Page 12 of Salvation
“Then you should know. But Jane could only see her way out of poverty. After they were married, I started to see my sister less and less, and when I did see her, she was changing—becoming hardened. We went our separate ways until she called me six months ago.”
Frowning, I ask, “Why six months ago? What changed?”
I try to think back to anything significant that might have happened around that time, but I come up blank. It wasn’t like she was sick. Her death had been unexpected.
“I don’t know,” Charles says, shaking his head. “But she asked me to hold onto something and give it to you upon her passing.”
At that, he reaches into his briefcase and pulls out a manila envelope. I recognize the curls of my grandmother’s smooth handwriting instantly.
“What is that?”
He slides it across to the table so it’s in front of me, and I run my fingers along the lines of my name.
“I don’t know. All I know is that she asked me not to look into it, and I agreed. There’s also a letter.”
He pulls it out of his briefcase, and my hands shake as I take it from him. My heart slams against the inside of my chest so hard I’m afraid I might get sick. It’s the same feeling I had when I found the last letter. The one from Campbell. The one that left me with a lot of questions and no answers.
How much will this letter change my life, too?
With Charles watching me, I take a deep breath and unfold the creases in the paper. Two words stare back at me.
I’m sorry.
Chapter 6
Ivy
Eleven Years Old
The wind blows through my hair as I race across the yard, glancing over my shoulder every now and again to make sure no one is watching. If my grandmother were to see me running like this, I’d be in for it. After all, running is not fit for a young lady. We are to sit on the couch, sipping tea and practicing our postures.
My nose curls up, and I gag at the mere thought of doing something so boring. I’m supposed to be studying with my etiquette tutor, and after that, it will be my art tutor, but when she left to go to the restroom, I darted out the back door.
A giggle slips past my lips as I kick up my speed, and the wind tickles my skin. I’ve always dreamed of flying, but sadly, a chained bird can only make it so far. For now, running to Campbell is as close as I will get.
Someday, though, I will fly, and no one will be able to stop me.
I’m breathing hard by the time I make it to Campbell’s house. My hair is a wild and frizzy mess, but I don’t care. I never care when I’m with Campbell.
Tiptoeing around to the back of his house, I find the window he always leaves unlocked just for me—even when he’s not here—and push it open, pausing every so often to make sure no one is around.
I’ve never told Campbell how suffocating my house can be, but sometimes, I catch him looking at me like he’s trying to figure me out. He doesn’t know it, but his friendship has saved me. Otherwise, I might have already smothered under the pressure. Things never seem to be as bad when I’m with him. He’s my best friend.
He had football practice after school today, though, so I plan on sitting in his room and waiting as long as it takes for him to get back.
With the window up, I kick off my shoes, hike up my pants, and start to climb through. I’m only halfway in when I hear a throat clear. I slowly lift my head until I come face-to-face with Della Rae Richards, Campbell’s mom.
Fear settles in my stomach as we stare at each other. A clock is ticking somewhere in the house, and I try to focus on that, letting it calm me the way it always does at home—but all I can hear is the sound of my blood pumping in my ears.
“That looks very uncomfortable, dear. Why don’t you come on in?”
With wooden movements, I do as she asks, knowing the jig is up. My safe place is now compromised. Della Rae is friends with my grandmother, and I’m sure the moment my feet hit the ground, she’ll march me straight over there to tell her what I’ve been doing.
Once I’m through, I spin around to shut the window behind me, avoiding the inevitable for a little longer, and when I turn back around, I stare at my feet so I don’t have to see the disappointment in Della Rae’s face.
I like Campbell’s mom. She’s always been kind to me, but that will probably change after this. My grandfather says I’m wild and that no one will ever put up with me. Maybe he’s right.
“Would you like a snack?”
