Page 2 of River
“No.”
“Because water is the most powerful force on earth. It gives lives and takes lives, it streams through nature, and when someone tries to stop it, water breaks through any small crack it can find. You are like that, River. Powerful.”
“If I was powerful, I would tell Conor to not be cross with you.”
My mum finished the toast and juice and got up from the floor. “I’ll talk with him today, and hopefully, you and I can sleep together tonight. Now, make sure you aren’t late for school.”
“I hate school,” I said as we came out in the long hallway.
My mom stopped in her tracks and bent down to meet my eyes while squeezing my shoulder in a painful grip. “No, River. Don’t say that. God gave you beauty, but Conor will give you wisdom. He will help you become one of the most influential and powerful women in history. He said so himself.”
I whimpered and rolled my shoulder. “You’re hurting me.”
My mum eased her hold on me. “If beauty was enough, your father would have married me, but he didn’t. You, however, will entice men with your looks and impress them with your first-class education. I predict that every man in the country will beg you to marry him. You’ll be…” Her head snapped up at the sound of heavy steps coming up the stairs.
“It’s Conor,” I whispered and pressed against my mother’s hips a second before his frame showed at the other end of the hallway.
My mum straightened up and quickly ran her hands over her hair and thick sweater. “Good morning, Conor.”
He wore a vest under his blazer and looked down his nose at us.
Taking my mum’s hand, I moved in front of her, wishing I could protect her from his constant disapproval.
“River, school started five minutes ago.”
I looked down, with my lips sucked in and my face drawn tight like I was a window with blinds that I could shut.
“She was on her way,” my mother said in a small voice, but Conor ignored her and kept his gaze on me.
“Come here!”
“I want to stay with my mum,” I muttered low.
“Nonsense. Your mum can’t even take care of herself.”
Conor reached out for me and pulled me from my mum with a steady hand that made me whimper.
“It’ll be all right, love. I’ll see you after school,” my mum tried to comfort me, but I couldn’t take in her words when I was too distracted by the worry shining from her eyes.
Turning on his heel, Conor marched me down the hallway with a tight hold on my neck, which made it impossible to turn and see my mum.
“I’d like to talk to you today,” my mum’s voice called out to Conor from behind us.
He didn’t answer her or acknowledge her request in the slightest. Instead, he pretended that she didn’t exist by ignoring her the same way he’d done this past week.
The school was upstairs, in a room dedicated to the handful of children living at the Red Manor. Conor’s expectations for us to memorize world maps, speak several languages, and master advanced math and science meant grueling hours of school and homework.
At dinner, I teared up when Conor asked me to remove my mother’s chair and plate before we sat down.
“Julie won’t be eating with us.”
“Why?” I asked with my heart hammering. My mum had lost weight and needed to eat. She stood by the wall wearing the only set of clothes that she had left after donating all her designer clothes to the local shelter for women. Her eyes were downturned, and her shoulders drooped down. “Mum?”
My mother used to be joyful and fun. Now, she had tears in her eyes when she raised her head and whispered to Conor. “Please, don’t do this.”
“Mum.” I took a step toward her. “We can share my chair, I don’t mind.”
Conor’s face was hard when he pointed to my mum. “I’ve told you that you’re no longer part of this family. We don’t’ tolerate thieves, so why are you still here?”
