Read Online Entangled Summer by Michele Barrow-Belisle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michele Barrow-Belisle
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Because I was already involved with someone. The fact that he didn’t exist where anyone else could see him was merely semantics. He was real to me. And so was our relationship. Every time.
“You aren’t being completely honest with me Norah.” She pulled her glasses off and massaged the bridge of her nose. For the first time I saw a glimmer of impatience seep through her very carefully constructed mask of indifference. “In order for any of this to work, you are going to need to be straight with me.”
My blood pressure rose and so did my voice. Despite Kenzie’s pep talk, resentment took root and grew like a noxious weed. “Okay, here’s your honesty... I honestly don’t know why the hell I’m here. I mean in order for what to work exactly, what is this supposed to be for? I’m not crazy, and I don’t need therapy. I’m fine.”
Grace sighed, and pushed back her chair to stand. Then she paced to the window and back. “Yes. You’re correct. There is nothing wrong with you. But that is not what you believe, is it? You haven’t had a real boyfriend ever in your waking life. You shy away from commitments and relationships, anything at all that ties you to something, or binds you to anything long term. Your parents were killed in a crime of passion and you were raised by your grandparents. From five years of age onward, you saw the dark and violent side of love, and then watched the other side, as your Grandfather slowly went insane with grief from the loss of his wife when she succumbed to breast cancer.”
I sucked in a slow gasp, and blinked back tears. No one. I mean no one, knew my entire life story. How did this woman, who’d only just met me a week ago, know so much about a life I’d managed to keep hidden for years? A life I barely remembered myself, at least not the part about my parents. No one had given me much detail back then, but I remember hearing the new reporter describe it as a ‘crime of passion that took two lives’, before Granddad could reach the remote to change the station.
“You’ve witnessed both sides of love for yourself. And whether you realize it or not, you see it as a destructive force and you refuse to let it into your life. But you are wasting yours in the process.”
I slapped a fist against my thigh, tears singing the corner of my eyes. “I am here for a summer job. Why is any of this your concern?”
“Because.” She turned to face me, her own eyes watery from held back tears. If I wasn’t already sitting down, I might have fallen over from shock. “I know what demons plague you and I made a vow not to let the past take another girl from this world too soon.”
I shook my head. “Demons.” I repeated the word numbly. And what did she mean, take ?
Grace Strange walked back to her desk and straightened her skirt before sitting down. She seemed to come back into herself. Back to her counselor role. Reaching across the desk she picked up a framed photograph and gave it to me. It was a girl, who looked a lot like me, only younger. Long jet hair, olive skin, round turquoise eyes the color of sea glass, like mine. I stared at the photo with a prickle of fear, and the faint sense of recognition, as if I’d seen her before. “Who is this?”
“She’s my daughter. Was. Was my daughter.” She said, taking back the photo. It was as if she feared losing her all over again if I held it for too long.
“I’m sorry. She’s so young. How did she die?” We were sharing pieces of ourselves after all, if seemed a fair question to ask.
“She didn’t die Nora. She’s just no longer here.”
“Oh. So, she moved?” I frowned. “Can’t you just go and visit, where ever she is?”
Her eyes clouded over and she gazed past me at an invisible point behind me. “Not a where. It’s a when.”
When her gaze snapped back to mine, they were razor sharp and filled with purpose.
“She chose to live in another place. A place no one can reach her ever again,” she
“You aren’t being completely honest with me Norah.” She pulled her glasses off and massaged the bridge of her nose. For the first time I saw a glimmer of impatience seep through her very carefully constructed mask of indifference. “In order for any of this to work, you are going to need to be straight with me.”
My blood pressure rose and so did my voice. Despite Kenzie’s pep talk, resentment took root and grew like a noxious weed. “Okay, here’s your honesty... I honestly don’t know why the hell I’m here. I mean in order for what to work exactly, what is this supposed to be for? I’m not crazy, and I don’t need therapy. I’m fine.”
Grace sighed, and pushed back her chair to stand. Then she paced to the window and back. “Yes. You’re correct. There is nothing wrong with you. But that is not what you believe, is it? You haven’t had a real boyfriend ever in your waking life. You shy away from commitments and relationships, anything at all that ties you to something, or binds you to anything long term. Your parents were killed in a crime of passion and you were raised by your grandparents. From five years of age onward, you saw the dark and violent side of love, and then watched the other side, as your Grandfather slowly went insane with grief from the loss of his wife when she succumbed to breast cancer.”
I sucked in a slow gasp, and blinked back tears. No one. I mean no one, knew my entire life story. How did this woman, who’d only just met me a week ago, know so much about a life I’d managed to keep hidden for years? A life I barely remembered myself, at least not the part about my parents. No one had given me much detail back then, but I remember hearing the new reporter describe it as a ‘crime of passion that took two lives’, before Granddad could reach the remote to change the station.
“You’ve witnessed both sides of love for yourself. And whether you realize it or not, you see it as a destructive force and you refuse to let it into your life. But you are wasting yours in the process.”
I slapped a fist against my thigh, tears singing the corner of my eyes. “I am here for a summer job. Why is any of this your concern?”
“Because.” She turned to face me, her own eyes watery from held back tears. If I wasn’t already sitting down, I might have fallen over from shock. “I know what demons plague you and I made a vow not to let the past take another girl from this world too soon.”
I shook my head. “Demons.” I repeated the word numbly. And what did she mean, take ?
Grace Strange walked back to her desk and straightened her skirt before sitting down. She seemed to come back into herself. Back to her counselor role. Reaching across the desk she picked up a framed photograph and gave it to me. It was a girl, who looked a lot like me, only younger. Long jet hair, olive skin, round turquoise eyes the color of sea glass, like mine. I stared at the photo with a prickle of fear, and the faint sense of recognition, as if I’d seen her before. “Who is this?”
“She’s my daughter. Was. Was my daughter.” She said, taking back the photo. It was as if she feared losing her all over again if I held it for too long.
“I’m sorry. She’s so young. How did she die?” We were sharing pieces of ourselves after all, if seemed a fair question to ask.
“She didn’t die Nora. She’s just no longer here.”
“Oh. So, she moved?” I frowned. “Can’t you just go and visit, where ever she is?”
Her eyes clouded over and she gazed past me at an invisible point behind me. “Not a where. It’s a when.”
When her gaze snapped back to mine, they were razor sharp and filled with purpose.
“She chose to live in another place. A place no one can reach her ever again,” she
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