proved to be totally incompetent in everything having anything to do with the salon, my parents banished me from all future events so they wouldn’t be reminded of what an embarrassment I was.”
“Ouch. What did you do?”
“Let’s just say that I couldn’t have been more of a disaster if I’d been intentionally trying to sabotage them. The final straw was when I doused someone’s head with depilatory instead of perm solution. If my brother hadn’t walked by and smelled it, there probably would have been a lawsuit.”
“So how did you wind up here, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Dumb luck more than anything.” Tori added a handful of marshmallows to their cocoa and joined Guy at the table. “When I graduated my parents informed me I was going to study accounting. They decided I could be useful by taking over the books and staying far away from the clientele. When I tried to object, they issued an ultimatum. Do things their way or be disowned. They tacked on the condition that if I persisted in defying them, I’d have one hour to collect my things and whatever I couldn’t carry with me would be forfeited. They said they’d allow me time to think about it before I gave them my decision because they wanted to be sure I understood that if I left I would not be able to change my mind. I would never be permitted inside either the house or the salon ever again. Twenty minutes later, I was on my way to the bus station. I wanted to get as far away as I could so I bought a ticket to Portland, Maine. The bus stopped here long enough for people to grab something to eat. I saw an ad for an assistant librarian on the bulletin board and didn’t get back on the bus.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“About what?”
“Your parents. How could they treat you like that? You’re their child, for Christ’s sake.”
“It’s not like I ever fitted with them.”
“That shouldn’t matter to parents. Family is family, even when you have different interests. You don’t throw away your child because she chooses not to work in the family business.”
“Maybe not your family but mine did. We weren’t ever much of a family. I didn’t even know what a family should feel like until Diana took me along to Carla’s. It’s like seasons, Guy. You can’t miss what you never had.”
“It was still wrong of them. I can’t imagine living like that. Just wait until you meet my family. You’ll see why I’m having so much trouble with this.”
Tori fidgeted with her mug. “I think I’m ready to tell you what I left out Saturday if that’s okay.”
“Sure. Whatever you like.”
With a deep breath, Tori repeated the conversation that she suspected was about her. Guy’s expression got darker and darker. By the time she’d finished, he looked ready to explode.
Not saying anything, Guy rose from the table to stare out the window, gripping the counter so tightly his knuckles were white.
Dreading his response less than the tense silence, Tori said, “Please say something.”
Guy spun around so fast he scared her. When he leaned over her bracing one hand on the back of her chair and one on the table, Tori flinched. Instantly, Guy dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m sorry. Christ, I’m so sorry. I won’t let them get to you. They won’t lay a finger on you. Ever.” His voice was tight. “I’ll stand guard outside your door if that’s what it takes to protect you. Better yet, you can come stay with me.”
“Guy.”
“I have a spare room, so it’s okay. They won’t know where to find you.”
“Guy, stop. He’s in my head. It won’t matter where I am. Besides, that’s the least of it.”
“What do you mean?”
Tori let out a small sob. “They’re real. Don’t you see? They chopped that woman in half for me. They killed all of them to impress me. It’s my fault they’re dead. I should have stopped them.”
“How? Listen to me, Tori. It is not your fault. No,
“Ouch. What did you do?”
“Let’s just say that I couldn’t have been more of a disaster if I’d been intentionally trying to sabotage them. The final straw was when I doused someone’s head with depilatory instead of perm solution. If my brother hadn’t walked by and smelled it, there probably would have been a lawsuit.”
“So how did you wind up here, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Dumb luck more than anything.” Tori added a handful of marshmallows to their cocoa and joined Guy at the table. “When I graduated my parents informed me I was going to study accounting. They decided I could be useful by taking over the books and staying far away from the clientele. When I tried to object, they issued an ultimatum. Do things their way or be disowned. They tacked on the condition that if I persisted in defying them, I’d have one hour to collect my things and whatever I couldn’t carry with me would be forfeited. They said they’d allow me time to think about it before I gave them my decision because they wanted to be sure I understood that if I left I would not be able to change my mind. I would never be permitted inside either the house or the salon ever again. Twenty minutes later, I was on my way to the bus station. I wanted to get as far away as I could so I bought a ticket to Portland, Maine. The bus stopped here long enough for people to grab something to eat. I saw an ad for an assistant librarian on the bulletin board and didn’t get back on the bus.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“About what?”
“Your parents. How could they treat you like that? You’re their child, for Christ’s sake.”
“It’s not like I ever fitted with them.”
“That shouldn’t matter to parents. Family is family, even when you have different interests. You don’t throw away your child because she chooses not to work in the family business.”
“Maybe not your family but mine did. We weren’t ever much of a family. I didn’t even know what a family should feel like until Diana took me along to Carla’s. It’s like seasons, Guy. You can’t miss what you never had.”
“It was still wrong of them. I can’t imagine living like that. Just wait until you meet my family. You’ll see why I’m having so much trouble with this.”
Tori fidgeted with her mug. “I think I’m ready to tell you what I left out Saturday if that’s okay.”
“Sure. Whatever you like.”
With a deep breath, Tori repeated the conversation that she suspected was about her. Guy’s expression got darker and darker. By the time she’d finished, he looked ready to explode.
Not saying anything, Guy rose from the table to stare out the window, gripping the counter so tightly his knuckles were white.
Dreading his response less than the tense silence, Tori said, “Please say something.”
Guy spun around so fast he scared her. When he leaned over her bracing one hand on the back of her chair and one on the table, Tori flinched. Instantly, Guy dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m sorry. Christ, I’m so sorry. I won’t let them get to you. They won’t lay a finger on you. Ever.” His voice was tight. “I’ll stand guard outside your door if that’s what it takes to protect you. Better yet, you can come stay with me.”
“Guy.”
“I have a spare room, so it’s okay. They won’t know where to find you.”
“Guy, stop. He’s in my head. It won’t matter where I am. Besides, that’s the least of it.”
“What do you mean?”
Tori let out a small sob. “They’re real. Don’t you see? They chopped that woman in half for me. They killed all of them to impress me. It’s my fault they’re dead. I should have stopped them.”
“How? Listen to me, Tori. It is not your fault. No,
Similar Books
