by Tara Brown
I hug back, taking a deep inhale of her hair. “How’s things?”
“You know, same old same old. Lorri is tracking Jonathan and Oliver and I have been helping Lorri with training and whatnot. How are you? How’s England?”
“The same. Busy. The English Roses are taking down a blood brothel right now, so it’s fairly nasty. Human trafficking has not made our work easier.” I shrug.
She wrinkles her nose. “Speaking of changes, Tessa is in a home now. Did you hear?”
“Took her there myself. She’s doing wonderfully. Adjusting well. I swear that woman is gonna live forever.”
Her eyes look funny when she nods along.
“What?”
She shakes her head but I can see something is there. “The girl you got to send you home last time, she’s here now.” What she means to say is the girl, who Em and Angie never believed me about, is here.
My insides burn. “I know. Marcus called me. Told me Ari was here. Said I should come and meet her.”
“You going to see if she can send someone back, like Tessa?” She seems scared but hopeful.
It makes me laugh but not in a good way. I laugh because it’s ironic that she wants me to go back this time. I know Em has been stalking Greg for years. She has wished she could be a normal girl forever. But I don't have the option this time. “No. Tessa could make it so we’re never born. No. I’m not gonna do that.” I look around for her partner in crime. “Where’s Angie?”
She rolls her eyes. “Seducing some young thing. He’s buff and annoying. He smells like cookies. It’s ridiculous.” Her eyes sparkle. “Want to go interrupt her?”
“No. I’ll catch you both at dinner?”
“He’s pretty hot.” She bats her eyelashes at me.
“You go on. I have some things to do here and then I’ll see you after.”
“I probably shouldn't go either.” She glances down at her books and computer as her tone changes and becomes serious. “I have some things to do here too. I have a bad feeling someone is a double agent for the bad guys. Things aren’t adding up. I’m almost certain who it is. I’m going to talk to Lorri as soon as she gets back.”
“Good call. God knows we have enough to worry about without our people switching sides and believing Jonathan’s load of crap.”
Her eyes focus back on her computer screen. “See you at dinner then!”
I wave, walking down the hall to the study. Marcus is there, sitting in a chair smiling away at me. “Well, if it isn’t the girl who reneges on proper deals. Haven’t seen you since the last time you refused to fulfill your end of the bargain.”
I roll my eyes. “I don't owe you squat and I saw you a week ago. You are always trying to get me to owe you for everything under the sun.” It’s been fifty years of an attempt at a relationship, but it never works. We laugh and joke and talk and somehow it has all become something. Something we refuse to acknowledge beyond casual but I know it's more. In the last few years I have noticed a change in him. I think he has obsessions beyond me now.
I catch black hair in the corner of my eye and turn to see her there—the girl. The one who sent me back.
She seems meeker, maybe a little skittish or submissive, and not much like she was when I met her. But even if she doesn't look the same, there is no way I could ever forget those soulless eyes. They’re the same as Dorian’s. Another person I have spent fifty years getting to know and love in a way that confuses me. I think it confuses him too.
I smile at her, pushing away my random thoughts. “Ari, how are you?”
She frowns, not remembering me, obviously.
Marcus holds a hand out to me. “This is Lorelei. She’s a pain in my ass.”
Ari smiles. “Then I guess we must be friends.” We both laugh.
Marcus crosses his arms as though he might have one of his epic fits. “I was going to tell you some good news out of the kindness of my heart and you scorn me with that venom. Fine.”
I sit down next to him on the chair, squishing in. “Spill, old man.” I wink at Ari.
He gives me a look.
“I’ll owe you.” I do love owing him.
The twinkle returns to his dark-blue eyes. “She can push you. Your soul hasn't left you, you never completed the vampire death, so you are not one of the soulless.”
My jaw drops. I look at her. “You can push me?”
“No.” She backs up a bit. “Please, don't make me.”
I turn to Marcus, ignoring her plea. “You sure?” It’s a massive decision. One I don't even know if I want, but my sister’s face flashes in my mind. She has never been happy this way. I could change things, I could fix her, if given the chance.
“We have to live through the sixties, seventies, and eighties again.” I cringe.
“We’ll have each other.” He smirks. “She works. Tested it out last week myself. She works like a hot damn. And I can make her forget, before we go back.”
Ari’s eyes narrow with worry. “Please. I don’t want to do it. I don't want to hurt you.”
I reach forward, gripping her arms. “Trust me. You can’t.”
She swallows hard, nodding.
I look back at Marcus. “I compel you to remember everything from now on. Her magic won’t work on your memories.”
He repeats the sentence and winks at me. “See you on the flip side, love.” His eyes dart to Ari. “Once you push her, you’ll forget you ever met me or Lorelei.”
Ari blinks, clearly confused. “You sure we should do this?”
“Very sure. I have an idea on how this works.” I nod, smiling softly. She knows I’m one of the higher-ups here. I wouldn't do something if it wasn't allowed or expected.
She leans forward, creating something of a wind. The air sparkles with her brand of magic. She’s making everything hot and detached. My words and breath get lost in the heaviness of it all.
I see school. School and Angie, and then I feel like I’m spinning a mile a minute. Everything in the room is silent and still but me.
And then everything goes dark.
I blink and I’m in something hard and my back is aching. My whole body is different. I‘m tired and hungry and every bit of me aches in a dull way. The light coming in the window bugs me. I jump at first, realizing it’s daylight.
Chapter 14
Baton Rouge, 1964
Ms. Mitchell drones on.
I’m in finishing school. I glance at Angie.
Holy shit, it worked!
I’m me again. I remember everything all the different way. It’s confusing and exhausting, but I am in the 1960s again and I am a regular girl.
Ms. Mitchell points to the green board and slaps the underlined words with her pointer stick. I almost laugh and run around the classroom hugging people. I want to run out into the sunlight and streak across the grounds but that might get me arrested.
Ms. Mitchell is saying her spiel, "A lady should be innocent until marriage. Once married life begins, she should always ensure her appearance is not only respectable, but also attractive. Having dinner scheduled with the help is obviously important. Freshening up before he arrives home from work is a must. If you ignore everything else, remember this: no man wants to come home from work to find his wife as he left her." Her steel-gray eyes float past our faces with severity and judgment, just like they did once a long time ago.
The girl next to me leans in and whispers, "Sweet Jesus, that woman is a wind bag." I nod, ignoring her and lost in everything repeating itself.
Ms. Mitchell pushes up her horn-rimmed glasses and watches us all like we are criminals. She looks exactly the same. Her severe bright-red lips are always drawn on, just as her black arched eyebrows are. Everything about her is perfect and cold and exactly like I recall.
She whacks the board again and keeps on talking.
Angie makes a face. "I hope I don't end up with no gentleman. I want someone like James Dean or nothing." She has no idea how wrong she is.
I
s everything going to repeat? I might go crazy from the déjà vu.
Ms. Mitchell crosses the room, nattering on, "Now tomorrow's lesson will be about hiring the help to ensure your home runs smoothly. As a matter of fact, we will have a woman in from an agency to discuss this with us. You may talk quietly amongst yourselves until the bell rings." She walks to her desk and sits with some papers.
Angie leans over and whispers. "Sweet God. If her back was any straighter, they'd be sending a dive team in her ass to get the stick out. That speech was exactly why I am never marrying. I don’t care what tortures they inflict upon my flesh, I will never be some man's slave. Hell no."
“Me and you need to talk.”
“What?” She looks a bit worried and I forgot how easy it was to mess with her. Just looking serious is enough to make her crazy. "You have to tell, Lorelei. What’s wrong?"
I bite my lip and look at her sideways. I don't know how to tell her or what to say.
“Dear lord.” Her face drops. “You know, don't you? I heard your daddy was selling you off to the Ryan family and now I see it. That's what you’re gonna tell me, isn’t it? I was gonna act surprised, but I can’t keep it in when I know that's what you’re gonna tell me.”
I nod, trying to recall if this was how it all went. She did act surprised. I can’t believe she knew all along. My breathing increases as I fan myself. I’m dying from the heat and whatever that pain is in my belly. I never felt much of anything when I was—well, the other versions of me. I ain’t been a real girl for a long time.
"Not him. Anyone but him, Lorelei." Angie’s eyes have the same worry they did last time.
I have to remember to be me. What would I say in this moment? "What’s wrong with the Ryan family? They're wealthy and he is by far the most striking bachelor in all of Louisiana." I want to gag on my words and go find him and murder him.
Yikes. Old me is a moron.
Her face is covered with disgust and fear. "Firstly, they're Yankees. That means he don't count as eligible in the South, sweets. Secondly, Martin has already—well you know. He has experiences you don’t. He dated Margery Banks. I heard they did a few things you and I haven’t learned how to do yet. Clearly, our home economics and hers differ."
“What all did you hear?” I have the strangest sensation. I want to hear what she has to say and believe it. This is Ari’s magic at work. She is making me pick to believe Angie. Thank God.
"Mandy's momma told my momma that Margery's momma made a comment about tying Margery's legs together until she was married. Ouuuie. My momma woulda tied my legs shut, all right. I wouldn’t have seen the light of day for a decade if she caught me doing that. Apparently, she caught them in the act and Margery was on her knees, and girl, she wasn't doing no prayin’."
“Oh God, that's nasty. Poor Margery and her poor momma.”
“Yes, bless her heart.” She shrugs and pulls her dark hair back, fanning her face. “You need to tell your daddy to break that off, right away. Run him outta town.”
“I will.” I reach for her hand. “Thanks for being my friend.”
She winks. “Friends till the end.” If only she knew how wrong she is about that.
Class ends and we walk out to the hallway, strolling and sighing. She continues to fan herself as she opens her locker door. "There ain't a breeze in the whole county. I need a swim. Let's go to my house. I’ll tell you all about how I let the Italian Stallion run his hands inside my blouse yesterday."
I choke. "You're vile, Angelina Palatino." My stomach sinks.
“Wanna come to my place for a swim or not? ‘Cause the story is essential to the swim.”
I almost say no but my head nods for me. Ari’s magic is still working. “I’ll get Ramón and he can drive us over there together.”
When we get outside, Ramón is sitting in the car waiting. He is positively drenched in sweat. He jumps out and opens the door for me. I want to run and hug him and smell him, but he saw me this morning and that would be crazy inappropriate. Girls like me don't hug the help.
"Good afternoon, goddess." His eyes dart to Angie and he gives her a slight nod. “Goddess’ slightly lesser friend who I ain’t judging.”
Angie bats her eyes. “You know you love me.”
I smile and offer a slight bow before I climb in. "Good afternoon, Sir Ramón."
He jumps in and starts the car. I tie on my kerchief and open the window. “It’s cursed hot. Ramón, we are going to Angie’s house for a swim.”
“Okay. You two have a good day?"
“I had a great day.”
His eyes glance in the rearview at us. “You girls hungry?”
Angie looks at me. “She’s gonna pass out if you don't get her some food. I saw her eating her pencil in class.”
I snort. “That ain’t true.”
"’Tis true, I know it. Your momma is always cutting your calories so much, I'm getting worried at how skinny you getting." Ramón gives me a worried look.
I smile at him, remembering how much I love him. "Lordy, you're good for my self-confidence."
He passes me back a package. My fingers tremble when I open it. I didn't notice how bad the pain was until I smelled the food. I am dying of hunger. Dear Jesus, is this what I felt like all the time, before? I pass half to Angie, almost wishing I didn't have to. She moans into her first bite. “Oh lord, this is a good sandwich.”
Inside the foil is the turkey sandwich with all the fixin’s, from last time. The taste is remarkable just like I remember.
I’m enjoying the meal so much I hardly notice his dark eyes in the mirror are watching me eating. "How long since she let you eat a real meal?"
"Lemon water for the last three days." My words come out in mumbles and mouthfuls as my body and memory start to adjust to the time change.
His dark lips press tightly together. "I'm gonna poison her one day—y'all need to know that shit."
“You won’t have to. I’ll beat you to it.”
Angie laughs and nods. "Where did you get this?"
"Mrs. Mercer, down the road from my friend Joe. She owns a bakery and makes the best damned sandwiches in the whole state. I buy them from her in secret. I pay double; she ain't allowed to sell me anything I don't eat there. Lorelei’s momma is watching everyone else. She knows if even a cracker is missing."
“She’s insane. We all know it.”
He laughs just as the car breaks down, just like last time.
“Oh, come on. Not in this temperature.” Ramón sounds spicy again. But this time we’re near Angie’s and in a safe place. Just as we are stopped, a dark car pulls up next to us. My stomach aches and my chest pounds until Henry gets out, nodding at me through the window.
Then a smile crosses my lips. We are saved.
Ramón looks at Henry. “The girls need a ride. I’ll stay with the car.”
“NO!” I shout, making them all look over at me like I’m insane.
“I insist. It’s much too hot. We will all ride with you to Angie’s house and call a tow and my daddy.”
Ramón opens his mouth but I hold a hand up.
Marcus climbs from the back seat of the dark car, grinning at me. His subtlety is outstanding. I shake my head at his grin. “The young lady, who I don't know, is right. You must all come with me. It’s much too hot.”
I wince. Dear lord, he’s a horrid actor.
We all walk over to his car. He stops and smells me as I walk past him. I wave him off but he grabs my hand. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
I roll my eyes. “Lorelei. Lorelei Huntington and this is my friend Angela Palatino. This is my friend Ramón—”
“Driver.” Ramón corrects me, giving me a wicked stare.
“Lovely to meet you all.” Marcus kisses my hand and Angie’s. She looks like she might pass out at any second. We all climb into the back, except Ramón who sits up front with Henry. The stretch of the black car offers seats facing each other. So I get the ridiculous vampire face for the four blocks
to Angie’s as she gushes all over him.
“Where are you from, kind sir?”
He sighs. “Portland, Oregon.”
She scowls. “You have a funny accent.”
“I was raised in Europe but I enjoy the West Coast. The air is much cooler and fresher. Less stale and heady.”
As we park he gets out, slipping a piece of paper into my hand as he kisses it again.
I nod and walk up to the house, waving my thanks as Angie gushes hers. Ramón nudges me. “Now that man fills a pair of trousers, if you catch my drift.”
It makes me giggle because I do. I completely do.
Chapter 15
On the toilet, I read it over again. The plan seems real simple, violent but simple.
I flush the paper and walk out to the pool. Daddy is on the deck, talking to Mr. Palatino. He gives me a smile and a pat on the back as I walk past him. My heart is leaping and my soul is dancing at seeing him so happy and alive. Alive is the important stuff. I dive into the cool water, letting the hot sun beat down on me. Marcello gives me a dirty grin as he walks past the fence. I know Ramón is being snarky in his mind from under the umbrella where I told Daddy he had to sit with some tea. He’s much too hot.
Angie gives me a wicked grin when she sees Marcello. “It was fabulous. His hands are all rough from doing barn work and training the horses. It felt remarkable. You should give him a go—let him sex you up. Good to practice a bit before we end up slave traded into marriage."
Her seedy story once felt all kinds of wrong and nasty, but now it’s tame compared to Marcus. I nod, watching Marcello walk beyond my line of sight. “He is beautiful.”
“Ain’t this pool nice?” She splashes me.
I float on my back and take it all in. “So much lovelier than nice.”
The sun starts to crest the trees as Daddy hollers, “Lorelei, honey. We need to get home. I imagine Ramón would like to go home too.”
I swim to the edge of the pool and spit water at Ramón.