Read Online Heart of Ice by April Henry, Lis Wiehl - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: April Henry, Lis Wiehl
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Mama was already beside herself at Darren’s divorce. But if she knew her daughter’s life—and soul—were on the line, Mama was sure to become even more frantic. And Daddy— Daddy’s huge sad eyes would fill up with pain. Telling her parents would only hurt them, and she wanted to spare them that as long as she could.
The class ended, and people began to put away their mats and exercise balls. Nic followed Cassidy and Allison as they carried their large plastic balls into an adjoining storage room.
And her daughter? Makayla was only nine. She hadn’t even gotten her period yet. It had been only a few weeks since she’d learned the terrible truth about her father. Nic couldn’t stand to think of how lonely her daughter would be, how the very foundation of her world would be just ripped out from under her. Couldn’t stand to imagine how her daughter’s green eyes would fill with tears as she realized her mother was leaving her.
And that was the thing that Nic feared most. Her life snuffed out. Gone forever. And the world would move on without her, inexorable and uncaring. Makayla would grow up without her guidance. Leif would find another woman.
Even her friends would eventually replace her.
CHAPTER 14
Portland Fitness Center
A nd I say to all who complete a successful boot camp class—” Pressing her palms together, fingers pointing up, Elizabeth murmured, “Namaste” over and over as she bowed slightly and made eye contact with each woman in turn.
Now she stood in the corner, making sure, simply through her presence, that they all put away their equipment. As she looked at their reddened, sweating faces, she felt a surge of satisfaction. She had pushed most of them past their abilities. But finally Elizabeth had bested the one participant who had mattered to her at that moment. A wince had crossed the face of that black girl, one of the two friends Cassidy had brought.
The other one, with her milky skin and dark hair, had been doomed from the start. Her muscles had trembled as she struggled to do even the simplest things. Sure, there had been the pleasure of correcting her already poor form and hearing her fail to suppress a moan. But it had been nothing in comparison with proving that the fierce-looking black girl, with her slanted eyes and her powerfully muscled legs, was no match for Elizabeth.
As people put away mats and exercise balls and gathered their things, Cassidy brought the two women over. Elizabeth put on the right smile. Open, curious, friendly. She had practiced it many times in the mirror.
“Elizabeth, these are my friends, Allison Pierce”—Allison was the white girl, who at least was no longer breathing audibly—“and Nicole Hedges. This is Elizabeth Avery.”
The black girl gave Elizabeth a cool nod.
Cassidy continued, “The three of us all went to the same high school—can you believe it?”
Elizabeth shook hands with them, nodding like she cared. If Cassidy thought who she had gone to high school with was impressive, what would she have thought of the kids from the Spurling Institute? Rapists, drug addicts, kids who heard voices but wouldn’t take their meds. About half of Elizabeth’s classmates had had their fees—$6,000 dollars a month—paid for by their wealthy families, families who would pay anything in the hope that the school could make their child normal.
Elizabeth had been in the other group, the ones whose stays were paid for by the state. At Spurling, Elizabeth had figured out that she liked rich people better than poor people. Through careful mimicry, she had learned how to talk and act like them. And how to keep them in line.
Cassidy’s smile was too big, and her eyes darted from one face to the next. Elizabeth could tell she wanted them all to be friends with each other. Just one big happy family.
Right.
Like some gushing grandma, Cassidy said, “Allison edited the paper and got the highest SAT score at our high school.”
“Second highest,
The class ended, and people began to put away their mats and exercise balls. Nic followed Cassidy and Allison as they carried their large plastic balls into an adjoining storage room.
And her daughter? Makayla was only nine. She hadn’t even gotten her period yet. It had been only a few weeks since she’d learned the terrible truth about her father. Nic couldn’t stand to think of how lonely her daughter would be, how the very foundation of her world would be just ripped out from under her. Couldn’t stand to imagine how her daughter’s green eyes would fill with tears as she realized her mother was leaving her.
And that was the thing that Nic feared most. Her life snuffed out. Gone forever. And the world would move on without her, inexorable and uncaring. Makayla would grow up without her guidance. Leif would find another woman.
Even her friends would eventually replace her.
CHAPTER 14
Portland Fitness Center
A nd I say to all who complete a successful boot camp class—” Pressing her palms together, fingers pointing up, Elizabeth murmured, “Namaste” over and over as she bowed slightly and made eye contact with each woman in turn.
Now she stood in the corner, making sure, simply through her presence, that they all put away their equipment. As she looked at their reddened, sweating faces, she felt a surge of satisfaction. She had pushed most of them past their abilities. But finally Elizabeth had bested the one participant who had mattered to her at that moment. A wince had crossed the face of that black girl, one of the two friends Cassidy had brought.
The other one, with her milky skin and dark hair, had been doomed from the start. Her muscles had trembled as she struggled to do even the simplest things. Sure, there had been the pleasure of correcting her already poor form and hearing her fail to suppress a moan. But it had been nothing in comparison with proving that the fierce-looking black girl, with her slanted eyes and her powerfully muscled legs, was no match for Elizabeth.
As people put away mats and exercise balls and gathered their things, Cassidy brought the two women over. Elizabeth put on the right smile. Open, curious, friendly. She had practiced it many times in the mirror.
“Elizabeth, these are my friends, Allison Pierce”—Allison was the white girl, who at least was no longer breathing audibly—“and Nicole Hedges. This is Elizabeth Avery.”
The black girl gave Elizabeth a cool nod.
Cassidy continued, “The three of us all went to the same high school—can you believe it?”
Elizabeth shook hands with them, nodding like she cared. If Cassidy thought who she had gone to high school with was impressive, what would she have thought of the kids from the Spurling Institute? Rapists, drug addicts, kids who heard voices but wouldn’t take their meds. About half of Elizabeth’s classmates had had their fees—$6,000 dollars a month—paid for by their wealthy families, families who would pay anything in the hope that the school could make their child normal.
Elizabeth had been in the other group, the ones whose stays were paid for by the state. At Spurling, Elizabeth had figured out that she liked rich people better than poor people. Through careful mimicry, she had learned how to talk and act like them. And how to keep them in line.
Cassidy’s smile was too big, and her eyes darted from one face to the next. Elizabeth could tell she wanted them all to be friends with each other. Just one big happy family.
Right.
Like some gushing grandma, Cassidy said, “Allison edited the paper and got the highest SAT score at our high school.”
“Second highest,
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