The Virgin Ceremonies

Chapter 17: Virginia: Black Widows

Chapter 17

Virginia: Black Widows

I sat in the back of a dirty SUV, food wrappers everywhere. This wasn't a car service. The driver was quiet up front. I had no idea who he was, except that my mother and aunt had hired him. I knew they had because he'd been on the phone with them when he got out of his car, and their screaming to get into the car motivated me to obey.

All of my future plans, my scheming with Brent, was over now, I knew that. I'd been caught with my pants down. The man was driving me out to Long Island, where my family was staying for Christmas. I had my backpack with me, just a simple change of clothes I never had the chance to use.

I played on my phone a little. I'd missed a few calls and messages.

One text from Quinn: "They know. Destroy all evidence."

Another from my aunt: "Ginny, come home immediately. Do not see Beau again."

My mother had written a few: "Stop what you're doing and come home now.

"I know everything. I am so ashamed of you.

"How could you humiliate me like this?"

I even had one from Brent: "Are you okay? I saw you get into an SUV."

I replied: "I'm okay. My mother knows about us. Please don't call until I call first. Don't assume it's me texting. It's going to be bad. Love you :-*"

He replied instantly. "I'm sorry. I love you too :-*"

It was two hours later when the car pulled into a long driveway that led up to our family home. My spirit was destroyed. I knew the nuclear bomb had gone off, and now I was stepping out of my shelter into the wasteland, but even this wasn't the full scale of it. Surely, my mother and aunt would contain it before my father found out. I wondered how many other people knew.

The driver held the door for me. He escorted me right up to the door. I felt like a prisoner. Then I was inside our family home, Nana's home. She didn't live here, exactly, but it had been in the family for generations, a ridiculous mansion we only came to on holidays and summers, while we all lived and worked in New York City.

This place was a tomb, and I hated it, a symbol of status and opulence that I didn't care for, even less now that I felt I was being dragged toward poverty, where Brent thrived.

Harrison the butler escorted me through the house. He waited outside two closed doors. I could hear my mother and aunt on the other side. This was it.

"Through here, Miss Virginia," he said.

"Thanks, Harry. How's Florence?"

"She's very well. Thank you for asking."

"Good. Would you be kind enough to put my backpack in my room?"

"Of course, miss."

Harrison knocked on the door and waited until my aunt called, "Come in!"

Harrison opened the door. I passed through, and he closed it behind me. Quinn sat at a round table in the study while my mom and Aunt Olivia stood over her. Tall book shelves loomed around us, the room cold from disuse. My mother gestured to the chair next to Quinn. Quinn's head was down in submission. I obediently sat beside her. I'd try to protect her, but I didn't know what she'd said. Then again, I hadn't forgotten what she'd done either.

"Your father is out on the driving range," my mother said.

"This conversation does not leave this room. Is that clear?" Olivia said.