Psy (Alien Castaways #3) - Cara Bristol Page 0,45
her mother said.
“Please,” she repeated.
Her mother lifted the bear’s hat and dug out an oatmeal-raisin cookie. “What do you say?”
“Thank you, Mommy.” Meadow grinned and bit into the cookie. Oatmeal raisin was the bestest.
Mommy’s friend, Aunt Mentira, snorted. “You spoil that child, Rachel. You give her everything she asks for.”
“Maybe,” her mother replied. “But she’s my child to spoil.”
Aunt Mentira’s bottom lip stuck out. “That’s a low blow.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I know how much you long for children. One day soon you’ll meet a great guy, fall in love, and the wait will be worth it.”
Meadow munched her cookie.
“Easier said than done. He has to be the right guy. I don’t have a genm—a match. I can’t have kids with just anyone.”
“Picky,” Meadow mumbled, repeating what she’d overheard Mommy and Daddy say. They both agreed Aunt Mentira rejected a lot of nice men.
Daddy said a lot of things about Aunt Mentira, including that he pitied the poor bastard who fell into her clutches. “There’s something off about her. I don’t know why you’re still friends,” he often told Mommy.
“Because I doubt she has other friends. She’s a bit of a loner.”
“So let her be alone.”
“Dan, I can’t do that.”
Meadow ate the last bite and pointed at the bear cookie jar again. “Cookie?”
Mommy glanced at Aunt Mentira before brushing the crumbs from Meadow’s face. “That’s enough for now, sweetie. We’re going to the park.”
“Park! Go to the park!” Meadow exclaimed gleefully. The park had swings, a slide, and a pond where she could chase ducks. Mommy picked her up and settled her on her hip. Meadow loved the way she smelled, like flowers. Sometimes Mommy would dab her cologne on Meadow’s wrist, and she would smell like her all day.
Her mother snagged a big blue bag. “Grab the stroller, Mentira, would you?”
Outside on the porch, the sun shone bright and warm. While Aunt Mentira watched, Mommy bent and settled Meadow in her stroller. “We’re set. Let’s go.”
Mommy stood up but made no move to push the stroller.
“Park! Go to the park!” Meadow yelled, peering up at the adults.
Aunt Mentira’s brows creased so tight, her eyes almost touched. Sweat trickled down her temples.
Her mother’s face went slack. “I forgot something,” she said in a monotone and then pivoted and marched into the house.
“Mommy?” Meadow craned her neck. “Mommy?”
Aunt Mentira glanced up and down the street and then grabbed Meadow. She ran to her car in the driveway and popped the trunk. Scared, Meadow burst into tears and screamed. “Mommmmmy!”
Shut up! Aunt Mentira shook her so hard, her head flopped. Be quiet! You will not say a word! Aunt Mentira didn’t speak, but her threatening voice resonated inside Meadow’s head, and a brain freeze spread its icy tentacles. You will not speak. You will not say a word ever.
Terrified, Meadow tried to scream for her mother, but nothing came out of her mouth. She kicked, and Aunt Mentira shook her until she stopped. If you ever attempt to speak, you will not be able to breathe, and you will die, she said.
I’m your mommy now. Your only mommy. I’ve always been your mommy. You’re my little girl. You will always be my little girl. Your name is Cassie, not Meadow. Cassie. A new truth pushed into her mind, supplanting the old.
Mommy shoved her into the trunk smelling of gasoline and rubber tires. The lid slammed. Locked in a dark box, Cassie shoved at the top, but she couldn’t get out. Let me out! She tried to scream, but her throat began to close up. The more she tried to scream, the more a band tightened like a noose around her neck, and she couldn’t breathe.
But outside the dark box, Mommy was screaming. “Rachel! Oh my god, Rachel! They took her!”
A voice she didn’t recognize shouted, “Meadow? Where’s Meadow?”
“They took her, Rachel!” Mommy sobbed. “Two men. They hit me and grabbed Meadow. They drove away! Oh god. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault!”
* * * *
Cassie, Meadow, wept with great gasps, her shoulders heaving. Her pain became his agony, Psy hugged her tight, cupping her head, rocking her, kissing her hair. “I’m here. I’m here.” Words to comfort her failed him. Horror rolled through him at what Mentira had done.
She kidnapped me! Rosalie—Mentira stole me from my mother. Everything I believed about my life is a lie. Guttural noises erupted from her mouth as she cried. My name isn’t even Cassie! It’s