The Word Game

by Steena Holmes

  A brief hint of a smile appeared on Myah’s face. “Don’t apologize.” She leaned forward. “You’ve been there for me, more than you know.”

  “Did you talk with Keera?”

  Myah nodded. “Which leads to my confusion. Her body language tells me something is wrong, but she refuses to admit anything. I caught Eddie teaching her steps to a routine we used to use for competitions. Something Keera isn’t ready for and certainly not with him as a partner.”

  “You didn’t know about this, then?”

  “Are you kidding me? He knew my feelings on her dancing competitively, so he went behind my back and gave her some spiel about spending more time with her to try to get back with me.” She rubbed the back of her head.

  “Why don’t you go to bed? Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

  Myah groaned. “I appreciate what your sister did and why she did it . . . But it’s too early to do anything, isn’t it? I can’t even go to the police.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because she says it’s not true. I told her about what Lyla said, and she basically called her a liar.”

  “What do you mean, she won’t admit to anything?”

  “I’ve asked, over and over, but she will not accuse Eddie of anything.” Myah leaned forward and grabbed another tissue.

  “What did Katy say? Did you talk to her again?” There was a small measure of hope in Myah’s gaze, and Tricia hated to break it.

  “She won’t change her story. She says Lyla is exaggerating and had fallen asleep while they were watching the videos.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “But she’s hiding something. I know it.”

  “You don’t think . . .” Myah’s face blanched.

  She could only be thinking one thing. “No. She doesn’t like Eddie and hasn’t spent any time alone with him. I already asked.”

  “What is she hiding then?”

  “I think she’s trying to protect Keera by keeping her secret. Eddie probably threatened Keera in some way, said something to make her think she would get in trouble if anyone found out.” She looked down. “I think—”

  “I hate him. I hate him with every ounce of my being, and if I could kill him, I would. I would, Tricia. So help me . . .” Her body shuddered, but Tricia knew it was with anger. “Why won’t she admit it to me? Why won’t she tell me the truth? She can’t be scared of me. She knows . . . oh god. What am I going to do?”

  “You have to tell someone.”

  “I can’t.” Myah shook her head and got up from the couch. “Oh god, Tricia. Do you understand what this is going to do to her? I’ll get her help, we’ll talk to a counselor, but this can’t be made public.” A wild look set in. “I won’t have her live her life as that girl. It’ll kill her, destroy her . . .”

  “You don’t have much of a choice. The meeting tomorrow, it’s with Rachel, Child Protective Services, and I’m sure the police . . . you remember that, right?”

  Myah shook her head. “No. Rachel wants to meet, but nothing was said about the police or Child Protective Services.” A slight edge of hysteria bubbled up in Myah’s voice. “What are you talking about?” Myah exploded, her hands raised as she started to talk gibberish, or probably Spanish, her voice low enough not to wake Keera, but loud enough to get the point across.

  “I love your sister, I really do. But please explain why she wouldn’t talk to me first before approaching Rachel?” Myah crossed her arms, her lips tight as she waited for Tricia to answer a question she had no answer to.

  So instead, she shrugged. “Why does Aly do half the things she does? Because she panics.”

  “Not good enough.”

  “Myah, it all kind of went crazy and snowballed. I hate to admit it, but I didn’t believe her at first. It’s the time of year, and she always gets . . . paranoid and off-centered around now. So I thought it was her paranoia talking. I wish . . . I wish I had believed her.”

  “No . . . don’t beat yourself up. Don’t. But I need to know the whole story.”

  “Here’s the thing. You’re not alone now. Same with Keera.”

  “But she hasn’t admitted anything to me, and yet she did to your girls. What’s going to happen tomorrow? How is she going to feel?” Myah wrung her hands together.

  “Talk to her. Let her know what’s going to happen, and let her know she’s safe.”

  “I’ve got classes in the morning.”

  Seriously? She was worried about her classes? “Cancel them or find someone to cover for you.”

  “I’m going to start losing students if I keep doing this. The moms are already complaining. I can’t afford it.”

  An idea percolated within Tricia. “Are you talking about the class Lyla is in?”

  Myah nodded.

  Perfect. She pulled out her phone. “Then I know the perfect person to take care of this for you.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  ALYSON

  Early Monday morning

  The early yoga class for the girls was off to a great start. Nearly everyone was here, except for Myah. Settled in her usual spot, Alyson held her coffee in her hand and looked around the studio. Many of the women were frowning. She’d expected the substitute instructor to have shown up by now, and she could tell by the looks on the women around her they were not pleased.

  “Seriously?” Melinda Brown took the seat next to her. “Late again? This class was her idea, and she’s not even here?” Alyson frowned in annoyance. Why her? Why did this woman always have to pick her to sit beside?

  “I swear, if we get another fill-in, I’m pulling Maryanne. I don’t care how yoga will help the girls with their dance, or even how expensive her husband is, at least he wouldn’t pull this crap. And honestly,” Melinda said with a shrug, “I think all this yoga for dance crap is just that: crap.”

  Alyson thought about the text she’d received late last night from her sister.

  Alyson turned toward Melinda and gave her the fakest smile she could manage. “Really, Melinda? Considering his classes are twice as long, not to mention he requires more discipline than I’m sure your daughter can handle, are you really sure about that? Plus”—she knew this part was really snarky, but she didn’t care—“he makes parents agree to volunteer activities. You’re really going to pull her? And you’re going to complain about this class when it was your idea after reading about that program in the city that offers morning yoga to the dancers?” She turned back in her seat. “Besides, from what I hear, he might not be the type of person you want your daughter around.” Despite her voice being very low, she knew Melinda heard her.

  “Well,” Melinda huffed, turning away to gossip with another woman.

  She was glad Myah wasn’t here.

  Lyla came over to where she sat. “My stomach doesn’t feel good,” she whispered into Alyson’s ear.

  Alyson gently rubbed her daughter’s back. She’d been like this all night and this morning. They probably shouldn’t have come, but Scott thought going to dance would help take her mind off things, even if only for a little while.

  “Deep breaths, okay, honey? Just relax and try to have fun this morning. If it gets really bad, we can leave. But, let’s try to stick it out, okay?” Alyson’s voice was low so as not to be overheard.

  “Okay.”

  After dinner, there’d been a talk between the parents and Lyla and Katy, trying to find out the truth of what happened at the sleepover, but other than Lyla crying that she was telling the truth and Katy refusing to say a word, nothing had been accomplished. Tricia and Alyson agreed to talk to their daughters again before they went to school, but this morning when she’d texted Tricia asking if Katy had said anything, her sister replied with only one word. Silence.

  “Figures.” Melinda shook her head in disgust when Jessie walked in. “I’m going to complain.”

  Alyson inhaled
deeply and let it out slowly. Screw it. She didn’t need to remain calm.

  “You know, maybe there’s something going on with Myah. Have you thought of that? How about instead of condemning a woman for not being here, you find out what is going on first?” She pushed herself up from her seat and reached for Lyla’s hand. “For heaven’s sake. It’s only a yoga class.”

  “Do you want to get out of here?” she asked her daughter. Lyla stared up at her with wide eyes and nodded. “Go grab your stuff.”

  Alyson had sent her sister a text this morning letting her know the time of her meeting with Rachel and wondering when Tricia’s was, but hadn’t gotten a reply. She felt like she was being ostracized, and she didn’t like it one bit.

  She pulled out her phone to check whether Tricia had responded, and thankfully, there was a message from her.

  Everything is going to be okay. Stop stressing. Lyla will be fine.

  Is Myah okay? she texted back.

  No, but she’ll get through. We’ll help her, right?

  Right. She placed her phone back in her bag.

  “Ready?” Lyla had appeared at her side.

  Alyson smiled. “Ready. Do you think your stomach can handle a smoothie? We have time to stop before school. And you should eat something.”

  Lyla nodded and then grabbed hold of Alyson’s hand, squeezing tight.

  Between now and the meeting at the school, Alyson wanted to remain cheerful.

  Scott thought she should tell Lyla about her own experience, that knowing she understood what Lyla must be going through might help. He was right, and yet she couldn’t.

  She just . . . couldn’t.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  TRICIA

  Monday morning

  Tricia read her sister’s text discreetly and responded, hoping no one else noticed.

  “Katy, I know this has to be hard for you, but I want to thank you for coming in with your mom so early.” Rachel sat next to Katy and Tricia in her office.

  Tricia knew she sat there strategically, to help put Katy at ease, but it wasn’t working. It didn’t help that a member of the school board, Sandra McAdams, stood off to the side, her arms crossed as she listened in on the conversation.

  “Why isn’t Lyla here too, Mrs. Burg?” Katy asked.

  Tricia hadn’t been sure how Katy would react this morning. When she’d first told her of the meeting this morning, her daughter had been sullen at first, arguing that she didn’t think she should have to go and that she wasn’t happy with Aunt Alyson at the moment. But her emotions quickly changed once they were in the car on their way to the school, and it didn’t take a genius to know her daughter was nervous.

  Tricia had tried to talk to her, but the moment she was in the car, she had her music on and headphones plugged in.

  Tricia reached over, wanting to gently touch her daughter’s arm, to let her know it was okay, but the way Katy’s arm moved, just an inch, before she could, stopped her.

  “I wanted to talk with you first, Katy. I hope that’s okay.” Rachel leaned forward in her seat.

  Katy shrugged.

  “I know you and Keera are really close friends, right?”

  Tricia knew from her phone call with Rachel yesterday that Rachel had to be careful with her questions—Rachel needed Katy to tell her in her own words what happened rather than confirm or agree with anything Rachel asked. She also knew that it was important for a member of the school board to be present—that this was even above Rachel’s head.

  “She’s my best friend.” Katy corrected her.

  “Sorry, best friends. Can you tell me a little bit about what happened this past weekend during your sleepover?” Rachel smiled at Tricia briefly.

  Katy shrugged. Again with the shrugs.

  “Katy, use your words please,” Tricia said beneath her breath.

  “Fine. What parts?” She looked up at Tricia. “Do I need to tell her about . . . you know?”

  It bothered Tricia how Katy was reacting. She was about to say something, but a look from Rachel stopped her, so instead, she just nodded.

  “If the ‘you know’ was the sneaking out of the basement part, then yes,” Rachel said.

  Katy thought about that for a moment and then shook her head.

  “How come? We already dealt with it at home. It’s not fair that I get in trouble about it again here.” Katy gripped her hands together in her lap.

  “Katy, we already talked about it. Why are you acting this way?” Tricia asked.

  Her daughter shrugged. “Why am I here?”

  “Katherine—” Tricia had had enough of her daughter’s flippant attitude, but Rachel stopped her by raising her hand.

  “That’s a good question.” Her voice was very patient. “Let me start off by saying, no, you’re not in trouble, and I’m sorry for making you feel that way,” Rachel said. “Can you tell me more about the videos you all watched?”

  “Why? You’re not my parent.”

  “Katherine Edwards.” Tricia was shocked at her daughter.

  Rachel nodded. “No, you’re right. I’m not. But I’m not your enemy either, Katy. You know that.”

  Katy’s gaze lowered. “This sucks.”

  “I agree,” she said. “It does suck. But if you work with me a little bit more, we’ll get through this a lot faster.”

  “We just watched music videos. Then a bunch of us were dancing to them, you know, practicing our moves and stuff.”

  Rachel glanced over to Sandra who was keeping notes.

  “You all did a great job at the recital, by the way. I was really impressed with how well you all did,” Rachel said.

  Katy blushed. “Thanks. I just started. But Keera rocks. I guess it helps that her parents are both professional dancers.”

  “Can we talk about those dance moves?”

  “Do we have to?” Katy said.

  “Is there a reason you’d rather not?” Rachel got up and reached for a bottle of water she had on her desk, taking a drink.

  Katy turned to Tricia. “Can we leave now?” There was a plea in her voice that answered all of Tricia’s questions about why Katy had been so quiet.

  “She asked you not to, didn’t she?” Tricia said.

  A wide range of emotions flashed across Katy’s face.

  “You know, trust between friends is really important.” Rachel broke the tension in the room. “And normally I wouldn’t ask you to betray that trust, except, I think you need to, Katy.”

  “Why?”

  “Because in this case, you’ll be protecting her, helping to keep her safe, if you do.”

  “She said we would get in trouble. That you’d be mad at me.” Confusion filled her face as she looked to Tricia.

  “You should know me better than that, honey.” Tricia reached over and squeezed her daughter’s hand.

  No one said anything until Sandra spoke up. “Can you tell us about the videos you watched?”

  “Like what?” Katy breathed a little easier at the change of direction the question took them.

  “Did Keera show you any dance moves her father taught her?”

  Katy slowly nodded her head.

  “Did you try them?”

  “It wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s nothing Keera’s mom would teach her, but her dad says she can handle it, that if she wants to get more serious with dancing, then she needs to learn how to dance like an adult, not like a child.”

  “Fair enough.” Rachel obviously wasn’t going to challenge the statement even though she obviously disagreed. “What did you do after the dancing?”

  Katy thought for a moment. “We made up some stories. It was Lyla’s idea. She started, and then we’d go round and make up a story until it was done. They were lame though. So Keera suggested a game of Dare.”

  The g
ame of Dare was news to Tricia.

  “Was that the only game you guys played?”

  Katy looked down at her lap.

  “Is there something you’re not telling me? Something I don’t know to ask maybe?” Rachel said quietly.

  Katy leaned forward and dropped her head. She mumbled something.

  “Could you repeat that?” Rachel asked.

  Katy shook her head.

  “Remember what I said about needing to keep someone safe and sometimes having to tell their secrets?” Rachel sat on the edge of her chair.

  No response from Katy.

  “Katy, you’re not here to get Keera in trouble. You’re here because I think she’s getting hurt in a way no girl should ever be hurt, and we want to stop that.” Sandra cleared her throat at Rachel’s statement, but Rachel ignored her. “She’s not in trouble, you’re not in trouble, and in fact, you’re being the best kind of friend to her right now.”

  “Katy, it’s important. Please?” Tricia asked.

  “Keera wanted to play a game, one that she played with . . .” She looked at Tricia, and tears filled her eyes. She quickly wiped them away. “Her dad taught her this game, as a reward for learning those hard dance routines.”

  “What kind of game?” The tone of Rachel’s voice was gentle and almost flat.

  “One person was blindfolded. The other two would touch that person’s skin with stuff. Like a feather, a pencil . . . whatever we could find around my room. That person had to guess what we were touching them with.” Katy shrugged. “It wasn’t bad or anything though.”

  “And the game was a reward from Keera’s dad?”

  “Yeah. But she told me to not tell anyone. Her dad said people would think things and try to stop him from teaching her the dances, and then she’d never be famous. It’s supposed to be a secret and that if I told, I’d get in trouble.”

  “Well, Katy.” Rachel stood up, smoothing her sweater as she did so. “I can promise you that you are definitely not in trouble with me, and I have a feeling your mom feels the same way. I think it took a lot of courage for you to tell me these secrets, so”—she held out her hand for Katy to grab—“thank you.”