sister.
Something had gone wrong, but what?
If Tori didn’t trust the system that raised her, it stood to reason she must have been mistreated in some way. Something had to have broken the innate trust of a child that the adults around her would take care of her.
Shane’s first instinct upon learning of her pregnancy was that someone had hurt Tori. That thought hadn’t crossed Ani’s mind at all. Yes, Tori was upset, but the suggestion that the baby was a result of a rape was a horror she wasn’t prepared to consider.
Ani put her hands over her eyes, trembling.
She couldn’t assume. Assumption never helped anyone.
The sound of the garage door opening made Ani jump. She wiped away any trace of the tears that had pricked but not spilled.
Tori came through first, her face twisted into an angry snarl and one of her duffle bags over her shoulder. “Where’s my room?”
Ani bit back the urge to snap at her rudeness. “There are two spare bedrooms at the end of the hallway upstairs. Take whichever one you want.”
Not even bothering to acknowledge she’d spoken, Tori turned toward the entryway and the stairs. Her steps weren’t light. Each footfall made the floor creak and protest.
Ani heard Shane’s more even steps behind her, but she didn’t turn until he cleared his throat. His expression was pinched, the skin around his eyes tight with sadness and obvious worry, but he tried for a friendly smile.
“I’m sorry if there was any trouble,” Ani said. She wanted to yell at the man for some of the things he’d said about her, but she recognized that he didn’t know her. Only time would prove her good intentions. “I didn’t realize she didn’t tell anyone where she was going.”
Shane shrugged, his smile a little more genuine. “All things considered, Tori’s been one of the easier kids I’ve worked with.” His lips twitched downward. “And she has a point. She is an adult. It’s her life.”
“And you think she’s making a mistake being here.”
He held her gaze for the space of a few heartbeats. His tone was quiet, his words measured when he spoke. “I think I’ve seen a lot of kids make decisions that cost them too much. Life is hard enough, and she’s so close to at least having a high school diploma. Maybe it’s not much, but it’s something.”
Ani nodded. “She’ll get her diploma.”
The man sighed and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ve got nothing against you, Ms. Novak. I’m sure you have good intentions.”
“But good intentions pave the road to hell.”
He nodded. “And that girl has been through enough hell for one lifetime.”
“What happened to her?” Ani asked.
“I was hoping you could tell me that.”
“You’re asking about the baby?” He nodded. “I have no idea. I was asking about everything else.”
His lips turned down. “I can’t give you specifics.” He’d told her the same thing when they first met and she had asked what happened to the Welches, how had Tori ended up with someone else. “Let’s just leave it at a lot of things happened to her that shouldn’t have.”
Another awkward silence descended on them before he pushed off the wall. “Okay. I’ll leave you to it, then.” He reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. “I don’t know that there’s much I can do to help you, but if you need to talk, I’m here to listen. Unofficially. As Tori’s friend.”
Taking the card he offered, Ani nodded and stood to see him out. “Thank you.”
Tori hopped back and forth between the two bedrooms several times before she decided which one she wanted.
It was strange to have a choice. A lot of things were strange. She couldn’t remember ever having a room to herself, let alone a room as big as these were. She’d lived her entire life in one twin-sized bed or another. The bed she lay on now, staring up at the ceiling, was a queen.
Space and privacy—what a novel situation.
Tori
Something had gone wrong, but what?
If Tori didn’t trust the system that raised her, it stood to reason she must have been mistreated in some way. Something had to have broken the innate trust of a child that the adults around her would take care of her.
Shane’s first instinct upon learning of her pregnancy was that someone had hurt Tori. That thought hadn’t crossed Ani’s mind at all. Yes, Tori was upset, but the suggestion that the baby was a result of a rape was a horror she wasn’t prepared to consider.
Ani put her hands over her eyes, trembling.
She couldn’t assume. Assumption never helped anyone.
The sound of the garage door opening made Ani jump. She wiped away any trace of the tears that had pricked but not spilled.
Tori came through first, her face twisted into an angry snarl and one of her duffle bags over her shoulder. “Where’s my room?”
Ani bit back the urge to snap at her rudeness. “There are two spare bedrooms at the end of the hallway upstairs. Take whichever one you want.”
Not even bothering to acknowledge she’d spoken, Tori turned toward the entryway and the stairs. Her steps weren’t light. Each footfall made the floor creak and protest.
Ani heard Shane’s more even steps behind her, but she didn’t turn until he cleared his throat. His expression was pinched, the skin around his eyes tight with sadness and obvious worry, but he tried for a friendly smile.
“I’m sorry if there was any trouble,” Ani said. She wanted to yell at the man for some of the things he’d said about her, but she recognized that he didn’t know her. Only time would prove her good intentions. “I didn’t realize she didn’t tell anyone where she was going.”
Shane shrugged, his smile a little more genuine. “All things considered, Tori’s been one of the easier kids I’ve worked with.” His lips twitched downward. “And she has a point. She is an adult. It’s her life.”
“And you think she’s making a mistake being here.”
He held her gaze for the space of a few heartbeats. His tone was quiet, his words measured when he spoke. “I think I’ve seen a lot of kids make decisions that cost them too much. Life is hard enough, and she’s so close to at least having a high school diploma. Maybe it’s not much, but it’s something.”
Ani nodded. “She’ll get her diploma.”
The man sighed and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ve got nothing against you, Ms. Novak. I’m sure you have good intentions.”
“But good intentions pave the road to hell.”
He nodded. “And that girl has been through enough hell for one lifetime.”
“What happened to her?” Ani asked.
“I was hoping you could tell me that.”
“You’re asking about the baby?” He nodded. “I have no idea. I was asking about everything else.”
His lips turned down. “I can’t give you specifics.” He’d told her the same thing when they first met and she had asked what happened to the Welches, how had Tori ended up with someone else. “Let’s just leave it at a lot of things happened to her that shouldn’t have.”
Another awkward silence descended on them before he pushed off the wall. “Okay. I’ll leave you to it, then.” He reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. “I don’t know that there’s much I can do to help you, but if you need to talk, I’m here to listen. Unofficially. As Tori’s friend.”
Taking the card he offered, Ani nodded and stood to see him out. “Thank you.”
Tori hopped back and forth between the two bedrooms several times before she decided which one she wanted.
It was strange to have a choice. A lot of things were strange. She couldn’t remember ever having a room to herself, let alone a room as big as these were. She’d lived her entire life in one twin-sized bed or another. The bed she lay on now, staring up at the ceiling, was a queen.
Space and privacy—what a novel situation.
Tori
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