Page 37 of Nineteen Seventy-Six

“Shh!”

“They’re babies, Maureen. Not so easily scandalized.”

“Still.” Maureen shook her head. “What’s weird is, I don’t even care if we do have sex. And the whole point of taking a lover was to satisfy my needs.”

“You are satisfying your needs,” Elizabeth replied. “Maybe they’re just needs you didn’t know you had.”

Maureen tilted her head to the side. It was clear this hadn’t ever occurred to her, that her needs might go beyond the base, feral desire for sex. Elizabeth was suddenly very sad. They were all so damaged, in their own ways, but Maureen had suffered especially.

“I don’t know,” Maureen said slowly. “Even if you’re right, what good is that to me? I can’t ever have a normal relationship with Soren.”

Elizabeth snorted. “When has anything about being a Deschanel ever been normal?”

“You know what I mean.”

Elizabeth shrugged. She shifted a sleeping Ana to her other shoulder, carefully, to avoid waking her. “A lot of women have lovers, Maureen. Not all get their husband’s permission.”

“But what if Soren one day wants more? More than I can give?”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself.”

Maureen’s eyes narrowed. “Have you seen my future? Do you know?”

“I wouldn’t break my rule to tell you,” Elizabeth said. “But I haven’t seen anything at all. It’s rare for me to be surprised, but I am today.”

Maureen drew blood on her lip with her chewing. “But maybe that means… maybe that means there is no future for us, that I’m getting worked up about nothing, and—”

“Stop,” Elizabeth said. “I haven’t seen anything from Charles, either, or Colleen, or Evie. I think it’s because I spend all my time here. All I see are images from Augustus, or Ana.”

Maureen leaned in. “You’ve seen her future?” She traced her fingers gently over Ana’s fine red hair. “Does Augustus know?”

“Does Augustus know what?” He appeared in the doorway, sweat mixed with dirt in his pores, cleaning his hands with a rag.

Maureen pulled her jaw tight as if to say, oops.

Elizabeth liked to think her rule was steadfast, but she’d already broken it for her brother once before. As with the last time, the thought plagued her that telling him might save him from himself.

“I, uh…” Elizabeth exhaled. “I’ve seen glimpses of Ana’s future.”

Augustus froze. His expression darkened. “No…”

She shook her head wildly. “Aggie, it’s not what you think. It’s…” She drew in a hard breath. “Like all of us, Ana will have hardships, but she’ll also have joy. She won’t end up like her mother.”

“You’re breaking your rule.”

“Twice, for you, and only you, but who’s counting?”

Augustus’ mouth parted. He reached to his side to grip the doorframe. “You wouldn’t lie to me?”

“Never about this.” She glanced at Maureen and then stood, taking Ana with her. She slipped the little one into her father’s arms. “Look at her. Don’t be afraid.”

Augustus’ lower lip quavered as he first cast his eyes across the room, and then, fluttering, trained them on his daughter.

“The dark cloud following you ends with her. She has a darkness, too, but the light is bigger.” Elizabeth touched his cheek. “You’re the light, Augustus.”

* * *

FALL 1976

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