront her at last. Everyone’s home from school and “work” for Thanksgiving break, and we have five whole days ahead of us to hash things out.

Today’s the day we get our lives back.

The only thing is that we’re not exactly sure when or how to do it.

The idea is that one of us will find a reason to go out. Our last-resort scenario is that at Mom’s busiest moment—like when she has her hands in a turkey—Betsey will say she needs Advil for cramps and is too sick to drive. I, as Ella, will volunteer to go out, then we’ll all pray like hell Mom buys the switch.

It’s weak, but after going through what felt like hundreds of even weaker options, we decided it was the best. But I think all three of us are hoping that some better opportunity will naturally present itself.

Betsey, Ella, and I congregate in the rec room after breakfast. Mom’s awake but in her office downstairs; I haven’t seen her yet this morning. Ella turns on the TV; none of us watches. Instead, we three spend the passing minutes giving one another meaningful glances. Waiting for something to happen. I’m dressed in Ella’s favorite cardigan and flats, and Ella’s wearing my new captivity uniform: faded jeans and a gray hoodie. She has stick-straight hair and her legs are folded under her; she’s sitting on my side of the couch.

Because I’m facing the hallway, I see Mom in the doorway before the others do. My anger pumps through my veins, but I shove it away, thinking: What would Ella do?

“Hi, Mom,” I say brightly. She smiles.

“Good morning, girls.”

I glance at Ella, who’s deliberately not looking at Mom. She’s scowling, and on her face, I see the me I’ve become.

“I’m going to shower and then head out to brave the grocery store,” Mom says. “Our turkey is ready for pickup and I need to get everything else before the lines are too long. Anyone want to come?”

“I’m in the middle of a book,” I say, patting the hardcover on the side table next to me. “Sorry.”

I could be wrong, but I think I glimpse something funny in Mom’s eyes, like maybe she’s not buying it. But instead of asking me why I’m wearing Ella’s clothes, she looks at Betsey.

“I have cramps,” Bet groans, setting us up nicely for the Hail Mary scenario in case we need it later. Finally, Mom’s eyes fall on Ella.

I hold my breath.

“I don’t suppose you’d like to join me, would you, Lizzie?”

Ella doesn’t flinch, but I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from beaming: It worked!

When Ella remains quiet for a few more seconds, Mom rolls her eyes. “I see,” she says. “Well, then, I’ll go take my shower. You three enjoy your show.”

“Can we play Jenga later?” I ask, just to seal the deal. Ella loves Jenga.

“Of course,” Mom says, smiling again before turning and walking down the hall to her room. When her door is closed, Betsey springs up from the couch and runs downstairs. In two minutes, she’s back.

“What are you doing?” Ella asks. Betsey holds up two shiny keys—one silver and one gold.

“Making your life easier,” she says to me. “These are the only two keys on Mom’s keychain that I don’t recognize. One of them has to open the office.”

“What if she notices?”

“Wouldn’t you rather take the chance than have to break a window or something?” Bet asks.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I say. “So when am I going? When she’s back?”

“No!” Betsey says in a low tone. “This is even better. You’re going to leave when she does. She’ll never know any of us left the house.”

“But what if she comes back before I do?” I ask. “We won’t know when she’s on her way home. Ella can’t go with her, and you just said you have cramps.”

“Oh,” Betsey says, as if she didn’t think of that.

“Call Sean,” Ella says evenly. “He loves this stuff, and he loves you. He’ll totally follow Mom.” She glances at the closed door at the end of the hallway. “But do it soon: You know how fast she gets ready.”

My conversation with Sean is quick and efficient. He’s up for anything, including staking out my mom. He’s only seen her that one time at the post office, so with just a few minutes left, Betsey logs on to the computer and sends a photo to his phone. We all take our places in the rec room again until Mom leaves, then after we hear the gate close, I dash to my room and grab two of the spy phones. I use one to call the other, then hand the one I called to Ella.

“Now you have the number on the ID,” I say.

“Good thinking,” she replies. “Okay, you need to go… like now.”

I run down the stairs and out the door with Bet and Ella trailing behind me.

“Call us with updates,” Bet says.

“Be careful,” Ella shouts.

“Okay,” I say to both of them before throwing myself behind the wheel and starting the car. I head up the driveway and through the gate, then down the hill, biting my bottom lip all the way.

I’m parking on the street about a block away from Mom’s office when Sean calls.

“She’s here at the store,” he says quietly. “I’ve got her.”