The truth can be tricky. In all my twelve years I've never lied .well actually I i won't be twelve until next month.Ikay to be honest.i sometimes exaggerate a little and maybe Ill hold back a few details,but that's because I keep getting in trouble for telling the whole truth.Mon says i think with my mouth.like last week Evvie and I rode our bikes to Melissa's sleepover and when we got there,all sweaty ,evvie said ,Yeeks I must smell like a pig .and i said pigs don't sweat.you smell like a goat .it was the truth but she didn't speak to me all night. 

Speaking of speaking,my annoying brother,Brian who's nine ,hangs on to words like they're shiny quarters,too valuable to spend, especially now that our lives have been turned upside down.I stomp around and yell ,but he just holds it all in. That can't be good ,can it? If i stuck him with a pin he'd pop like a balloon.

Right now mom and i cleaning the living room,or more like she's cleaning and I'm batting around a feather duster. It makes me mad that I can't get Brian talking when there's so much so say about dad and all that stuff .

Give him time , Shelby,mom says turninoff the vacuum.

Mom! She'd never admit it .but Brian is her favor ite.she always makes excuses for him.would it kill him to say what's on his mind?i demand.

Mom sights . she's out of the crying phase of their divorce and into the deep signing phase now .yes, Shelby it would kill him .not literally but there's a lot in his heart and it's too painful for him to talk about it.Hed fell better if he got it out .it's the healthy thing to do .I'm practically barking at my poor mom but I can't stop.

That's the difference between the two of you.honey you get white hot mad and he freezes .you so much like your father,she  says under her breath as Brian comes into the living room.She hands him a dustrag and a can of pledge.

This ?he points to the coffee table .

See what I mean ?he  could have said okay i guess you want me to dust this table.id be glad to ,mom but he says it all in one word and a question mark .

Yes, and we want to finish up quickly to get to the hospital.aunt Amelia's expecting us.mom says.

 Ugh ……

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