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Show Inside Out, 125 Mom had gone back to work a few weeks before. She had always kept her nursing license current, "just in case," so it was easy for her to find a job when she wanted to. Her shift went until 4:00 p.m., so on the days that I ( worked, she got home before I did. She had told me when she took the job that she thought it was important for her to be home for me in the evenings if she could. (I guess she wanted to be home for Joe, too, in case he ever decided to spend any time at home.) That day I didn't have to work, so I got home before she did. I thought the house was empty as usual, but when I came in the front door I heard a radio on upstairs. "Mom?" I called. "No, it's me," called Oad. "I thought you had to work today." "No, not on Tuesdays," I called back. I guess it shows how screwed up everything was that I didn't even wonder why he was home during the day. He had been coming in and out for a few weeks and I had gotten used to not expecting him. I went into the kitchen and put a bag of popcorn in the microwave. I had just spread out my algebra when Oad came in. He had on jeans and a |