Read That Night for Free Online

that I could tell she didn’t really like me anymore. It felt like she was always disappointed in me, and kind of embarrassed, but mostly angry, like it drove her nuts that she couldn’t get me to be what she wanted. Sometimes I wondered if she even loved me anymore.
    *   *   *
    When I went in, Mom was doing some paperwork in the office. Dad was good with people and an awesome builder but he had no head for numbers, so Mom ran the business side of the company. She had her hair up in a loose ponytail, some of it coming undone. Without any makeup, she looked tired too, the dim glow of her desk light accentuating the hollows of her cheeks. She was wearing one of my dad’s T-shirts and a pair of jeans. She could look pretty when we went out for dinner or something, but she also spent a lot of time wearing work boots and talking to the guys at the construction site. One of the reasons it bugged the hell out of me when she was riding my ass about my clothes.
    I tried to pass by without saying anything, but she heard my footsteps and turned. “About time you got home. Thanks for the call.” Her words were snarky, but she looked concerned, and I wondered if I was part of the reason she was tired, which made me feel bad. I wasn’t sure which annoyed me more.
    “I was at Ryan’s. I told you that.”
    “You mentioned you might be going, but I’d appreciate it if you actually phoned home and kept us informed. I didn’t know how much food to make.”
    “Okay, fine, whatever.” I walked down the hall.
    She followed me out of the office. “No, it’s not fine . I’d like an apology.”
    I threw a “Sorry” over my shoulder, then mumbled under my breath, “that you’re a control freak.”
    “What did you just say?” She pushed open my bedroom door as I was taking off my T-shirt.
    “Hey, a little privacy, please?”
    “As long as you live in my house, you obey my rules, Toni. And we’ve asked you time and time again to call if you’re going to be late.”
    I felt another wave of anger. She was always calling it her house, like we didn’t have a say in anything.
    “I said I was sorry. Now can you leave it alone?”
    “I don’t know what to do about you, Toni.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Your attitude has gotten even worse since you’ve been seeing Ryan.”
    “You’re just on my case because you don’t like him.”
    It sucked that my parents couldn’t see how good Ryan was, how good he was to me—he’d saved up to get me a necklace for my birthday, a black onyx star on this cool leather cord. They didn’t see the sweet letters he’d write me, not trying to be all tough like some guys. There wasn’t anything we couldn’t talk about, embarrassing stories, our hopes and dreams. Ryan made me feel like I was normal , better than normal. My parents just saw that his father was an ex-con and that Ryan drove a big loud truck and listened to heavy metal music.
    “Ryan’s the only good thing in my life right now,” I said.
    She leaned against my doorframe, took a breath, preparing for a this-is-for-your-own-good lecture.
    “That’s the problem, Toni. He shouldn’t be the only good thing. I know you have strong feelings for him—I’m just worried that you’re forgetting everything else in your life. What about your other friends?”
    “I still see my friends, but they have boyfriends too. Ryan and I like to do the same things. What’s wrong with spending time with him? You just hate him.”
    Ryan rarely came by the house. Even though my mother was polite, I felt tense and uncomfortable—like she might count the silverware after he was gone. Dad and he talked about fishing and hunting, guy stuff. But one night after Ryan was over for dinner my dad came to my room and said, “Ryan seems like a nice boy, Toni, but you know his father’s another story. They aren’t the best people for you to be spending so much of your time with. Just think about it, will you?”
    I was sure Mom had