Key to the lock, Bel hesitated. A shiver up her spine, picking up the hairs on the back of her neck. That pre-warning, that primal response to danger.
Bel checked over her shoulder, searching through the darkness, eyes catching on the trees across the street, their dancing shadows, shaping them into looming faces. But her eyes were wrong, the danger wasnโt coming from that way, it was behind the door.
She slotted the key in and shoved the door inward, opening onto the waiting war zone.
Laughter and warm voices, the smell of something buttery and sweet.
She hadnโt expected that.
โAn-Bel, is that you?โย Rachelโs voice rang out,ย ๏ฌnding her around the corner.
Bel dropped her bag, kicked o๏ฌย her shoes, leaving them in the way.ย โHoney, Iโm home,โย she said darkly, to herself, following the sounds of
the TV into the living room.
โHi, sweetie.โย Rachelโs eyes shone in the dark room, settling on Bel. The television threw light on her face with each frame,ย ๏ฌashes of bright white into a green afterglow.
She was on the sofa, legs tucked up under a checkered blanket. And she wasnโt alone.
Carter was on the other end. Legs hidden beneath the same blanket. A bowl of popcorn between them, half empty already.
Rachel took another handful.ย โWeโre having a movie night. Come join, thereโs plenty of space.โย She moved the popcorn to her lap.
Belโs eyes darted to Carter, her faceย ๏ฌashing the same colors as Rachelโs.ย โWeโre watchingย Knives Out,โย Carter said, even though she must know
that wasnโt the question in Belโs eyes.
โI told you I was out tonight.โย Bel stood dead still in the same spot.
โI know.โย Carterโs hands disappeared under the blanket too.ย โBy the time you replied, I was already here. Rachel said I could sleep over. She didnโt have anything to do either, so we decided to watch a movie. Have you seen this one, Bel? I think youโd like it.โ
Bel didnโt care if sheโd like the movie, she didnโt like this at all. The two of them together, without her. A churn of acid in her gut, the knot paddling around in it. This was a calculated move somehow; Rachel shifting the pieces on the board, trying to take Carter onto her side.
Bel wouldnโt give her up that easy.
โWhatโs it about?โย Bel brightened her voice, moving toward the sofa, blocking the TV for Rachel, throwing her into full shadow.
โItโs a murder mystery,โย Carter said,ย โabout a fucked-up family.โ โI like it already.โ
Bel took the middle seat, between them, her body a barricade between Carter and Rachel, reclaiming her cousin, who couldnโt see what Rachel truly was.
She tucked her legs under the blanket, pulling until one of Rachelโs feet was exposed.
Rachel o๏ฌered her the popcorn.
Bel hesitated, then took a handful. The pretense of it all: mother and daughter, and Carter.
โItsโs de๏ฌnitely him.โย Rachel pointed at the screen, trying to catch Bel up, or showing her that she was better at this kind of thing.
โNo news vans outside.โย Bel spoke over the character.
โThey packed up earlier,โย Rachel said.ย โGuess they have to sleep sometime.โ
โOr they donโt care as much about Dad disappearing as you reappearing,โย Bel said, eyes ahead, because she wouldnโt be able to hide which oneย sheย cared about most, and she was trying to keep Rachel close, study her to work out how to destroy her. Look how well she was doing; so close that she could hear the way Rachelโs breath rattled gently.
โHeโll be back, Bel.โย Carter pressed the underside of her foot against Belโs, matching them up.ย โCops in Vermont will track him down soon, and heโll come home. Wonโt he?โย She leaned forward to speak across Bel, looking to Rachel.
Rachelโs hand paused above the popcorn, eyes darting between Carter and Bel.ย โYes, Iโm sure he will,โย she answered. Bel could read Rachel better now, could tell Carter had put her on the spot. Maybe Carter wasnโt lost after all. And maybe Dad wasnโt either.
โHe better be,โย Bel added, like a threat, because it was.
Rachel returned her gaze to the television.ย โItโs your grandpaโs eighty-ย ๏ฌfth birthday next Friday,โย she said, not a question.ย โCarter said your dad hosts a family dinner here every year. That mac and cheese is the tradition. We can still do that, you know, even if heโs not back by then.โ
Bel swallowed. She tried not to move her head, eyes straining to study Rachel side-on. Theย ๏ฌicker of the TV against the glass of her eyes. What had she meant by that? Had Rachel given something away; did she know Dad wouldnโt be back next week? Wouldnโt ever be back, because sheโd made sure of it?
โYeah.โย Bel sni๏ฌed.ย โThat would be nice.โ
Rachel reached for another handful of popcorn. Belย ๏ฌinched at the bone- crunch sound of it in her mouth.
โDoes Yordan ever take your grandpa out for walks?โย Rachel asked. Bel was too close; could smell her buttery breath.ย โNot good to be inside the house all day.โ
Bel was about to answer but stopped herself. It wasnโt theย ๏ฌrst time Rachel had asked about Grandpa and Yordan, about their routine. Bel
noticed things like that, now she wasnโt avoiding Rachel all the time. Was there something in that, or was Rachel just trying to make it look like she cared?
โGrandpaโsย ๏ฌne,โย she said, shutting that down, whatever Rachel was trying. A curveball to throw her o๏ฌ,ย ๏ฌipping Rachelโs questions back to her:ย โDo you like mac and cheese?โ
A smile played across Rachelโs lips.ย โYeah, I do.โ
The movieย ๏ฌnished, only crumbs and unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bowl.
โWe should do this again,โย Rachel said, a sheen across her eyes, matching the sheen across her bared teeth.ย โIf you want? Movie night. Us three. I had fun.โ
โMe too,โย Bel said, at the exact same time as Carter. They laughed, and Rachel ruined it by joining in.
โMaybe once a week? Iโve got a lot of movies to catch up on.โย Rachel stood, kernels rattling in the bowl as she picked it up.ย โCarter, where would you like to sleep? I can make up Charlieโs bed for you?โ
Bel sti๏ฌened, and Carter must have felt it, through their feet.
โThatโs OK.โย Carter smiled up at her.ย โIโll go in with Bel, like I normally do.โ
โPerfect.โย Rachel beamed, and maybe Bel was getting worse at this, because her smile didnโt seem fake at all.
โ
Bel ventured back from brushing her teeth, hurrying down the hall so Rachel couldnโt catch her, those eyes glowing in the dark.
โGood night, girls!โย Rachel called from the spare room, her door left ajar; not locked, not even shut.
Bel winced, a shiver, even though the house was warm.
โNight,โย Carter called from Belโs room. Bel said it too, half a second later; a deeper, darker echo.
She reached her bedroom and closed the door, leaning up against it.
Carter was already in bed, tucked up on her usual side.
โSo?โย Bel turned o๏ฌย the top light, climbing in under the comforter.ย โSo what?โย Carter replied.
Bel put her cold feet on the exposed skin of Carterโs legs. Carter kicked back.
โSoย Rachel?โย Bel said, voice dropping into whispers. She didnโt trust Rachel or her half-closed door; she could be creeping around outside, listening in.
โSoย what about her?โย Carter said, not following suit, not lowering her voice.ย โShe said she had no plans and how about we watch a movie and wait for you to get back. I didnโt want to be at home. Itโs not a big deal. We had fun, didnโt we?โ
Bel couldnโt say she did.ย โWhy are you getting defensive?โ โIโm not,โย Carter snapped, hands crossed over her chest.ย โYes you are.โ
โBecause I know youโre going toย ๏ฌnd some reason to be annoyed about
it.โ
โNo Iโm not,โย Bel said.
โYes you are,โย Carter hit back.
โNot annoyed, no. We just have to be careful around her, OK?โย Bel
hissed.
โWhy do we have to be careful? Rachel is nice. Sheโs nice to both of us and sheโs been through hell. Why do you always have to do this?โ
โIโm notย doingย anything,โย Bel said.ย โItโs Rachel. Sheโs doing everything. Sheโs back for just a week with a made-up story about where sheโs been for sixteen years, and then my dad goes missing? Of course she wants you to think sheโsย nice.โ
โBel.โย A warning.
โCarter.โย A warning back.ย โDid she say anything to you?โ
โAbout what?โย Carter recrossed her arms the other way, staring up at the ceiling.
โAbout anything? About my dad? About your parents? About why she chose to disappear and lie about it? Any slipups?โ
โMaybe.โย Carter chewed her bottom lip.ย โShe told me she was an evil mastermind with a plan for world domination.โ
โCarter.โย Bel turned to look at her, aย ๏ฌnal warning, eyes sharpening with
it.
โNo, nothing,โย Carter sighed.ย โShe asked me questions about school and
dancing and then we talked about the movie. Nothing suspicious, sorry, Bel,โย said like she wasnโt sorry one bit. She raised one arm and dropped it against the comforter, a straight line between her and Bel, her own barricade.
Bel turned the lamp o๏ฌ, throwing them into darkness. It was her turn to stare up at the ceiling. Who could she convince if she couldnโt even convince Carter? Had Rachel already won?
No, because Bel still had a plan, a next move. Je๏ฌย knew something about Rachel, or he believed that Grandpa did. Uncle Je๏ฌย was the way to get what she wanted: Dad back home and Rachel gone, like it was always meant to be.
Bel hadnโt been studying her uncle since Rachel returned, but maybe she should have been.
โHas your dad said anything?โย Bel said, treading lightly, something she could only ask in the dark.
โAbout Rachel?โย Carter shifted, the comforter too.ย โNo. Well, I mean, of course heโs talked about her: about her return, about the stress of it all and thatโs why he thinks Uncle Charlie took o๏ฌย for some space. But he was happy she came home.โ
Bel thought about that. She could play her the clip, what they caught Je๏ฌย saying to Grandpa. But what if Carter then told Rachel, took away their advantage?
โHas he been acting strange at all? Since Rachel returned?โย A pause, the crackle of Carterโs hair against the pillow.ย โNo,โย she said.ย โWhy?โ
โNo reason, just wondering.โ
The whites of Carterโs eyes glowed across from her. One slow blink took them away.
โWell, maybe a bit,โย Carter said.ย โBut everyoneโs been acting strange since Rachel returned.โย Another blink.ย โEspecially you.โ
Carter rolled over, turned her back on Bel.ย โIโm going to sleep,โย she said.
