Lymber craft's Arc

Chapter 53 of 70

The morning after the party, Lymber knocked on the bathroom door and said the mall, just us, leave the phone if you want. Violetta opened the door with mascara half-done and asked why. Lymber said because you need jeans and I need an hour with you. Violetta looked at her a long second, then wiped one eye with the back of her hand and said fine. Paul took the twins to the yard. Maggie came for Jett. Lymber drove and did not fill the quiet with anything. Violetta watched the road and picked at a thread on her sleeve. At a red light Lymber said pick any store you want first, and Violetta said the one with the black window, and Lymber said okay without asking what it sold. Inside, Violetta pulled two pairs of jeans and a tank top and held them against herself in the mirror. Lymber stood behind her and did not fix the strap on the shirt. She said that color is good on you. Violetta's shoulders came down half an inch. In the fitting room Violetta talked through the door about a girl at school who had stopped sitting with her, and Lymber leaned on the wall and listened without offering a plan. She said that sounds lonely. Violetta was quiet, then said yeah. They ate pretzels on a bench by the fountain and Violetta showed her a video on the store's display screen and laughed once, real, and Lymber laughed too. At the register Lymber paid for the jeans, the tank top, and a jacket Violetta had touched twice and put back. Violetta said you didn't have to. Lymber said I know. In the car Violetta reached over and turned the radio up instead of down, and Lymber let her pick the station the whole way home. The gap was not gone. It was smaller by one afternoon, and Violetta said thanks, mom, before she got out, and Lymber sat in the driveway for a minute before she followed her in.