anxious for her sudden compulsion to forgive and forget. Was she putting on a show for Smith’s benefit or was this something more sinister? Was Nix doling out the punishment so she felt like she could let go? Or was this really a gesture of maternal instinct, possibly her first one ever?
“Ivy!” Honor squealed from the doorway. She bounded across the space between us and threw herself into my outstretched arms. Whatever nervous energy was there before disappeared with my sister so close and so happy to see me.
“Hey, little one,” I whispered into her hair. “How are you?”
“So good,” she exclaimed and then pulled back from me. She wrapped her long auburn hair around her hand a few times and then lifted it off her neck. She twisted around at the waist until finally I noticed the two blue sapphire studs in her ears.
“Oh my gosh! You got your ears pierced!” I screamed high and loud enough for any eleven year old to be proud of.
“I know!” She was so ecstatic, she dropped her hair and grabbed on to my forearms so we could dance around and shriek at each other.
Honor had wanted her ears pierced forever, for as long as she could talk. Mom pierced mine when I was a baby and so Honor grew up fascinated by the pretty things hanging from my ears. She started bugging Smith about it two years ago. He resisted for, well, since then but something must have happened between last week and this one to get him to cave.
“Let’s see, darling. Come show me,” my mother commanded from her perch on the couch.
Honor stopped jumping around with me immediately and walked over to our mom to show them off. Smith stood in the doorway smiling at me.
“What did she do to convince you?” I asked with a smug smile.
“What didn’t I do?” Honor sighed dramatically and then plopped down next to mom. Ava extended her thin arm across the back of the couch and Honor snuggled right in. I ignored the picture of pure evil wrapped around perfect innocence and tried to school my expression into anything but the disgust I felt.
“She had to receive all A’s this quarter and she volunteered at some of my charitable causes,” Smith explained in his dignified voice. “She had to earn them, but she worked very hard. I am very proud of her.”
“Plus, there’s a dance next weekend,” Honor’s whole face lit up in expectation.
“But we haven’t decided if you will go, Honor,” Smith reminded her with gentle authority.
“Have you been asked by a boy?” It was my mother’s turn to get excited. These were exactly the signs she was looking for, more reason for her to want to possess Honor.
Honor blushed deeply, from the top of her hairline to her ankles. “Yes, but daddy says I can’t go with a boy. If I go to the dance, I’ll just go with friends.”
“What is his name?” my mother pressed, ignoring Smith’s scowl.
“Ava, she’s only eleven. She’s too young for this, do not encourage her.” Smith growled.
Usually Smith and my mom tried to hide their utter hatred for each other, but this would definitely be a volatile issue. My mom kept her easy smile and started to run her fingers through Honor’s hair. It was a soothing motion that she used to do to me when I was a child, her trick to lull me into trusting her. I wouldn’t let her do that with Honor.
“You can’t keep her locked in a tower her whole life, Smith. It’s not like she can’t meet the boy at the dance. If she really wants to go with him, she’ll find a way,” my mother’s smile turned smug. She knew she was planting ideas into Honor’s head.
From the way Smith’s face heated up and his hands clenched viciously, I started to think he knew it too.
“Honor, are those the only earrings you have? Or did Smith let you pick out another pair for when your ears are healed?” I asked quickly.
“Daddy let me pick out two pair,” she gushed. She sat up out of our mother’s arms beaming again.
“Will you show them to me?” I took a step toward her and extended my hand.
She leapt from the couch and attached herself to me. I gave my mother an apologetic smile, but she just waved me out of the room with a roll of the eyes. At the doorway I chanced a glance back at Smith who was looking