Page 82 of Sinister Secrets

“And your family?”

“Never forgave me.”

“Oh, Lucy.” I open my arms and wrap them around her. Though her posture is rigid at first, after a moment she sags against me, returning my embrace.

She sniffs, voice wavering as she says, “It’s been a struggle ever since. I fell in with the wrong crowd in high school, and an even worse one after. To be honest, if I hadn’t gotten pregnant with Jeffery, I’d probably still be friends with them.”

And she may have fallen prey to Chelsea’s plan, the same way Alicia and Gordon had.

“But I couldn’t risk raising him that way. He deserves better.”

“You’ve given him better,” I say gently. “You’ve done a good job of providing for him.”

A sob bursts from her chest, and she starts shaking in my arms.

“Lucy, what’s the matter?”

“I’m sorry.” She pulls away, wiping at her eyes. “I shouldn’t be dumping all my problems on you. I should go.”

“No, don’t,” I say. “Please. Come inside. Have a drink.”

She looks at me shyly, as if afraid I don’t mean it.

“Come on.”

Unlocking the door, I put a hand on her shoulder and guide her through. Lead her into the kitchen where I make her a glass of ice water and hand her a paper towel. I wait as she quenches her thirst and dries her tears. Once she’s composed herself, I try again.

“You can trust me, Lucy. Tell me what’s upset you.”

Staring down at the table, she traces the grain of the wood with her fingertip. “The other night, when I asked you to watch Jeffery, it was because I found out I was losing my job. I went to beg my boss to reconsider, but he said his hands were tied. That they were cutting the daycare program along with staff due to budget cuts, so I wouldn’t have been able to keep my position anyway.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say. “What was it that you did?”

“I was a line worker at the Southern Seafoods fish processing plant. It wasn’t the best job. To be honest, I hated it, but it’s not like I have a lot of options.”

“And they watched Jeffery for you?”

She nods. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I couldn’t afford both childcare and bills on what I made. I was already stressing over trying to time my lunch so I could pick him up from school when he starts pre-K in the fall. I just don’t see any way that I’ll be able to keep the house.”

There was a time when the woman before me was family. When I would have done anything for her. I’d considered her my sister.

I rub at the tightness that gathers in my chest every time I think about my real sibling. While it’s hard not to grieve those few brief moments of what felt like real connection that we had, there’s a chance that it was all an act. Chelsea came here with a very specific purpose—to destroy my life in every way possible.

It’s time to put an end to the pain her memory causes. Giving her even that small bit of power over me is more than she deserves. But maybe… maybe there’s a way that something good can come out of this. A way I can honor the sisters we could have been. A way to forget her without completely letting her go.

Though I know I should talk to Jake first, I can’t wait. I have to do this now.

“Do you still love animals, Lucy?” I ask.

She nods. “I’d have a ton if I could afford them. My best childhood memories are of being here at the Sanctuary. I wish I could give an experience like that to Jeffery.”

“What if I told you that you could?”

“How?”

“We need someone to help out here. To feed and water, let the animals out, but also to love on them while Jake and I are at work.”

Her eyes widen, chest rising with a giant breath she doesn’t release, like she’s afraid that if she does, it will pop the bubble of hope I see rising inside of her.