same way. Sometimes, that control can seem like indifference. I’ve had people say I don’t care because I have to keep my cool. That doesn’t mean I feel nothing. It can be difficult to know how much to show when any sign of weakness inspires your enemies to attack. Your mom didn’t have enemies, maybe, but she felt safer to always seem unbothered. As a kid, her calm might have seemed as if she didn’t care. I know she does, though.”
Lana looks up and stares into my eyes. “I feel as if all your friends are going to hate me, but they won’t be able to show it out of fear of you.”
“Good. Not the hate part. I’m sure some of them won’t like you. I don’t like every old lady in this community, but the men didn’t pick their wives based on my needs. We don’t all have to like each other, but they do have to show you respect. If they think you’re a moron or a gold-digging slut, they still better fucking smile and wave as if you’re the greatest woman in the world. Deep inside, you’ll know who is genuine and who isn’t. Maybe not right away, but you’ll gravitate toward those people who feel right.”
Seeming tired now, Lana sighs. “Shelby was the first real friend I’ve ever had. Everyone in the group at the Victorian is friendly, and they’re my friends. But Shelby pushed herself deep into my life and made herself comfortable. Most people think I’m cold and keep their distance. Shelby doesn’t work that way, and I enjoyed having someone I could be close to. Now I’m here, and everyone will be fake.”
“Not everyone. Topanga isn’t fake. I mean, yeah, she lies fucking constantly, but she’s also real. And there are dozens of women in this community for you to be friends with. Some will hate you, and some you’ll hate. But they’ll still kiss the ring because I’ll hurt their men if they hurt you.”
“It must be nice to be the king,” she says, giving me a grudging smile.
“I worked for everything I got. Now I want to enjoy the rewards. People looked down on the Parrish family when I was growing up. We were trash. Dad was a violent drunk. Mom was a loon. We were less than human to a lot of locals. But now, they’ll kiss the ring, or I’ll kick their asses. So, if anyone messes with you, I want to know.”
“Well, I don’t know if you heard, but your sister freaked out on me today.”
Holding her tighter, I kiss her gently. “And Barbie isn’t allowed in the house until she gets her shit under control. If she never does, then she can’t be around my family.”
Frowning, Lana looks ready to say I’m being too harsh, but then she remains silent. I don’t know if she’s glad to know Barbie’s suffering a little payback, or maybe she doesn’t want to pile on. Either way, she relaxes in my arms and smiles at me.
“Sidonie can be such a handful, and I worried she’d push Desi around,” she says, and I feel a sting of defensiveness rise up in my chest. “But she took care of Desi today. And the other night in the laundry room, she worried over Desi’s happiness. Sidonie’s teaching Desi how to swim. Today, she talked about Desi riding horses. Sidonie wasn’t at all what I expected when I first met her. She’s so protective of her people, just like her daddy.”
Lana’s praise reaffirms what I already knew about her. There are plenty of beautiful women in the world, but it takes a special someone to get past Sidonie’s crap to see how great the kid is on the inside. Lana might wear her masks, and she might struggle to open herself up to people. But she loves in the way my girls and me deserve to be loved.
PART 7: ELKO PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
LANA
The next two days sail by as tranquil as the calmest summer breeze. I’m still learning things about Bronco, his girls, and even the house. The day after Barbie’s bullshit, the maids show up. I feel lazy, knowing they’re cleaning while I sit around. But then again, if I did all the cleaning, they wouldn’t get paid.
I try to remain casual while they’re in the house. Yet I get incredibly weirded out when one of them walks down the hallway toward the main floor guest room. She doesn’t come back for an