One (One Universe)

nose. “Nothing yellow. I hate yellow.”
    “I know. How about this purple one? It would look so pretty with your dark hair.”
    I sighed and let her hold it against my chest. She chewed her lip and studied me for a moment before her gaze slid past me deeper into the store.
    She stiffened, her hands turning to claws and digging into my shoulders.
    “What?” I whipped around to look behind me.
    Mom dropped the shirt on the table and shook her head. She’d gone pale, but pasted a smile to her face. “Nothing. I just don’t think purple is your color.” She peered past me again and clutched her purse closer to her side. “You know what? I’m not feeling so well. I think we should head home.”
    I frowned at her. “Home? Seriously? You dragged me all the way to the mall just to turn around and go home? I should at least get a smoothie out of it or something.”
    Her right hand slid into her purse and stayed there, like she was searching for something, but she kept her eyes trained on the back of the store. “I’m not dealing with your smart mouth right now, Lexie. Let’s go.”
    She moved to grab my hand, but I jerked out of her grasp. “What is going on? Why are you being so weird?”
    Her eyes darted around the store one last time before she turned to me. “Nothing. We just need to move.” Slowly she slid her hand out of her purse.
    And I froze in place, gasping at the shiny black gun in her grip. Blood roared in my ears. “What the hell is that? Is that real?”
    “I’m sure you’ve seen a gun before. It’s for protection.” Mom grabbed my hand and pulled me from the store.
    “Protection from what ?” My voice threatened to erupt in a shriek and I swallowed back my fear. Oh my god. Had she gone crazy?
    Something that felt like an electric shock zapped inside my brain, and the world spun. I clutched Mom’s arm as my mind lurched and sputtered. It felt like a computer had switched on inside my head, whirring and buzzing until it was all I could hear. My gaze focused in on the small details of the gun she tried to hide behind her purse - the curve of the handle, the faint etching on the barrel. Thoughts reeled through my head until they clicked in place. Instantly I recognized the gun was a .38 caliber, snub nose revolver by Smith and Wesson.
    Even though I knew absolutely nothing about guns. Even though I’d only ever seen a gun on TV.
    “What’s wrong, Lexie? Are you all right?” Mom tucked her hand, the gun still in it, into the pocket of her sweater before inspecting me with a worried gaze.
    “Do you think I’m all right? You have a gun .” And my brain might be broken. It was enough to totally freak a girl out.
    “Yes, I do. Now come on .” She tugged my arm and I let her speed walk me through the rest of the mall. I was still in too much shock to resist.
    Mom and I burst through the glass doors, and as soon as the slap of the humid Ohio summer hit me, I found my voice. “Mom. Stop. What’s going on?”
    She kept moving across the parking lot, despite the heat turning the pavement into a shimmering river. “Get in the car. We’ve got to go.”
    I dug my heels in until she stopped. Crossed my arms. “How long have you had that thing? Do you even know how to use it?”
    She threw a worried glance back at the mall doors, tucking a strand of her honey-colored hair behind her ears before turning to me. “We’re two single women living alone. It’s for our protection.”
    I shook my head. “What exactly do you expect to happen?”
    “Anything can happen,” she said with a frown, her glance flicking past me again. “Now really we need to get home. Will you please get in the car?”
    “Fine.” I yanked open the door and slid into the sweltering interior. Mom had us in reverse before I’d even slammed the door shut.
    I glanced at her from the corner of my eye as she drove. Her knuckles were white against the steering wheel, and a muscle jumped in her temple. Dread felt like a heavy hand on my chest and I stayed quiet until we pulled into the driveway. She switched the car off, but I didn’t move.
    “What’s going on?” I asked softly. “You’ve never lied to me before.”
    Mom turned to face me, her eyes serious. “I’m not lying. The gun is for protection. I want to make sure you’re safe.”
    “Safe from what? What did you see back at the mall?”
    She shook her head. “Nothing you need to worry about. I promise. Now let’s get inside before we melt in all this