By dinner they seemed to have made up. Dad was working late. Daisy was sleeping. She’d thrown up a lot earlier in the day, and Mom made an appointment to take her to the vet the next morning.
The three of us were sitting down and no one was talking. Finally, I said: “So, are we going to see Justin in a play?” Via didn’t answer but looked down at her plate.
“You know, Auggie,” said Mom quietly. “I hadn’t realized what play it was, and it really isn’t something that would be interesting to kids your age.”
“So I’m not invited?” I said, looking at Via.
“I didn’t say that,” said Mom. “It’s just I don’t think it’s something you’d enjoy.”
“You’d get totally bored,” said Via, like she was accusing me of something.
“Are you and Dad going?” I asked.
“Dad’ll go,” said Mom. “I’ll stay home with you.”
“What?” Via yelled at Mom. “Oh great, so you’re going to punish me for being honest by not going?”
“You didn’t want us to go in the first place, remember?” answered Mom.
“But now that you know about it, of course I want you to go!” said Via.
“Well, I’ve got to weigh everyone’s feelings here, Via,” said Mom. “What are you two talking about?” I shouted.
“Nothing!” they both snapped at the same time.
“Just something about Via’s school that has nothing to do with you,” said Mom.
“You’re lying,” I said.
“Excuse me?” said Mom, kind of shocked. Even Via looked surprised.
“I said you’re lying!” I shouted. “You’re lying!” I screamed at Via, getting up. “You’re both liars! You’re both lying to my face like I’m an
idiot!”
“Sit down, Auggie!” said Mom, grabbing my arm. I pulled my arm away and pointed at Via.
“You think I don’t know what’s going on?” I yelled. “You just don’t want your brand-new fancy high school friends to know your brother’s a freak!”
“Auggie!” Mom yelled. “That’s not true!”
“Stop lying to me, Mom!” I shrieked. “Stop treating me like a baby!
I’m not retarded! I know what’s going on!”
I ran down the hallway to my room and slammed the door behind me so hard that I actually heard little pieces of the wall crumble inside the door frame. Then I plopped onto my bed and pulled the covers up on top of me. I threw my pillows over my disgusting face and then piled all my stuffed animals on top of the pillows, like I was inside a little cave. If I could walk around with a pillow over my face all the time, I would.
I don’t even know how I got so mad. I wasn’t really mad at the beginning of dinner. I wasn’t even sad. But then all of a sudden it all kind of just exploded out of me. I knew Via didn’t want me to go to her stupid play. And I knew why.
I figured Mom would follow me into my room right away, but she didn’t. I wanted her to find me inside my cave of stuffed animals, so I waited a little more, but even after ten minutes she still didn’t come in after me. I was pretty surprised. She always checks on me when I’m in my room, upset about stuff.
I pictured Mom and Via talking about me in the kitchen. I figured Via was feeling really, really, really bad. I pictured Mom totally laying on the guilt. And Dad would be mad at her when he came home, too.
I made a little hole through the pile of pillows and stuffed animals and peeked at the clock on my wall. Half an hour had passed and Mom still hadn’t come into my room. I tried to listen for the sounds in the other rooms. Were they still having dinner? What was going on?
Finally, the door opened. It was Via. She didn’t even bother coming over to my bed, and she didn’t come in softly like I thought she would. She came in quickly.
