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“If you don’t mind me asking. How long has your sister had this gift?”
There’s no use in lying. I have no idea how long Charlie’s been like this. When I found her, she was so angry and traumatized. She wouldn’t talk to me. We’ve been running for months, and not once has she opened up about her past.
“Tory,” I say slowly. “I need to admit something to you. Charlie isn’t my sister.”
“Excuse me?” a voice answers, dripping with anger.
I look over my shoulder in surprise to see Graveyard standing in the doorway. His face is red. His expression is furious.
“Please tell me that I didn’t risk my entire career to help you save your sister,” he says, his tone murderous. “And she’s not even your sister!”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Daisy sings happily in her booster seat as we drive home from daycare. It’s not often that Pocus and I have the afternoon off together. She was thrilled when we both showed up to pick her up. From that one small gesture, you’d think we hung the moon.
Pocus, on the other hand, clutches the steering wheel, his knuckles white. His jaw is set in a tense line and his eyes are narrowed. He’s been like this for the last day, ever since he had his chat with Meredith. He doesn’t trust her and has told me in no uncertain terms that he wants her out of his house immediately.
Of course, the second we picked Daisy up, she asked about her friend Charlie. Pocus’s face fell. He can’t just throw the girls out on the street. Daisy loves Charlie, and that’s that. We both know who runs the show in this family.
“I’m just saying,” he seethes, his voice low so Daisy can’t hear. “We know nothing about this woman. She’s certainly not forthcoming. How do we know we can trust her around our daughter?”
“Daisy has never been alone with her,” I remind him. “It’s not like she’s an axe murderer. If there were anything shady in her past, Snake would have pulled it up by now.”
He shoots me a guilty look, and I know I have him. I wasn’t sure, but I had my suspicions that Snake ran a background check on Meredith the second she walked into our house.
“But that’s the thing, mon amour.” He sighs. “There’s nothing about her at all. It’s like she’s a ghost.”
At this, he looks up in the rearview mirror to look at Daisy. He’s been completely freaked out that Cassandra is around, ever since Hex told him. He’s probably nervous she’s in the car now, which almost makes me laugh. He’s so overprotective sometimes.
“Why are we the ones hosting them, anyway?” he grumbles. “I’m not the Prez anymore. I shouldn’t be the one taking in strays. When you lose the title, you should lose the responsibilities.”
I sigh heavily, not wanting to circle this argument again. Stepping down was a sacrifice for him, but it was his choice. I’m tired of him acting like a martyr because of it.
“Admit it,” I chide. “You were taking in strays long before you became Prez. You probably will for the rest of your life. It’s who you are.”
“It’s not who I want to be,” he says, his voice passionate and loud. “This shouldn’t be my burden to bear, goddammit!”
I glance back at Daisy, worried she may have heard that. He knows I don’t like for her to hear swearing. He doesn’t have the decency to look chastened. He’s allowed to be angry, but not in front of her.
“Maybe we should continue this conversation when we get home,” I answer quietly, my tone reproachful.
He shoots me an annoyed look. “But she’ll be there,” he says darkly. “And that’s the point, Abigail. I don’t want her in my house anymore. “
“Then throw them out on the street,” I hiss, my voice angry. “Make that poor girl and her sister fend for themselves, even if it means they’re sleeping on the sidewalk and begging for scraps of food.”
His face becomes like stone, impassable. Maybe I’ve gone too far, but he needs to hear it how it is. What would have happened if he’d decided to toss me out all those years ago? Or if he’d done it to Tory? Whether he likes it or not, he has a long history of helping those who need it. I won’t sit here and pretend to be okay with his attitude. I happen to like Meredith. I see that she’s had a lot of trauma in her past. She needs us and she needs a safe place to land right now.
We pull up to the house. Daisy is already squirming in her seat, anxious to get inside to see her new best friend. Pocus sits in stony silence. I know he’s mad, but this conversation is on hold for now. As I get out to go help Daisy out of her car seat, I hear the front door open and see Graveyard stepping out, looking as angry as Pocus.
The second Daisy is unbuckled, she shoots into the house, her energy boundless. Pocus slowly exits the car as Graveyard approaches.
“We need to talk,” Graveyard tells Pocus in a clipped tone.
“I was just thinking the same,” Pocus answers, his tone short.
“Meredith has been lying to us,” Graveyard says, at the same time that Pocus says, “I think Meredith needs to go.”
The atmosphere eases as both men take in what the other has said. Pocus looks at me with a smug expression on his face. I can already hear his thoughts.
