Page 67 of Phoenix Rising

“I missed you too, sweetie.”

Audria felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. “There’s a sunroom right over there that you can use for privacy.” Ruth pointed to a set of French doors.

“Thank you.” She steered the women inside. Talia helped Tilly sit on a sofa and eased down beside her. Audria found some tissues in a box and handed them to Tilly before taking the chair across from them. Her gaze lit on the jewelry Tilly was wearing, triggering something in her memory.

“How long have you been here, Tilly?” Talia asked gently.

Tilly mopped at her face. “I don’t know.”

“Has it been since the last time I saw you when you were hurt?”

“No, we saw Uncle Joe first.”

“You mean Josiah Porter?”

“I don’t know. I call him Uncle Joe.”

“Are you truly related to him?”

Tilly shrugged. “I guess so.”

Talia glanced at Audria before asking, “Tilly, where is your brother, Richie?”

Tilly’s eyes widened, and her gaze darted around. “I-I-I’m not T-T-Tilly. M-m-my name is um, uh, oh, no.” A tortured whimper erupted from her lips that she tried to cover with a hand. “I don’t remember.”

Talia grasped Tilly’s other hand and squeezed comfortingly. “Is it Ariel? Like the mermaid you love?”

Tilly nodded. “Oh, yes. I’m Ariel.”

“Did Richie change your name?”

Tilly began to rock in distress. “M-my brother’s name is Pho-Pho-Ph . . .”

“Phoenix?”

“Yes, that’s it. Richie, I mean Phoenix, I mean, oh.” Tilly dropped her face in her hands and moaned.

It was killing Audria to see the woman upset, and she knew Talia felt even worse. It wasn’t Tilly’s fault her brother was an evil, murderous monster.

Talia wrapped an arm around Tilly’s shoulders. “We are friends, are we not, Tilly . . . I mean, Ariel?”

Tilly wiped her nose. “Yes.”

“Friends can tell each other things you might not be able to share with anyone else.” Tilly nodded again. “Richie goes by Guru Phoenix now, doesn’t he? Just like you are Ariel instead of Tilly.”

“Uh-huh.”

The words were said so mournfully that Audria almost got up to hug the woman.

“But you can’t tell anyone. Richie said we must trick the devil. I don’t want him to get me!” Her voice rose in panic.

Talia clasped her hands. “The devil will not get you, Tilly. I promise. I would stop him first. Okay?” She waited until the woman nodded before saying, “I want you to meet another one of my friends. This is Allie.”

Tilly blinked at Audria. “I know you.”

“Yes. You gifted me with a beautiful flower the other day. Ariel, that’s a pretty necklace. Did your brother give it to you?”

Talia cut an intrigued glance at Audria but said nothing.

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