In Place of Never (23 page)

“Mercy.” Her voice was a whisper. She tugged my hand away from Cross and pressed the amulet inside, folding my fingers securely over it. “You must wear this.”

I opened my hand and examined the large blue stone set inside a crescent moon. The piece was three inches long and heavy, made of metal or iron, hanging from a wide silver chain.

“I can’t accept this.” What had happened to her in the two minutes that we’d spoken? Had she aged?

Nicolae strode across the space between the stunned onlookers and us. He shot Cross and me a warning look and turned Nadya toward their trailer. “Come, my heart. Let’s rest a while.” He steered her toward the crowd.

She twisted in his arms, searching over one shoulder for me.

“Wear it.” She lifted a shaky finger. “Death follows you.”

Double Lock the Doors

Nadya kept the sideshow busy for the rest of the week, and the more quality time Pru and I spent with Dad, the more fun family-time ideas he came up with. Over the next two days, my relationship with Cross devolved to text messages and short good nights on the roof because he had early morning practice or gigs in nearby towns. I missed him more than logic dictated.

The black streaks in my hair were an inch shorter. Snipping the ends became my bedtime routine. Each morning, I felt lighter, but never guilty. I didn’t need more visual reminders of my guilt and loss. The black didn’t preserve anything, least of all Faith’s memory. Seeing her old friends and finding her sketchbooks had given me a much better idea of how to honor her. Tomorrow I’d visit the high school. Tonight, I had a boy to kiss.

I stretched my legs. Pru’s jeans fit nicely. They clung appropriately, attractively to my growing curves. I’d never be built like the Lovell women, but the four pounds I’d gained were noticeable and I liked it. My tummy churned at the thought of food, but an influx of nerves demanded I wait to eat. Pru and I had plans for popcorn and a movie later. Meanwhile, I needed the right top for these jeans. Cross performed at Red’s in less than two hours.

I crept down the steps to my old room. There was no need to be stealthy, but barging in seemed wrong on some level. Our old room was an altar.

Pru bounced through her open doorway. “What’s up?”

I stared at my old bedroom door. “I thought I’d borrow a top from Faith. Is that weird? Do you think she’d mind?”

Pru shook her head. She pushed the door open and flipped on the light. “I think she’d like it. That’s what sisters do, right? Borrow one another’s clothes.” She tugged on the pocket of my pants as I passed her.

“Thanks. These are really cute.”

Pru sat on my old bed and dragged a pillow into her lap. “You’re welcome. Have anything in mind?”

I shoved hangers across the closet bar. “Sort of. She wore it to graduation.” My fingers clutched the fabric. “How about this?”

I pressed the cream-and-tan patterned peasant top against my chest. The breezy A-line shape and light cotton fabric were perfect for the night’s heat and, with the help of Pru’s jeans, they emphasized my new healthier figure.

Her smile faded. “Your scars.”

I pulled in a big breath. “I have an idea for that.” Inside Faith’s bottom drawer was a pile of beaded jewelry. I dug out the widest leather cuff bracelet and presented it to Pru. “The leather is cute, right? Earthy-looking? I think it matches the top and I love the turquoise beads in the center.”

Pru waved. “Try it on.”

I stripped out of my long-sleeved T-shirt and tossed it at Pru before tugging the lightweight blouse over my head. “What do you think?”

Pru reached for my left arm, the uglier one, and lifted it in her palm. Her careful expression and lack of commentary stilled my breathing. It wasn’t in Pru’s nature to be careful or quiet, so what was she thinking? Would she understand now how messed up I was? Would she finally get why I hid? Silence gonged in my ears while I awaited her judgment. She’d never seen the scars like this. Not all at once. Never for her examination. Her swallow echoed in the quiet house.

What could I say to comfort her? “Pru…” Words failed. My scars made people sad, unhappy, nervous. Regardless of my life choices moving forward, those decisions were always on display.

She released my arm and wrapped herself around my middle in a tight embrace. “I’m sorry.”

I patted her awkwardly, unwilling to ruin her pretty curls or wrinkle the outfit she’d worked so hard on tonight. “It’s okay. Hey, I don’t do that anymore. Look. I can cover the worst of them with this bracelet. The others are barely noticeable.” I hoped. My gut ached. The scars burned.

She squeezed me tighter, like the little sister I remembered, not the teen I’d gotten to know this month.

The rigidity in my posture melted. “I wish I’d been stronger for you, but I promise never to check out like that again. Ever. Even when I’m gone, we’ll e-mail and text all the time and, in a couple years, you’ll be at Temple with me. You know Dad won’t let us go anywhere else.”

Pru giggled and sniffled against Faith’s blouse. “I think you look beautiful. You don’t have to wear the bracelet.” Wide blue eyes turned up to mine. “But please wear Faith’s super-cute goddess sandals with this outfit.”

Tears brimmed in my eyes. “You’ve got it.”

We left the room as we found it, minus one top, bracelet, and sandals, and polished our looks in Pru’s room.

My phone rang. I flipped it over and showed the screen to Pru. Unknown caller.

She shrugged. “See who it is.”

Well, duh. “Hello?”

“Mercy Porter? This is Sara. I was a friend of your sister’s.”

My knees buckled. “Hi, Sara.” I climbed the steps to my room in a trance. Pru stayed behind.

Sara was my last chance at finding the truth. “Sorry about the rambling message I left earlier. Can you tell me about Faith’s last night?”

“Sure.” The extended pause that followed stretched my nerves. “I guess I’m not sure what to say. What do you want to know?”

I chewed my lips. “I know she left the festival and went to the Lovells’ bonfire. I know she was with Anton Lovell and they were drinking. He passed out before she left. Do you know anything else?”

Sara sighed. “Yeah. She and Brady had a really complicated breakup. She was completely torn up over it. Your mom called her all the time. Your dad lectured her for everything. I remember she didn’t want to go to college half the time and the other half of the time she couldn’t wait to leave town. She was emotionally maxed, so I wasn’t surprised she came to the party. She needed to blow off some steam. She had some wine. That was unusual. She always said no. Faith was our designated driver before that weekend.”

“Did you talk to her when she got to the bonfire?”

“For a minute. She introduced me to an enormous guy, one of the Gypsies.”

I cringed. “Anton.” Gypsy sounded mean on her tongue. The Lovells were weird, but they were torn between preserving an old, creepy culture and embracing the modern world around them.

“I don’t remember his name. She said they were friends and he’d brought her there after Brady made a scene at the festival. It was a shame. I felt bad for him.”

“Anton?”

“Who? No. Brady. He didn’t want to break up, but she wouldn’t listen. She was done with him and there was no room for discussion.”

I scoffed and fiddled with the beads on Faith’s bracelet. “Well, could you blame her?”

Sara snapped her gum. “Well, yeah. Brady Dobbs is brilliant. He’s smart, funny, and a fantastic ball player. I’m surprised I never see him on television playing professionally. He probably went off and became a plastic surgeon or a rocket scientist or something. He was like that. Brady can probably do anything. He was worlds outside everyone’s league in high school. He could’ve had any girl he wanted, and he worshipped Faith.”

What would Sara think if she saw him now? Gag. “He worshipped her. Yeah, right. That’s why he pressured her for sex? Because he cared so much?”

“What?” Sara laughed. “What are you talking about?”

“Never mind.” That was Faith’s business. If she’d wanted Sara to know about it, she’d have told her. I huffed into the phone. “Did you see Faith leave the party?”

“No. She was still dancing when I let the fire-eater show me what else he could do with that hot mouth.”

I guffawed. “Collin?” I’d barely looked at Collin. He was quiet and never spoke to me.

She giggled. “I never got his name.”

Great. “Thanks for your help.”

“Sure thing.”

We disconnected and I tossed the phone onto the bed. Collin and Sara? How old was Collin? Did the Lovell men pick up women in every town? Gross. Whoever had thought Sara would be useful was w-r-o-n-g.

Dad’s voice boomed up the steps. “Pru? Mercy?”

My phone buzzed. Pru’s face filled the screen.

“Dad!”

I rolled off the bed and scooped clothes off my floor. My hair hung in a sloppy ponytail.

The stairs creaked under his weight. “Pru?”

“Hi, Dad!” Her voice was wild, breathless.

He stopped climbing stairs. “You sound tired. What were you doing?”

“Practicing. You know, color-guard stuff.”

I wrestled free of my outfit. Both feet caught in the legs of her skinny jeans and I tumbled against the wall.

Dad’s voice echoed up the stairs. “Mercy? Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Hang on. I’m coming down.” My cotton Capri sweats and hoodie overheated my flushed skin. I thumped down the steps to Pru’s room.

She looked perfect. Her new outfit was better suited to jogging than bar hopping, but she looked like a magazine cover anyway. I’d believe she was practicing her routines if I didn’t know better. She pointed down the hall behind me and mouthed the words. “His room.”

My tummy knotted. This was bad. I checked the time on my phone. Almost nine. We wanted to be at Red’s by ten.

I shuffled into Dad’s room. “Dad? What’s going on?”

He whipped his tie away from the collar of his striped dress shirt. “Nothing. You feeling okay? Your cheeks are flushed.”

I crossed my arms and pulled my henna-covered palm inside the sleeve. “I’m fine. Are you in for the night or heading back out?” I crossed my fingers. In for the night with some brandy or headed out to meet with the town oldies? Either option was great as long as he did one of them soon.

He grabbed a stack of paperwork off the bed and motioned to the door. “Are you hungry? I’m ordering pizza. I had a great idea for community outreach in the schools this fall. I’d love your input. You haven’t been out of school so long you’ve forgotten what’s cool, have you?”

I blew out a breath. “I’m not sure I ever knew what was cool.” I staggered toward the steps after him, sick with the knowledge I wouldn’t see Cross perform. “You’re working now? It’s after nine. You worked all day.”

He slowed his pace. “And?”

Shoot. My brain stuttered. He was on to me. “You’re always telling us to take better care of ourselves. When you come home from work planning to do more work, I worry.”

Dad smiled. “Ah, well, these last couple weeks have motivated me. I’m not as old as I thought I was, if you know what I mean. Time to put on the coffee and pull an old-fashioned all-nighter.”

Pru groaned in her room as we passed.

I followed Dad to the kitchen where he rolled out an enormous sheet of butcher paper on the table and drew twelve squares. “If I set a goal every month, the schools could help thousands of families in West Virginia.” He tapped a pen against his forehead. “We need specific outreach goals, venues, and activities before we divide them up to the schools. Winter coat drives. Food collection. School supplies. Cash for smoke detectors.”

Pru dragged into the kitchen and flopped into her chair. “What happened to running the Lovells out of town?”

I kicked her foot.

Dad turned his attention on us. “I’m working with Mayor Jesep on a few ideas. Revised permit regulations are a good start. If the town requires anyone requesting a Permit to Perform to make a personal appearance for signing and notarizing forms, we might cut down on travelers. Local folks can come by and sign the papers easy enough. Gypsies would likely pick another town to corrupt if stopping in to file forms caused a ripple in their schemes. Everyone’s happy.”

Pru shrugged. “Why not work on that?”

Dad narrowed his eyes. “Did you have a run-in with one of them you need to tell me about? I can call Sheriff Dobbs and file a report.”

I started. “No.”

Dad honed his attention on me. “Did you have a problem with one of them?”

I turned my chin left and right. “No, but I wish you weren’t pursuing this. Focus on things that matter. Don’t worry about the Lovells. They’ll be gone in two weeks.” I braced a palm on the table to steady my nerve.

He looked from me to Pru. “That’s two weeks too long, but you’re right. We’re stuck with them for now legally, anyhow. There’s nothing we can do to make them leave. Even after the fire. I can’t figure out what they want here bad enough to stay where they’re unwelcome.” He snorted. “Maybe they’re accustomed to being unwanted. They probably haven’t noticed.”

I straightened. “Someone set a fire to their belongings. I think they noticed.”

“Well, then I wish they’d take a hint.”

“Dad!”

Pru elbowed me and shoved away from the table. “Ten o’clock.”

My heart sank. There was no way to sneak out with Dad jacked on coffee and plans for betterment. I followed Pru upstairs. “Good night, Dad.”

“Sweet dreams, ladies.”

* * * *

Dad stayed up and worked until after one when my phone rang.

Pru grabbed it and tossed it over the bed to me. “It’s Cross.”

I smiled. I could only think of one reason he’d call instead of text. “Hello?”

“I’m in.” His low voice edged out the chaos behind him. Hooting pierced the background music. “Anton’s pretty excited.”

I covered the speaker with my hand and relayed the news to Pru. “I am too.”

Pru darted to my side. “Tell him to come over on his way home.”

“What?”

She snatched the phone away and turned her back to me. “Oh, my goodness, I’m so mega happy right now. You just won five thousand dollars! You have to come over on your way home. Dad’s home, though, so be quiet.” She squeaked and returned the phone to me. “Your boyfriend’s going to be a rock star.”