In the Shadows

on the way.

“What are you doing?” Cora asked.

Minnie waved in the direction of the tree. “Go see for yourself.”

Without waiting to find out what her sister did, Minnie

stomped into the house. If she were Arthur and she didn’t want to

be found . . .

She took the back stairs, then opened a door in the hall to the

narrow, hidden set of stairs that led to the attic. Bypassing Arthur’s

room, the only finished one up there, she turned and crawled

through a narrow space into the open, empty expanse of the rest of

the attic.

Arthur was leaning against the wall next to the window, pro-

file illuminated.

Minnie’s heart hurt her so much she didn’t know what to do

with it, other than pull it straight out and beg him to take it

from her.

“You’re not my brother,” she whispered.

“Hmm?” Arthur looked up at her, his expression troubled and

distant.

“Why did you let me think you were my brother?”

He was silent for so long she thought he wouldn’t answer. She

thought she caught a moment of hope, of joy in his face, but it

was quickly replaced with sadness. Then, finally, he said, “It was

easier.”

“For who? It wasn’t easier for me! All this time I’ve hated

myself for how I feel about you! I’ve felt so wicked and so vile, and

still I loved you! But it wasn’t — it isn’t — we could . . .” She

trailed off, the air between them desperate and heavy with the

words she wanted him to say.

“We can’t.”