Page 109 of Ruling Scar
Something in my voice catches her attention. Both parents swing their heads toward me.
“You taught me how to hide,” I repeat.
“Hide?” She shakes her head, not understanding.
“All the guards around.”
“Darling, you know why—” Dad tries to interrupt but my next words silence him.
“I couldn’t even wear my hair in a ponytail.”
Mom frowns, tipping her head to the side in confusion.
“I covered my scar for years.” I point at my left cheek. “I kept my head down. I didn’t ever do anything.”
“You were shy.”
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to do things.”
“You’ve done lots of things.”
“I sat at home too scared.”
She opens her mouth, but no words come.
“I kept my head down. I never messed with the guards like Ads or Nat. I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you sooner about me and Elijah, but I didn’t want to hear all the reasons you thought I’d be wrong. I can’t keep doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Getting worried that I’ll upset you.”
An eerie blank face stares back at me. “Well, you have upset me, Leonora. So don’t be offended by it. You are an adult. Almost twenty-seven like your father says. You want to go with this boy,fine. Go to the boy who cut your face wide open and let’s see how he’ll treat your heart.”
“Gia,” Dad murmurs.
Maybe this is also why I didn’t go to her about Leopold. That’d also be my fault, right? I’m attracted to bad things like Elijah and his butcher knife.
I head back to my shoes and backpack. Elijah’s got a washer and dryer so I’ll make do.
I leave Mom and Dad squabbling in the kitchen, but Dad hurries to me as I stuff my shoes back on.
“Darling.” Dad’s tone is gentle. He’s the voice of reason. “Don’t let this become a cliché where you walk out to be with a man your mother doesn’t like.”
“I don’t think Mom likes me.” I mumble into my shirt sleeve. No tears fall, I’m too cold for that.
Dad makes another tutting noise under his breath. “Your mother tries to keep her daughters in a snow globe because she loves you.”
“I don’t want to be in a snow globe.” I pull the handles of my backpack over my shoulders.
He places his hands on my shoulders, helping fix one of the straps, and smiles softly. “Sometimes the snow globe is safer than the world. Not better. But safer.”
“That’s why I never complained about the guards like Nat and Ads. But she’s wrong about Elijah. I’m safer there than anywhere else.”
His smile deepens and despite his raging wife in the next room, there’s something like a twinkle in his eye. “Careful or I’ll get offended. It’s a sad day when one’s daughter thinks her father is already dead and buried.”
“Don’t make this into some weird pissing match about security details.” Though, unnervingly, it feels very on point for our type of life. But it brings me comfort, knowing at least oneparent is on board. Maybe it will make things bearable in the next coming days. I grab my house keys.
“Luis will take you in the car.” It’s a soft demand, which I easily agree to.
