Too Many Secrets by Patricia H. Rushford

enough.”
    â€œSit!”
    For a split second, Jennie debated whether to keep walking. Unfortunately, her mother still had a tendency to use grounding to keep Jennie in line. She sighed and walked back to the table and sat down.
    â€œI had hoped you’d be mature enough to understand. Jennie, please! Don’t make this any harder than it is.”
    â€œYou’re the one who’s making it hard,” Jennie snapped back. “You’re the one who’s being immature. You said you’d love Dad forever. You said marriage is supposed to last a lifetime. We were doing okay …”
    â€œYour father is gone. He doesn’t live here anymore, and we’ve got to stop pretending. Can’t you see that?”
    Jennie folded her arms tight across her chest and stared at a bacon crumb on the plate.
    â€œAnd, we were not doing okay, Jennie. We’ve been miserable … I was miserable. When Pastor John suggested I see a counselor, I did. I’ve made some serious mistakes with you and Nick, letting you hold on to the hope that your father was alive. He isn’t coming back. He’s gone. I’ve accepted that and said goodbye. You need to say goodbye too.”
    â€œNo!” Jennie wanted to get up and run. Or throw her dishes at the wall. Mom’s words hung in the room like lead weights. “Why are you doing this? Why couldn’t you leave things the way they were?” Jennie had barely finished the last sentence when something broke inside her. She pushed her palms tight against her eyes, but the tears squeezed out anyway.
    Mom scooted her chair toward Jennie and patted her head. She always did that when Jennie was upset. It felt good being held by her again, like when she was little, but it made her cry even harder. Jennie didn’t want to feel good. She didn’t want to cry.
    â€œPoor baby,” her mother crooned. “It’s going to be all right. We’re going to be all right. Gloria said it would be hard at first, but once you talk to her …”
    Jennie did move then—fast. She jerked to her feet and sent the milk and coffee flying. Mom jumped up, grabbed a towel, and started mopping the table. Jennie turned away from her and ran.
    â€œJennie! Get back here!”
    Jennie stopped at the doorway and turned to face her mother. “No way! I’m not talking to some dumb shrink. You shouldn’t be seeing her either. She’s turning you against Daddy. She might have brainwashed you, but not me.”
    â€œJennifer McGrady!” Mom yelled as Jennie ran out of the room. She caught up with her at the landing, grabbed her arm, and spun Jennie around. The strength in her mother’s grip surprised her. “This attitude of yours has to stop, young lady. I love you, but I’m not going to allow you to run this family. I’d like nothing more than for you and Nick to accept and love Michael as much as I do. I’m willing to give you some time, but you need to know right now that if I decide to marry Michael, I’ll do it with or without your approval.”
    Her grip loosened and Jennie pulled away. Her mother’s words followed her up the stairs. “You have an appointment with Gloria on Monday afternoon. You will be there.”
    Over the weekend Jennie had taken Dad’s things out three times and written him another letter. By the time Monday arrived, Jennie was ready to combat the shrink.
    In the counseling office at church, Jennie talked to Gloria about school, how she loved taking care of Nick, and how well she and her mother usually got along. Since Mom had said that holding on to the hope her dad would come back was “unhealthy,” Jennie first told Gloria that she missed her father. She even said she could understand how her mom felt—which was a lie, of course. Jennie didn’t think she could ever understand how Mom could turn against Dad and even think about marrying