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Hi, friends!
I'm searching for a book that I believe I read sometime around 2002/2003.
The MC is a young girl (maybe 10 years old? Possibly younger...Wish I remembered more!) with a younger baby brother and a mentally ill mother. The MC is always looking out for her brother and taking abuse from the mother in attempts to shield the little boy.
At some point the MC goes to the house of one of the mother's ex-boyfriends, she feels somewhat safe there. The mother's ex is sympathetic, and I think he tries to help/protect/support the kids. Legally, he has no power to help.
One scene that stands out in my memory: The mother is driving with the girl in the front seat and the baby boy asleep in the backseat. The mother intentionally drives in the wrong lane, heading for oncoming traffic and refuses to go back into her lane. She demands that the MC first say "I love you." The MC does to protect her brother.
The kids are separated later in the story. The mother takes the baby and leaves the girl (maybe with an aunt? Or the mother's ex). There is an effort to find the mother and baby boy, and I think the two ended up hiding in a boatyard with the mother's sketchy new boyfriend.
I will be so grateful if anyone can help me!
Thank you!
I'm searching for a book that I believe I read sometime around 2002/2003.
The MC is a young girl (maybe 10 years old? Possibly younger...Wish I remembered more!) with a younger baby brother and a mentally ill mother. The MC is always looking out for her brother and taking abuse from the mother in attempts to shield the little boy.
At some point the MC goes to the house of one of the mother's ex-boyfriends, she feels somewhat safe there. The mother's ex is sympathetic, and I think he tries to help/protect/support the kids. Legally, he has no power to help.
One scene that stands out in my memory: The mother is driving with the girl in the front seat and the baby boy asleep in the backseat. The mother intentionally drives in the wrong lane, heading for oncoming traffic and refuses to go back into her lane. She demands that the MC first say "I love you." The MC does to protect her brother.
The kids are separated later in the story. The mother takes the baby and leaves the girl (maybe with an aunt? Or the mother's ex). There is an effort to find the mother and baby boy, and I think the two ended up hiding in a boatyard with the mother's sketchy new boyfriend.
I will be so grateful if anyone can help me!
Thank you!