Learning How to Bend

March 5

I was right to be worried. I felt their constant criticism from a mile away. It was like a skunk's odor, so pungent when you neared the animal but yet lingered long after you passed. His parents had placed me and Thaddeus in separate rooms on the second floor. The first night, it did not stop us from sleeping together. The next morning, though, I swore to myself I would not enter his room again because his mother entered without knocking and scared me half to death. I would have jumped out of my skin if not for Thaddeus's arms tightening around me and pulling me to his chest. Most people probably would have jolted backward, but Thaddeus's first instinct was to protect me. I tried to hide under the top sheet, but he held it firmly in place, preventing me from burrowing.

"I'm not a child, Mother. You can't just...enter without my permission." Thaddeus's voice was so glacially cold I felt goosebumps spread across my skin.

"This is my house," Charlotte said tersely. "I wanted to inform you breakfast was ready."

"I don't usually eat breakfast."

"My house, my rules. Come downstairs." She paused; I knew it was because she was looking at me. "Your sister-in-law and niece are here."

"I'll see them tomorrow."

"You'll see them now." His mother walked away, closing the bedroom door behind her. I waited until I could no longer hear her footfalls before saying a word.

"Is she always like that?"

"My mother knows what she wants and when she wants it." As though suddenly realizing he was holding me, his arms abruptly released. "We'd best rise."

I was the first to sit up, rubbing behind Chelise's ears as she stretched at the end of the bed. I quickly retreated to my assigned bedroom and changed, using the shared bathroom between our rooms to brush my teeth and quickly braided my hair. It was hard to do since my hands were shaking. Charlotte's unwelcomed intrusion into the room had really wrecked my psyche. It reminded me too much of things Marcus would do. Locked doors meant nothing to him; he would break them or pick them. I did not wait for Thaddeus, instead going downstairs immediately after finishing. I doubted his mother approved of us sleeping together.

With Chelise beside me, I stopped at what I assumed was the table—for there were a few people gathered around it—before going outside to allow Chelise to do her business. After feeding her once we were indoors, I sat down at the table in an empty chair. I could not tell by whom I sat. All I could tell was that it was not Thaddeus, for the smell of his cologne was not strong enough.

"Hi." The voice was quiet and breathy, high-pitched with a hint of vibrato. She was scared to talk to me. "I'm Vasilisa."

I smiled in her direction. "I'm Liliana, but my friends call me 'Lily.'"

"Does that mean we can be friends?"

"Of course. Could you pass me the plate to your right?" When she placed it in front of me, I clicked to visualize what was on the plate: muffins. I took a couple and set down the plate. "Mrs. Andino?"

The silverware stopped on the plate across from me. Where was Thaddeus if I sat in front of his mother? She did not say anything, waiting for me to ask whatever question I had for her.

"Do the muffins have any nuts in them?"

"No, they do not."

"Perfect." I smiled as warmly as I could and pulled the wrapper off the muffin before putting it in my mouth. It was warm and moist, and a fresh blueberry exploded in my mouth as I chewed. I swallowed. "These are delicious; I might need to get your recipe."