Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Popping antacids seemed to be a new trend, at least in Ru’s world; she shoved three more into her mouth and steered her car onto her mother’s street. She must’ve taken half a bottle of Tums between the time she’d gotten back to her room after the hunt last night and now, and she was thankful Rider seemed to have a never-diminishing supply, though he’d warned her they were not a long-term solution. Right now, she was just hoping to get the burning under control before she walked into her mother’s house. She needed to focus on what she wanted to say, not the fact that she might spew acidic vomit all over her mom’s pristine carpets.

She wasn’t sure what had been so difficult the night before. Unlike the first time she’d gone with Cutter to the other realms, the woods had been painful in a way she hadn’t expected. It didn’t help that he couldn’t explain it. She’d done her best to describe what she was feeling to Cutter, but he didn’t seem to have any idea what might be causing it, which was alarming to Ru. It would figure she’d have some sort of allergic reaction or something else ridiculous to doing her job.

Her mother’s car was in the driveway, which made Ru both relieved and even more anxious. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t secretly hoped Liddy might not be home. That might be a justifiable excuse to put this conversation off even longer, but she was here. Greg’s truck was parked beside her mother’s Chrysler, but she assumed he’d be upstairs watching whatever football game was on, leaving her to face Liddy alone.

Ru pulled to a stop in front of the two-story structure. It wasn’t old, unlike most things around here, and had a nice brick exterior and a nicely manicured lawn her mother paid for. Growing up in a dilapidated rental where the cockroaches were so friendly they may as well have been pets, Ru couldn’t even imagine what it might’ve been like if Liddy had met Greg when she was younger. It might not have made her love her adopted daughter any more, but she might’ve at least have had enough happiness elsewhere in her life that she wouldn’t have been so angry all the time, which usually ended up with Ru getting the blame. Not that her marriage was one of wedded bliss, but Greg provided for her in a way Liddy had never experienced before, not in Ru’s lifetime anyway, and she was thankful her step-father had such a good job, even if he had come along too late for her to ever benefit from it.

Pulling the keys out of the ignition and dropping them in her purse was nothing of concern anymore now that Cutter had taught her how to control her powers. Thinking of him made her calm down just a bit. She was so lucky the gods—or the Archs—or whoever was in charge of this show—had sent such a patient person to help her. Training her was proving to be more than a little complicated, and she was blessed to have someone who didn’t seem to mind when she failed time and time again. It didn’t hurt that he was quite easy on the eyes, too, though she knew there would never be anything between them.

Brushing those thoughts aside, Ru pushed her car door open and stepped out. She approached the house much the same way she had the sinister trees in the woods the night before—cautiously. The beast that lived here might not be as physically dangerous as those who dwelt in the woods, but she was every bit as capable of doing damage with her words as they were with their jagged claws. Ru rang the bell, happy no sparks flew, no surge of power left her fingertip.

It took so long for the door to open, she considered ringing it again, though she knew Liddy absolutely hated it when she did that. “I’ll get there when I get there!” she’d admonish. Why she had to ring her bell at her own mother’s house was beyond her, but the one time she’d let herself in like her older sisters always did, her mother had threatened to call the police, saying she had broken in. Ru waited for Liddy to open the door and stared into her mother’s face, wondering if she’d ever see her again after this.

She looked older than Ru had remembered, even though she’d just seen her a few weeks ago. A life of working under relatively difficult conditions had taken a toll. Liddy had never been a laborer, per se, but she had worked two jobs, one as a cashier, the other as a nighttime janitor, for much of the time Ru was growing up. She couldn’t fault the woman’s work ethic or her willingness to do what she needed to in order to provide everything her daughters needed or wanted—the older two anyway.

She had changed out of her church clothing into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, the uniform Ru remembered for most of the casual times they’d spent together when she was growing up. Her hair was as unruly as ever, fighting against the band whose purpose was to keep it out of her eyes. It was losing the battle as tufts of red laced with silver poked out around her crown. Her face, freckled from the sun and somewhat wrinkled, held a scowl, Ru’s usual greeting. “Well, don’t just stand there gawking at me, Ruin. Come in.”

Biting her lip, Ru grabbed the screen door before it slammed and followed Liddy into the living room. Everything was in its place, as she expected, and as she pushed the door closed behind her, she watched as her mother picked up a perfectly folded blanket tossed on the back of a recliner and straightened it as if it had been a mess. They may have lived in a rundown house infested with pests, but it wasn’t because of Liddy’s cleaning skills, that was for sure.

“Well, sit down.” Ru did as she was told, taking a seat on the floral sofa. Liddy sat in the recliner. Ru wondered why every sentence had to start with “well” as if her very existence was exasperating. “I’m actually glad you’re here.” Liddy was leaning back in her chair on one elbow, surveying Ru through slitted lids. “I heard something shocking about you at church today.”

“Of course you did,” Ru muttered. “I’m sure it’s one of the reasons I’m here.”

“Did you really quit your job?”

It was an accusation, and Ru realized she was treading on familiar, but thin, ice. If she wanted the opportunity to explain herself at all, she’d have to be careful not to set fire to the ground below her. “I found my grandmother.”

Liddy looked shocked; that wasn’t the response she was looking for. “Ruin Sara!” She found her voice again quickly. “You cannot quit your job to go off in search of a woman who never wanted you! Do you have any idea how completely irresponsible this is? The woman at church who told me, Nancy, she says you’ve met some guy… that same teacher who you were dating… and the two of you are shacking up together. Really, Ruin, you continue to be a disgrace to this family. I don’t know why I even let you in.”

“Are you done?”