Page 35 of Kiwi Sin
She hadn’t been a child, had she? Taking charge of the kids the way she had, doing everything that had to be done, all of her calm and sure and …
Happy.
Resourceful.
Wishful thinking,I told myself.You know you can’t ask. You know you can’t hope.
I knew better. I wouldn’t ask, but I’d still hope. I wouldn’t be able to help it.
14
POSSIBLY AWKWARD
Oriana
I got to Biology, my first class, early the next morning, both drained and supercharged from the day before, not to mention the night. I hadn’t had nearly as much sleep as usual, and I’d dreamed too much when I’d finally dropped off, but all the fatigue was doing was giving me a sort of a fizzing feeling in my blood, and in my … in all sorts of parts of me.
Aisha’s head went up when I came into the classroom, but she didn’t smile. I slid into my seat and said, “Hi. Thanks again for the cake.”
“You didn’t eveneatany,” she said.
“Yes, I did. I ate a piece of each when I got home. The lemon was my favorite. It was lovely. You must have used real lemons, and heaps of butter. The glaze was excellent also.”
“I don’t want to talk about thecake.”
“You justsaid—”I started, but she waved an imperious hand, and I subsided. “Then what?”
“Normally,” she said, “when you invite somebody over, you don’tleave.You especially don’t leave them alone with your truly bizarre relations!”
“Oh. I thought you were interested. Youseemedinterested.”
“When you werethere.It was a fascinating sociological study when you were there. I thought I was about to be conscripted into the cult, and those were the people wholeft!What must the rest of them be like? And I thoughtIhad an odd family. It was a good thing I knew Frankie a bit, that’s all. I told myself that she’d help me escape. She’s escaped from being kidnapped by the cult twice before. Third time’s the charm, eh.”
My face froze over. That’s the only way I can think of to say it, the way it took an effort to make my mouth move so the words could come out. “That’s not …” I tried to say. “It’s not …”
“Oh.” Aisha didn’t look quite at me for once. “Sorry. That was awful, I guess. Being raped and all.”
I nodded once, jerkily, then forced myself to say, “I texted you, though. It truly was an emergency. But I didn’t think— I didn’t know—” I broke off, because I didn’t know how to go on.
She said, “Looked to me like you were bunking off, ditching the girlfriend for the hot guy. Not? That’s not whattheythought, because they raised merry hell when they realized you were both gone.”
“They did?” Suddenly, I was more interested than uncomfortable. “Everybody was asleep when I got home last night,” I tried to explain. “And Gray and Daisy didn’t seem fussed this morning.”
“Theyweren’t the ones. Your aunt and uncle, mainly, but the other women looked pretty shocked, too, especially the one with the cap. Your uncle said, ‘I’d never have believed it of Obedience. Fruitful, now …’ Seriously? Her name wasFruitful?Could itbemore cringe? And thenFrankiesaid, ‘I’d what? Run off with a man? I thought it would be obvious that I’m not interested. I’ll never be interested. I’m never getting married, and I’m never having kids.’Verycombatively, and your uncle said, ‘Speaking to me like that isn’t acceptable,’ and your … what’s Gray, exactly? Not your brother-in-law.”
“No,” I said. “He’s just Gray.”
“All I can say is, he mustreallylove your sister. Sohesaid, ‘This is Frankie’s home. She can speak up, eh, Daisy.’ And after that, everyone was talking. Well, Gray and Daisy and Frankie and your uncle. The rest of them were just sitting there. The women all stared down at their hands, which I thought was odd. I mean, they didn’tmove.Just sort of shrank into themselves, at least until the baby started crying, and then they all went into the other room like it was an escape hatch. All five of them together, though I don’t think Patience wanted to. She needs a new name. Trans people have dead names that you aren’t allowed to use anymore. That’s what all of you should have. Though you won’t know about trans people either, I’m sure. Brace yourself for a shock, because I’m about to tell you.”
“I know about trans people,” I said. “That’s a woman who was a man before, right? I have a friend who’s that. Well, she’s a bit my boss, but she’s a friend, too. Iris. She lives at the bottom of the garden. She used to come to dinner with us more, but she doesn’t like all the new people much, so I only see her when we’re working now.”
“I don’t blame her a bit,” Aisha said. “I can just imagine howthatwould go. And I got a lift home from Daisy, thanks for asking.”
“Oh,” I said. “Good. She’s a very good driver. I have my Restricted license now, but I still can’t—”
Aisha stared at me. “I don’tcareif she’s a good driver. Are youdense?Wait, don’t answer. All right, you don’t know how odd it is to leave your guest to get home on her own, but I don’t care. I want toknow.Gabriel’s about the best-looking man I’ve ever seen in mylife,including in films. And hisbody.His thighs. Hisshoulders.So that was all? Itwasthe emergency, not actually running off together?” She sighed. “Disappointing. But—wait. He’s your cousin.”
“Yes.”
