My grandfather had known that I’d had a crush on Rory Miller. After Vernon died, I found out the Millers were moving to Colorado. I was supposed to meet and hang out with Rory before they left—in fact, I’d arranged to spend the whole day with him. Patsy knew it and, last minute, I got a phone call: “Your mom wants you to fly home to L.A. today.” Patsy had told my mom, and my mom was not having it. I was devastated. Rory took me to the airport. That was the first time I remember having actual, real, specific hatred toward my mother.
