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(chapter eight, lack of self-preservation.)
"HOW'S HE DOING?" Sadie turns to her mother, placing the pitcher of water down on the table as Alicia looks over at Jake, who is talking to a few people in the tent, "Better." Madison sighs, shaking her head as she remarks, "Lying's not useful, Alicia." Sadie snorts, giving her mother a cheeky grin as she mutters, "For you, maybe."
Both women ignore Sadie, with Alicia stating to her mother, "He got over the poisoning. He recovered from that. It's. . ." She pauses, flitting her eyes to Jake as she utters out, "Look, you can get sick treating people with anthrax. He'll recover." Sadie doesn't know if the teen is saying that reassure their mother or herself, but she rubs her back comfortingly as she says, "He will."
"Well, take care of him." Madison states with a small smile as Alicia replies back, "You do the same." She begins to walk away but their mother grabs her by the elbow, pulling her back as she questions, "What does that mean?" The teen looks around the tent before placing her gaze back on Madison, whispering, "It doesn't help Jake or the peace if you back channel with Walker." "I don't." Their mother denies, eyebrows pinched together as Alicia quips back, "Lying's not useful, mom."
Night falls as Sadie hangs around Alicia, after two days, the teen couldn't take the cold shoulder anymore and apologized to Sadie, explaining to her that she didn't mean what she had said about their father. The woman forgave her, telling Alicia not to bring their dad into arguments — especially with her around, as selfish as that is, she just couldn't take another yelling session involving her father.
