Page 34 of Siccitas

Chapter Twenty-Four

Iwake up in my bedand look around. The sun is streaming through the dirty window, brightening up the room.

I look around, but I can’t find Dalton.

Is this a dream?

“Dalton?” I call.

“He’s gone outside,” Daddy says from the door. “Hello, my precious Jocelyn.”

I swallow. Daddy sometimes scares me, especially when he hurts mommy.

I haven’t seen mommy for a while and I’m worried she won’t come back, and I’ll have to sleep next to Daddy.

He said so.

He said it is my place.

“Jocelyn,” Luke says, touching my hand.

I release the breath I didn’t realize I’m holding and give Skylar a small smile. “Sorry, my mind was wandering.”

“That’s no good,” Luke says. “You should always be present for your family, Jocelyn.”

Skylar gives me a strange look, as though I’ve broken a sacred rule, but goes back to her pizza.

“Perhaps I can play with the children when we’re done eating, just for a little.”

“We can all play,” Skylar says boldly.

She hasn’t lost that yet. I hope she never does. She won’t if I’m successful.

Richter doesn’t say anything. His eyes don’t shine as brightly as Skylar’s. I wonder if he already knows something is up.

“Maybe another time,” Luke says. He’s lost the playfulness in his voice.

Skylar seems to know better than to argue.

I pick up a slice of pizza and bite into it. My least favorite—mushroom.

He did that on purpose.

He always did that on purpose.

Little things that would irk me, that would wear me down.

Things that would otherwise be inconsequential when you don’t have a shit-ton of other horrible things happening in your life.

I eat though. I need the energy.

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