I’m sure you know about everything. How I graduated high
school early, what I studied in college, what I do for a living,
my family’s company, all the awards and bullshit other
articles.” Her scowl intensified. “You probably know all of it,
and you think that finding out that my sister died in that wreck
makes me easy to figure out. You think you can sum up the
way I am in one single, tragic night.”
Coralyn studied the floor. “You were fourteen. You were
way too young. Maybe it did mess you up. Turn you into the
person you are now.”
“Which is what?” She was being too nice. Deceptively nice.
She wasn’t lashing out, even if she was far from warm.
Coralyn hadn’t expected that. This wasn’t supposed to be part
of the discussion.
“Did the articles you read tell you that my parents lived on
the outskirts of the city in this big house that overlooked a
bunch of trees and nature and bullshit, an area created for the
elite? Did it say that we were only a few miles from home
when my dad’s SUV left the road and rolled down an
embankment because he didn’t see the turn coming because he
was drunk? Did it say that it was a Christmas function for the
company, that my mom was sick, so she wasn’t with us? Did
you find out exactly how many times the SUV rolled, how
cold it was to be sitting there, how warm blood really is,
especially when it’s your own, especially when it’s not?”
Giana’s eyes were wild. She looked cornered, even though she
was pacing the room freely, hurling that litany of agony at
Coralyn, bringing her past back to life in startling clarity?
“I’m sorry.” Coralyn’s voice was too sharp.
“You’re sorry that you looked it up? Why? I told you to. I’m