Until I Saw You (Until I Saw You #1)

by Dianna Roman

Isn’t your care worker helping you keep things cleaned up?” My mother squawks amidst the crackle of potato chip bags and what sounds like an aluminum can that just got kicked across the floor. “I…I can help with that, Leigh Ann,” Rob flusters, followed by the rustling of a trash bag. “I was going to help him take the trash out before I left.” “Mom,” I call accusingly, “What are you doing here?” “I came to bring you some cookies we had left over from the bake sale, but I don’t even know where I can put them.” ​“Cookies? You’ve got cookies?” I sniff and head toward the sound of her voice. “Here. I’ll take them.” Finding her shoulder, I extend my other hand. She sighs. “You might as well. Your entire counter is covered with snack boxes.” When I hear her rummaging through them, I pause the cookie I have halfway to my mouth. “You’re not messing with my food, are you? I have a system.” “A system? Half of these are empty, and some still have food in them. How do you even know which ones are full or still good?” Grabbing a box, I hold it up and shake it. When it fails to rattle, I kick my foot out to locate the trash can and shove the box down on the top of it. Judging by how much I have to squish it down, the sound I hear is something that overflowed and hit the floor. Honest mistake. Happens to people who can see too, so I keep my poker face, hoping the eyebrow I raise sends my point home. “There. See? Empty,” I inform her.