JACKSON
I pushed open the door and found Katie in her usual spot on the living room floor, still wearing her backpack, rocking slowly as she watched the TV on mute. The couch was vacant, and a quick look through the apartment revealed that my mother wasn't even home. She'd left Katie alone again.
I rubbed my head and helped Katie shrug out of her backpack. I'd told mom at least six times that I had practice, and I'd be home late. But she still assumed I would just be home when Katie got off the school bus. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked her quietly.
She nodded absently without ever taking her eyes off the TV. I wished I could get inside her head, to get inside her world and understand how she experiences things. "How about a snack?"
She nodded again and tore her eyes away from th
