Page 412 of Hell Hath No Fury
I mean, who wants to spend time with the girl Asheville has dubbed the Ice Queen?
Argh.
I hate that fucking nickname.
Not that I didn’t earn it, but still…it stings anytime I hear people whisper it behind my back.
“Maybe you can fake being sick and slip out. I’m sure your mother wouldn’t make a big fuss about you missing one danceif she thought you were not feeling well,” Dorethea replies, her voice weak and hoarse from all the coughing.
“I don’t think I’m that good an actress to fool my mother,” I say lightheartedly.
“We both know that’s not true. You can fool anyone if you put your mind to it,” she retorts with a light laugh.
I frown at her words, knowing that they weren’t intended to hurt me, but did anyway. Dorethea is right, though. I should be on fucking Broadway with the performances I have to give sometimes.
The respectable daughter.
The heir to the Richfield dynasty.
The next in line to lead the…
I shake my head and push those thoughts away, not wanting to dampen my already foul mood.
“Never you mind that. Besides, I have to be there to keep a vigilant eye on my baby sister. You know how much she loves getting into trouble.” I fake a laugh.
“It wouldn’t be Sierra if she didn’t cause a little mischief.” Dorethea laughs.
“Isn’t that the gospel truth? Do you know what she suggested I do tonight? That I find myself a frog to make out with.”
“A literal frog?” Dorethea retorts, confused, sounding somewhat disgusted.
“No, Dory. Not a literal frog.” I laugh. “It’s metaphorical. She said that since Momma can’t have eyes on me twenty-four-seven, that I should take advantage of it and hook up with some rando. Like I could even do that? If I even tried to make out with someone at this party, Momma would know about it by daybreak.”
My best friend grows so quiet I almost believe that she fell asleep on me.
“Dory? Are you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here. I was just thinking. Sierra might be onto something, you know? When was the last time you were with anyone?”
“I can’t remember. Maybe the last time we sneaked off to Charlotte?” I shrug, reminiscing on the night Dory and I sneaked out, put on wigs and slutty clothes just so no one would recognize us in the town over.
“Precisely. That was last Christmas break. Maybe Sierra is right. A little fun won’t kill you. Especially since Josephine is gung-ho about you taking the reins before she passes.”
Another cold shiver runs down my spine.
“Momma is going to outlive us all, Dory. I’ve got time,” I state evenly, but even I don’t believe a word I’m saying.
My mother has been acting peculiar lately. Forgetting things. Misplacing things. It’s not so pronounced that anyone else has noticed, but I sure have. Josephine Richfield has always been a force of nature, but lately she’s almost…frail. A word that I never once thought I’d use to describe my ruthless mother.
“All I’m saying is that your days of freedom are quickly coming to an end, my dear friend. Take advantage of the ones you still have. What harm can come from one little night of indiscretion?”
I chew my bottom lip, taking my dear friend’s words to heart when she starts coughing up a storm again.
“Okay, Dory. I’ll think about it. Now go to bed and rest up. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Love you, Col.”
“Love you too, Dory. Sleep well.”
