Perfect Girl - Weebly

She slams the freezer door shut in my face. “Promise,”
she hisses.
“Promise what?”
“Promise first.”
“How can I promise if I don’t know what you wan—”
“PROMISE!”
I stare.
“Everything okay in there?” Aunt Marty calls from the
living room.
“We’ll be right out,” Mom calls back, her voice unnaturally
high. Then, her face gets twisted and she mouths the
word, “Promise.”
Any moment, I expect my mother’s head to spin completely
around and pea soup to hurl from her mouth.
“Okay,” I spit out. “I promise. What is it?”
My mother presses her mouth right up to my ear and
whispers, “Promise me you’ll say no.”
“To what?”
“Just promise.”
“Mom!”
“My sister is a black widow spider, Ruthie. Once someone
is caught in her web, there’s no getting out.”
I roll my eyes. “She thinks I look seventeen, Mom. She’s
awesome.”
Mom squeezes my arm. “I’m not letting you go until
you promise.”
“Owww . . .”
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