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after a few more minutes.
    â€œAt this point she’s probably gone bonkers and started naming every bulb of garlic,” I said.
    Anna laughed. “Was your mom always like that? Into tarot cards and crystals and everything?”
    â€œNo,” I said. “She used to be normal when I was a little kid. She read her horoscope, but that’s about it. Now she’s into psychic awareness and self-help books.”
    â€œHow come?”
    â€œI think it’s because of my dad. She found out that my dad was having an affair with someone at his work. My dad has a new wife now.”
    â€œWow,” Anna said. “I can’t believe your mom told you all that.”
    â€œYeah, my mom tells me everything.” And most of the time I wish she didn’t , I added in my head.
    â€œDo you miss your dad?” Anna said.
    â€œHe has two kids and a whole other life. I don’t think about him much.” It felt weird and a little sad telling Anna the story. “After that my mom started getting weird and New Agey,” I said.
    â€œWow,” Anna said again. “That explains a lot.”
    â€œI know.” I paused. “Right now she’s probably chatting away to Bob, Brenda and Biff, the Garlic Bulbs.”
    Anna hooted with laughter.
    I was really getting into the swing of things now.
    â€œShe has a tarot-card-reading business,” I said. “She goes by the name Lady Venus. She charges lots of money to desperate women looking for love. No matter which cards she gets, she says the same thing.” I imitated my mom’s overly dramatic Lady Venus voice. “You will meet a handsome stranger soon. Love is coming to you. Just open your heart.”
    Anna’s jaw was hanging open. She was loving every bit of my act.
    â€œMy mom also goes to women’s retreats where she and other old ladies worship the full moon and do yoga naked,” I said. Dramatically, I raised my arms over my head as I’d seen my mother do. As I was in Downward Dog pose, I looked between my legs, upside down.
    My mother was standing in the shadows, right outside the barn door.
    She’d heard everything.
    I stood up so fast that blue and pink stars flashed in front of my eyes. Anna just stood there, her hand over her mouth, looking horrified.
    I turned and ran after my mom, who was walking quickly across the yard.
    â€œMom!” I shouted after her. She didn’t turn around.
    I went back into the barn. Anna was still standing where I had left her.
    â€œAre you in trouble?” Anna’s eyes were huge. “I think she heard everything you said.”
    â€œSort of,” I said. I made light of it, but I felt terrible for making fun of my mom like that. “She’ll give me the silent treatment for a while.”
    At dinner, my mom chatted loudly with Ruth and Klaus, and ignored Anna and me completely. I decided to ignore her too. It served her right.
    I had bigger things to worry about. I had to finish my portrait of Frida Cowlo for the art contest.
    After dinner, Anna and I hung out in her room. My mom was in the kitchen helping Ruth clean up. She was telling Ruth about the healing properties of crystals.
    â€œHey, so you’ve been borrowing my clothes all week,” Anna said. “Can I try on some of yours?”
    â€œOkay!” I said. I ran into the guest room and grabbed my duffel bag. We started going through all the clothes I’d brought.
    â€œCool!” Anna said, taking out my blue and white polyester dress with the big buttons.
    â€œThat’s an airline stewardess uniform from the 1960s,” I said. “I got it at a thrift store.”
    Anna pulled out a bunch of skirts and shirts to try on. She would go behind her closet door, change and strut out, model-on-the-catwalk style. I narrated the whole show.
    â€œAnd here is Anna in a vintage pink poodle skirt with a bright red crinoline, plus a white Marc Jacobs shirt with a sweetheart