Page 64 of The Wonder of You
“I get that,” her voice is softer now. “But what are you talking about? A future with this man? He’s a traveller, Renée. They’re going to leave.”
I don’t know how to respond because I haven’t thought of this bit. Home has always been with thecircus, with Phoenix. As a circus, though, we’ve never had an actual permanent home because we’ve always been on the road, both in the immortal world and this world.
Panic fills me, but I attempt to fight it off. I’ve just inherited my grandparents’ house, but how can I go back there after all this? It’s not even a consideration.
I am home now; I belong with Phoenix. The idea of being without him again, especially now that I know what I’ve been missing, makes bile rise to my throat.
“You haven’t thought about it have you?” Lydia questions me as I fall into silence.
“I don’t need to right now.”
“Yes, you do!” she screams. I stand back again, shocked at her outburst. “You got Nan and Grandad’s house, Renée! A whole bloody house and money! Do you know what they left me? Nothing!”
Ah, there it is. The inheritance.
“You never bothered with them,” I reply calmly.
“But I am still their granddaughter!”
“I would have easily exchanged all that they have given me so I could have had a normal childhood, so that I could have the relationship you have with Dad. I got money, but I never got love, not like you did.”
“Grandad worshipped you.”
“And he had room inside him to do that for us both! You never wanted it. Dad could have loved us both, but he never did. He loved you; he could barely look at me after what happened.”
“Here it is again!” She laughs that horrible laugh that makes my nervous system feel as if it’s going to explode. “It’s all about you!”
I fall quiet. I don’t see it that way at all. Maybe she is right, but it doesn’t feel that way in the slightest. I watch the way her face goes bright red, the anger that seems to be shaking through her body.
“You know, I can’t fucking stand you sometimes!” she growls at me, I knew this bubble of hate for me she was keeping locked away was going to burst eventually.
“The feeling is mutual, Lydia,” I say with a calm smile. Her face drops and so does my smile when she reaches forward and slaps me so hard, I fall to the ground.
Chapter 46
Within seconds of hitting the floor, Phoenix is at my side.
“Are you okay?” he rushes to hold me as I touch my cheek. I’m filled with anger, sadness and humiliation. Despite all the arguments, my sister has never been physical with me. I watch as Henry storms over to her.
“Leave,” he demands with his finger pointed to the direction she came.
“Not without my sister,” she says, stomping her foot like a child.
“Renée stays with us,” Henry says calmly.
Lydia sniggers. “I’ll report you to the police!”
Her stern face expression suggests that she clearly thinks she’s got the upper hand, but Henry wipes it away with his response.
“Youradultsister has made a choice to stay here, so I don’t believe there is anything the police can do about that.”
Her foot stomps again. It reminds me of the way she used to twist Dad around her little finger, the way she’d still be opening Christmas presents way into midday when the rest of us had finished in the early morning, the way she always got her way, no matter the demand. I never needed much, but she needed everything. I was always jealous, not because of the presents, but because of how she couldn’t see she already had everything, by having a loving father and a full night’s sleep without the world of terror finding its way in. I don’t know if shereally wants me to leave with her because she feels concerned for my well-being or because she just desperately wants to get her own way.
Henry steps forward and lowers his voice, but I hear everything,
“If you don’t leave, I’ll do what I should have done the first time I met you, I’ll snap that little neck of yours and feed you to the pigs.” His croaky voice and hollow dark eyes suddenly meet his personality. He’s terrifying. Lydia’s mouth drops; she has no idea that he’s referring to their first meeting which took place years ago.
She looks at me as if I am going to defend her, but I don’t. I care more for Henry than I do her. No one has ever defended me like that against my sister. Dad just used to say her name and sigh when she was mean to me, a little bit of disapproval, but no action to make her stop. I finally feel seen. I finally feel loved.
