The Sisters

by Rosalind Noonan

  Keeping the television on that channel, Ruby took out her cell phone, sure that her friends had been bombarding her with messages. But no, just one message from Maxi. And six . . . six from Glory.

  Glory. Ruby pressed her forehead to her hand, trying to think straight. She had opened this Pandora’s box; yes, it was her fault. But there had to be a way to shut the trouble back inside. What did Glory want from her? She had told Glory no . . . and now what? Was Glory stalking her?

  Ruby glanced over at Mom, who was engaged with Jessica. She hadn’t noticed Ruby’s minor freak-out. With a strong sense that she shouldn’t be messing with this while she was here, Ruby angled her phone so that it was shielded from Mom’s view.

  Sick with guilt, she read Glory’s cheerful text message and scrolled through the photos she’d sent. Pictures of washcloths sculpted into animals. What? Kind of weird, but wow. What was it going to take to get Glory to stop hitting her up, especially at times like this, when she was in the middle of something with her family?

  Ruby closed the messages, went to the home screen, and turned the ringer off. She had promised Dad that she’d keep an eye on Mom while she was here with her, and she didn’t need any distractions right now. She looked over at Mom, who was pacing now, hands in the pockets of her baggy black print pajama-style pants. Comfortable pants.

  “So when was the last time you ate, and what did you have?” Jessica asked.

  “Red curry with basmati rice, and it was lunchtime, just after noon.”

  “Ooh. Sounds spicy.” Jessica squinted at Mom. “Usually we instruct patients to stick with bland foods before chemo, just in case they get nausea from the medication.”

  “Well, the rice is bland, but I grew up eating curry, and it’s never been a problem for me. My stomach is rock steady.”

  “My grandmother makes amazing Indian food,” Ruby explained. “She grew up there.”

  “So it’s authentic cuisine. You guys are so lucky. Love me some vindaloo and dal.”

  “My mother makes a delicious vindaloo.” Mom nodded. “And her tandoori chicken is to die for.”

  “Ach! You’re making my mouth water. But let’s see how things go with you and spicy food during chemo,” Jessica said as she typed something in on the pad. “I just want to make sure you know that the chemo medication can cause nausea and vomiting.”

  “I’m well aware, but I’ve never had a shaky stomach.”

  “Then the odds are you won’t get sick, so fingers crossed. Also, I see the doctor has an anti-nausea medication in your premeds. That should help ward off nausea.”

  Although Ruby had been pretending to check out programs on the muted television, she’d been following their conversation carefully, worrying that something like this would go wrong. But Mom never got sick. Maybe she would be a kick-ass patient today.

  “What other medication did Dr. Hernandez prescribe?” Mom asked.

  “Let’s see. In the premeds there are steroids, which would help reduce an allergic reaction to the chemo drug. She’s got the anti-nausea drug I mentioned, and also an anti-anxiety medication. That one might make you feel sleepy, but most people don’t mind it, since they’re here already, in a comfortable space. Good time to fit in a nap.”

  “Maybe,” Mom said. “Ruby brought her backpack with homework, and I have my Kindle.”

  “Whatever you like. We’ve got cozy heated blankets that lull many of our patients to sleep. Let’s get your IV line going, and then I’ll let you two get situated.”

  With the IV line connected to a saline bag on a rolling cart, Mom could still move around. She took a photo from her purse and set it on the table beside the reclining chair.

  “Aw. It’s us. But Aurora and I were kids,” Ruby said. The photo of the four of them was cute for its time, but it had been taken in the pre-braces days of crooked and missing teeth.

  “I love this picture, and it’s a good thing. It’s so hard to get you guys to a photo shoot these days.” Mom dug in her bag and took out a ring with a blue-green stone. “You probably think I’m nuts, but my friend Sadie, who went through chemo a few years ago, told me I should bring a few precious things so that I can focus on the people I love if the pain gets bad. So I brought our family photo and this turquoise ring. You’ve probably seen it before.”

  Ruby nodded. “But you don’t wear it much.”

  “I’m not a big jewelry person, but my mother gave me this ring when I had that miscarriage years ago. Turquoise is a healing stone,” she said, rubbing her thumb over the blue-green stone. “I like to think that it helped me heal back then. And it’s a good thing, because it wasn’t long after that that you and Aurora came along.” Her dark eyes, bold and strong, caught Ruby as she looked up. “That was a wonderful time. A turning point for your father and me.”

  Ruby cocked her head, teasing. “And for Aurora and me.”

  “I like to think so.” Tamarind smiled as she touched Ruby’s cheek. After a moment, she reached into her bag again, dug around. “Here it is.” She removed a chit of tarnished silver; it was the size of a large coin, but rectangular.

  “What’s that?”

  “This is an amulet from Delhi, in India. It shows a warrior, going into battle. My father wanted me to have it before I went into surgery. He thought it would help give me the strength to fight this battle.”

  “Dada Karim? But he’s not superstitious.” Karim Singh was a college professor who only tolerated things like Nani’s tea leaf reading.

  “My father is a man of letters and science, but he has a soft spot in his heart for his family.” Tamarind admired the dangling amulet and placed it on the table beside her. “He knew this would have meaning for me.”

  “Did Dada go to India to buy it for you?”

  “No. The charm came from India, but your grandfather bought it on Etsy. Do you know Etsy?”

  “Seriously?” Ruby laughed at the idea of her mother explaining the online store for one-of-a-kind items to her. “Of course, I do. It’s so millennial, Mom.”

  “Then you know it’s special, and think of how it must have pained my father to do something so sentimental. Especially when his scientific mind probably suspects that it’s not authentic.”

  Ruby held up the amulet, running her fingers over the raised lines of the warrior on a horse. “It looks real to me. But the most beautiful part of it is that your father moved out of his comfort zone to do something for you.”

  “I think you’re right.” Tamarind leaned her elbows on her knees as she stared at the photo, the ring, the amulet.

  Jessica stepped into the bay, two bags of liquid in her hand. “I’ve got the liquid treasures.”

  “Perfect.” Tamarind scooted back in the recliner. “Bring it on.”

  * * *

  At first they talked. Mom got really chatty, suddenly energetic, which Jessica said was probably from the steroids. “Just don’t go jogging down the hall without your IV pole,” Jessica teased. “Eventually the other drugs will take effect and balance things out.”

  A few minutes later, Mom got quiet. “Mmm.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I think things are happening now.”

  Ruby leaned closer to her mom as the nurse disappeared. “Are you getting tired?”

  “Tired and woozy.”

  “That’s okay.” Ruby took Tamarind’s hand. It was ice-cold. She gave it a gentle squeeze, trying to pass on some warmth.

  Jessica reappeared with a bright pink blanket, which she unfolded on Tamarind’s lap. Ruby helped tuck it around her mom. “It’s nice and warm.”

  “We have a great warmer on this floor. Let me know if you need another one.”

  While Mom dozed, Ruby put on Parks and Rec and pulled out a packet of history readings she’d downloaded. Everything was calm and quiet here, but lingering guilt kept Ruby from concentrating. She felt bad about turning Glory down, but Mom needed her now. Although getting in touch with her birth mother had been a mistake, it had solidified things about t
he here and now. Ruby belonged with her family. She’d been an idiot to look over her shoulder.

  After a quiet twenty minutes, Mom woke up coughing and threw up all over the pink blanket. Tamping down the urge to freak out, Ruby pressed the call button and went to Mom’s side.

  “I’m sorry,” Mom said, her eyes shiny with tears.

  “It’s okay. I’m here. It’ll be fine.” Ruby pushed her mother’s hair back and gave her some tissues to wipe her mouth. “Here’s a bucket in case you get sick again. Just ride it out, Mom.” Holding her breath against the smell, she folded the blanket over the mess and set it on the floor. “See? Not a problem.”

  “I’m so stupid,” Mom said. “I should have stuck with bland food.”

  “So now you know,” Ruby said in a soft voice. “Next time will be better.”

  “What’s up, ladies?” Jessica appeared and immediately took in the situation. “Good job cleaning up. I’ll get rid of this and get you a fresh blanket.”

  As her mother moaned and drifted off again, Ruby stared at the little end table containing symbols of Tamarind’s future. Their family. Healing. A warrior. These were Mom’s visions of the things she needed for herself. And yet they spoke to Ruby.

  Everything she needed was right here.

  CHAPTER 34

  On the ride home that day, Glory smiled as she thought about the photos she’d sent to Ruby. She hadn’t been so spontaneous in years, and it made her feel kind of bubbly inside. It was dark that November afternoon when the van pulled into the garage, where Leo stood in the doorway, arms folded and jaw set. Something was wrong.

  “It’s been a difficult day all around.” Leo’s gaze found Glory. “Your daughter is in the attic, and Sienna is in the master bedroom. This is a big house, but I’m running out of punishment spots for bad girls.”

  “I’m sorry,” Glory said quickly as the other sisters filed around her, heads down as they made their way to their rooms. No one wanted to be caught in the cross fire. “What did Luna do this time?”

  “She went next door again. Look, the neighbors seem nice, but you know we can’t trust anyone. If she gets reported living here, you know she’ll be taken away. Do you want to lose Luna?”

  “No! Of course not. I’ll talk to her. I’ll go now.”

  “Not yet,” he said. “I want her to bask in her own shame.”

  “When can I let her out?”

  “She’ll come out when I’m ready to deal with her. Just go. Talk to me at dinner. I’ve got to get Sienna out of Natalie’s way.” He seemed distracted as he headed off toward the master bedroom.

  Upstairs in her empty bedroom, Glory felt like a dry, hollow husk of a person as she changed into a clean flannel shirt and gathered up the laundry. Unballing one of Luna’s socks, she fought the silence roaring in her ears. She couldn’t do this life alone. Never again. Her visits with Ruby had given her a sense of the rich, full life she might have had if she had not left her girls at that fire station. A steady, even life outside the shadow of fear. That was what she saw in Ruby. Glory had no one else to blame for that terrible mistake, but . . . never again. She could no more abandon her fledgling girl than live in a world without the colors and sounds and delights of Luna. As soon as they could arrange it, they would leave here, together.

  With her back pressed to the door to ensure no one would walk in and catch her with a cell, she took the tiny phone from her bra and composed a text asking for Ruby to meet her at the mall tomorrow.

  * * *

  Dinner was a miserable half hour, with Sienna moping in silence, her eyes pink from crying, while the other sisters pushed through their fat carrots and tried to talk cheerfully about the weather and Georgina’s “tasty” stew. Georgina’s talents in the kitchen were limited by the hours she had to work at the hotel. Consequently, the Crock-Pot seemed to be rattling most days when they came home, the steam giving way to a gray chicken or pork or meatballs, disintegrating in a watery mix of onions and carrots. Dinners added to the sense of sameness in each day, the nights that gave way to a new workday, capped off by a gray dinner followed by another night.

  “We are going to make some changes,” Natalie announced as she ladled stew onto sticky white rice. “We’re going to start sending Sienna to work at the hotel, and we’ll get another sister to do the chores here.”

  Sienna bit her lower lip but did not look up.

  Glory let her spoon drop into the bowl as the reality sank in. Sienna was being pushed aside for another pet, another plaything for Leo. Who?

  “Does that mean we’re recruiting?” Laura asked. “I’ve seen some very promising prospects at the mall lately. But of course, I don’t say a word. Not unless you want someone new.”

  “Not just yet,” Leo said. “We might not be bringing in a new sister. We’ll let you know.”

  What did he mean, and why was Sienna so upset? Luna had told Glory of a fight she had witnessed between the two of them, an argument about Natalie. Whatever the circumstances, it was clear that Natalie had won this round.

  After that Glory had to force down the carrots and sinewy meat. She waited until a few of the sisters had left the table to ask him. “Can I let her out of the attic?”

  He held his water glass aloft, considering. “Not yet. Give it time.”

  A coldness seeped into her chest. Although Luna had been locked in the attic for hours at a time, Leo had never deprived her of dinner. “Can I bring some stew up to her?”

  “Why do you always baby her?” Natalie said out of the blue. “You’ve spoiled that dirty little thing. Since you can’t control her, we will.”

  Laura and Julia quickly cleared their plates from the table, leaving Glory alone to face Natalie and Leo.

  “I’ll talk to her,” Glory offered.

  “It’s going to take more than talk,” Leo said. “She needs to be broken. It’s time to break her in.”

  A wariness tingled up Glory’s spine as she tried to absorb his meaning. Luna was too young to begin work at the hotel, but the alternative—the notion of grooming her to be his pet—chilled Glory to the bone. That couldn’t be what he meant. And yet his smug smile seemed to say it all.

  “I’ll get her to listen this time,” Glory said breathlessly. “I know she’s made mistakes, but—”

  “Our little Luna has developed a bad attitude. So smug.” Leo put his spoon down. “She needs to be broken.”

  “That’s not necessary.” Glory was losing ground. “I’ll talk to her. I can work with her.”

  Leo bounced the bowl of his spoon on the table. “I don’t think you can.”

  “She’ll listen this time. Please . . .” Glory couldn’t help the thickness in her throat, the panic that made her voice crack. “Just let me talk to her.”

  “Stop being so emotional.” Natalie rolled her eyes, pressing her fingers to her temples. “You are giving me such a headache. The smell of someone else’s desperation always gives me nausea.”

  “Just let me take her down to our room,” Glory begged. “Please . . .”

  “Nothing’s going to happen to her up there, unless she dies of boredom,” Natalie said, pushing back from the table. “It’s clear that Leo wants her in there for the night, but we’re not going to torture her. Take the key from the hook and check on her. You can take some food and water up to her and change the bucket before you go to bed. But that’s going to be all on you.” She was wheeling herself out of the room before Glory could answer again.

  Turning to Leo, she searched for a way to appeal to him. “Don’t even try,” he said.

  She closed her eyes as he pushed away from the table and left the room.

  * * *

  The minute Glory opened the attic door, she sensed that something had changed. Luna stared up at her, a stormy look in her eyes as she was huddled reading under the tent of the unzipped sleeping bag.

  “What happened?” Glory asked.

  Luna rose to her knees, held up two halves of a book, and burst into tear
s. No amount of rocking her in her arms could calm her enough to get the tears to stop, but Luna did manage to speak. “He scared me, Mama. He touched me.”

  Something snapped inside Glory, but she quickly tightened her arms around Luna to hide the fear and panic.

  “Oh, my dear girl! You need to tell me. Tell me everything.” Holding her daughter close, Glory stroked her hair away from her face as she coaxed the details from her. So her fears had been founded. He was targeting Luna, grooming her to be his next pet.

  His own daughter.

  “I’m sorry, Mama,” Luna whispered. “I should have listened when you warned me. I should have listened.”

  “Shh,” Glory soothed. “The walls have ears.” They would talk another time. For now, she needed to keep Luna safe. “He won’t let you come to our room tonight. He wants you to stay up here.”

  “Please, take me with you!”

  “We can’t openly defy him.”

  “But I’m scared. What if he comes back?”

  “I’m going to be nearby to protect you. Here’s what I’m thinking. . . .”

  In the eerie glow of the flashlight, they sat close on the sleeping bag. While Luna worked on a bowl of stew, Glory whispered her plan to watch over her daughter. It would work for tonight. Tomorrow . . . she would face that when they got there. While Luna washed up with a warm cloth, Glory dumped the contents of the bucket in the second-story bathroom and returned it to the attic.

  “Are you warm enough?” Glory asked as she helped Luna get settled in. “I can bring you a sweatshirt.”

  “I’m shivering because I’m scared.”

  “Try to relax. I’ll be watching and waiting. He won’t get past me,” Glory promised. She kissed her girl on the forehead and helped her nestle into the sleeping bag before leaving the attic. She paused in her bedroom, then opened the door and listened. The second floor was quiet, the house settling in for the November night. A muted conversation lilted through the walls: the voices of Laura and Kimani, who shared a room and were the least emotionally isolated of all the sisters. In a few hours there would be Georgina’s chronic snoring, punctuated by the occasional cry of Julia, a poor wounded bird who could not make it through the night without recalling the torture of her mother.