Playing All the Angles (31 page)

“Yes. But…” Alora’s voice trailed off.

Isabelle tilted her head. “I didn’t think it was that big a deal. I thought he was just an old weirdo.”

“He
was
an old weirdo, but he shouldn’t have been putting his hands on you. He most certainly shouldn’t have been undoing your top.”

“No. You’re right. You don’t think he was actually trying anything, do you? Did he try anything with you?”

“No. But I was never alone with him.”

“Smart girl. No one leaves their kids alone with him.”

“Issie…”

“What?”

“Bobby lived with us. He lived with us when…Mother would never have let anything happen to you or me, but…surely she wouldn’t have let anything happen to—” She interrupted herself. “No. It’s coincidence that Bobby lived with us when Eve turned up pregnant. Yes? Sheer coincidence.”

“I hadn’t thought about it before just now.”

“Mother was having some issues with drinking.”

“That I vaguely remember.”

“Uncle Bobby was staying with us, ostensibly until Aunt Marie took him back, but he was also helping Mum with us while Dad was working so much.”

“I remember he was always on the sofa. I couldn’t ever watch my cartoon because he was on the sofa watching sports.”

Alora nodded, and Isabelle could see the wheels turning in her sister’s mind. “And Eve wouldn’t go into the living room. She used to love to watch the matches, but when Uncle Bobby was there, she wouldn’t go. I don’t know why I just remembered that. But Mother wouldn’t have let anything happen to one of us. Nothing serious.”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Isabelle agreed, though she felt her stomach turning.

“So, it was a coincidence that Bobby was around when Eve started turning bad.”

“And coincidence that he left the same time Eve was sent away?”

Alora swallowed hard. “It has to be.”

“I don’t remember much from then,” Isabelle admitted. “I don’t remember Eve having boys around. I don’t remember you having boys around.”

“I didn’t have. She didn’t have. There weren’t any boys around until after she started that boarding school. That’s why it was such a shock when she turned up pregnant; she hadn’t shown any interest in dating, and I just thought she’d been hiding it so no one would suspect what she’d been up to.” Alora shook her head. “Oh, Isabelle. Mother wouldn’t have let that happen. That’s crazy. Isn’t it?”

“Of course it is. It has to be. I mean, Eve would have told us. Wouldn’t she?”

“Oh, Isabelle.” Alora covered her mouth with both hands, tears springing to her eyes.

Isabelle felt her own forehead crumpling. “Mother wouldn’t have let that happen. She couldn’t have.”

“But what if she did?”

“Then…I don’t know.”

Alora went through several expressions before she seemed to make a decision. She stood up, setting her jaw. “There’s only one way to find out. Come on.”

“What? Where are we going?”

“We’re going to find out whether or not Eve has to share her
worst big sister
title with me.”

Eve was in the nursery, lying on her stomach across from the baby, trying to entice her to reach for toys, giggling and encouraging every wiggle. It was late in the afternoon, and both mother and baby were enjoying rare sunlight streaming in from the western window. When she heard the doorbell, she listened a moment to hear if Tad would answer and then scooped Xandra up and padded down the stairs to open it herself. She took a full step back, a welcoming smile frozen on her face when she saw both her sisters standing there.

Isabelle looked worried and weepy. Alora was tight and seemed frightened.

“I…Come in,” Eve managed, stepping farther back to allow them inside. That was when Tad appeared from the back of the house—ink all over his hands and shirt, one smudged-up perfect cheek.

“Oh,” he started, his own surprise evident. “Ah—welcome, ladies.” He extended a hand, then seemed to notice the state of it and jerked it back to wipe across the thigh of his blue jeans. “Sorry. I’m working. We—”

“Come in.” Eve ushered them into the living room while exchanging a look with Tad. “No idea,” she murmured to him.

“Take the baby?” he asked, reaching.

She nodded and handed her off with only a little worry about how much ink damage her onesie would sustain, then followed her sisters into the formal living area. Isabelle was watching her carefully, and Alora was looking around the room like she couldn’t quite believe where she was.

“It’s different from my old flat, isn’t it?” Eve offered.

“I never saw your old flat,” Alora said. “You never had me over.”

“You never—”

Isabelle interrupted before an argument could start. “May we sit?”

“Please, yes.” Eve sat with them, biting her lip. “Is everyone okay? Did someone die?”

“No. Maybe worse, though.”

“Is Dad okay?”

“Uncle Bobby has been accused of molesting Sarah’s daughter Elizabeth,” Alora blurted.

“Oh,” Eve said carefully, looking to Isabelle. “Well, that’s…and you came to me because…?”

“Because Bobby lived with us when you turned up pregnant and when he made a go at Isabelle and right around the time that everything went to hell.” Alora couldn’t seem to help herself. “And—did he hurt you? Was it Uncle Bobby? Did he…you know?”

Eve had gone very still, looking between her sisters. It was a long, quiet moment before she managed to ask, “Have you spoken with Mum about this?”

“I’m asking you, not Mother,” Alora insisted, leaning forward. “Was it Bobby who got you pregnant? Just simple—yes, or no?”

Eve held her breath, unsure of what to say. There was nothing simple about it. Years of hiding the truth had made the lie seem more real. It was easier to be carelessly over-sexed than to be a child victim. It was easier to have her sister hate her than to have her pity. It was easier to say no than dig open all those old wounds. She blinked and exhaled, then crossed her legs. “Yes.”

It was a small word, but it cracked against her insides like a wrecking ball, and she wrapped her arms around her middle. Fear flooded her, and then resentment, angry she’d been backed into this corner and afraid of what new shame the truth might bring.

Alora mirrored the posture, her arms resting on top of a significant bump. “Uncle Bobby got you pregnant.”

“Yes.” Eve nodded. She sounded cold even to herself.

Alora rushed to ask, “Did you seduce him?”

“Did I what?”

“Did you encourage him? Seduce him? Did you invite it?”

Isabelle let out a muffled cry as Eve’s jaw dropped.

“I’m just trying to get the facts,” Alora said, shushing Isabelle. “I need the facts.”

Eve laughed darkly. “I was barely fourteen, Alora. I was still looking for unicorns. No, I didn’t invite him.” Her tone had turned nasty. “No. But when I tried to refuse him, he asked would I rather he go visit you or Isabelle instead. So, if my saying no to that and saying I would take it instead constitutes an invitation, then, yes, I suppose I did. Yes, I encouraged him to stay in my room instead of visiting yours. And Mother did the same.”

“And you kept that a secret?”

“Of course I did! She told me I had to.”

“But you told me about Dominic,” Isabelle breathed.

“It’s two different things entirely.” Eve waved off her younger sister. With eyes on Alora, she said, “You remember how they were. Mum told me that if Dad knew, it would tear the family apart. He knew I wasn’t his, and he never forgave her for that, and if he found out, he would have kicked us both out on the street. She told me what was done was done, and Bobby would only be there a little longer. She said to be quiet and everything would be okay, and she would put an end to it. She didn’t, and he kept doing as he liked until I turned up pregnant and she couldn’t ignore it anymore. You know the rest.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Alora howled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Eve raised her own voice. “I was a child, for Chrissake! I didn’t know I couldn’t trust her! Because I wanted her to love me! I wanted her to love me, too, and if it meant keeping that secret—I thought if I did as she asked, and if I didn’t tell Dad, she might love me, too!”

Alora flew to her feet. “You stupid fool!” she cried, flinging herself across the floor at Eve.

Eve lurched to her feet, throwing her arms up to ward off any blows, surprised when Alora’s arms went around her, squeezing the air out of her middle. For a wild moment, she thought her sister was trying to crush her ribs, then recognized that she was being hugged.

“You stupid, stupid fool.” Alora sobbed into her shoulder. “You should have told me! I would have protected you! I would have helped you! I loved you, Eve! I would have helped you!”

Eve put her arms around Alora’s back, patting with no rhythm, wide eyes on Isabelle, who introduced herself to the scrum with a sob of her own.

Alora was still wailing. “I’ve hated you half my life for causing a problem you didn’t even—I thought you were horrible! I thought you were the reason they fought all the time! I thought you had ruined our family!”

“I thought I had, too?” Eve’s voice was a question.

“You stupid, stupid fool.” Alora repeated, leaning back, shaking her head through tears. “I’ve been the worst sister in the world—even worse than you, and you are deplorable.”

“I am fairly bad,” Eve agreed, still confused and wary.

Isabelle grinned under wet cheeks. “Terrible. But I love you.”

“It doesn’t excuse what I’ve done. It doesn’t change what I’ve done,” Eve said.

“No, but it explains a lot.”

“I didn’t mean to be so destructive all this time. I mean—I was purposefully destructive, but I couldn’t stop it. I got help when I realized I needed it, when Dominic happened. I’ve been working really hard at not destroying everything good in my life because of the bad; I just did it too late.”

Alora threw up her hands. “Let’s talk about too late, shall we? How many years too late am I?”

“It wasn’t yours to fix, Lora. It was Mother’s.”

“It was right there in front of me, and I didn’t see it.”

“No one saw it. You couldn’t have seen it.”

“Stop being so magnanimous about it. I’d hate me for it. Oh! There we go. Finally, a reason you’ve hated the sight of me.” Alora choked out the jest, wiping her face. “Well, there’s one thing I want to see. I want to see my niece. I need to see something good right this second, and then we’ll talk more. But right now I want to see that baby!”

Eve took a step back again, frowning. “I don’t think I understand what’s happening here,” she admitted.

Isabelle laughed a bit crazily. “I think we’re experiencing a paradigm shift, Evie. I think our world is tilting off axis, and I think it’s a very good thing.”

Chapter 19

I
T
W
AS
A L
OUD
, R
AUCOUS
M
ESS
of a party, with shouts and laughter, happy voices calling over one another, children running about everywhere in Eve and Tad’s garden. Isabelle and Eve sat side by side under an arch of blooming jasmine, their heads tilted into one another, smiling after their various nieces, nephews, and own broods. Olive and Una were herding Xandra and Adam and Eaton, Alora’s twins, striving to keep them out of mischief.

“Did you ever think you’d see this day?” Isabelle asked.

“Never. It couldn’t even have crossed my mind to consider.”

“It’s brilliant though, yeah?”

Instead of responding right away, Eve watched her family.

Across the way, Tad was holding their new baby, a boy called Roman—star of Marcus’s new line. Doyle and Patrick flanked him, drinking beers and teasing him about the bags under his eyes.

Her father stood with them, Isabelle and Patrick’s daughter in his arms. He met Eve’s eyes across the way and winked. The truth had all come out in an avalanche of ugliness. It’d been months since her sisters’ surprise visit, but when it had all settled and their mother had put an ocean of distance between them all, her father had come to her, begging forgiveness. Peace had been a long time coming, but it had finally come at last.