It should have been a beacon of hope promising an oasis of calm and of acceptance. As if. She trudged along the street, dragging behind her the wreckage of too many things. Despite Sunlight’s encouraging words, Dana had to think about everything that had happened at Beyond Beyond.
That she was right about Corinda being a phony seemed beyond question. Everything that Corinda had said on TV and to her in their “sessions” could have come from things Dana said at the store. Maybe there were some things from Dana’s session in the Chrysalis Room, but at this point Dana wouldn’t have put it past Corinda to have bugged Sunlight’s room. Maybe that was her whole thing—stealing information and insights from the people who trusted her. She was always gossiping in the store. Was that how she picked out details about the regular customers?
Every fiber of Dana’s being screamed yes.
It saddened her as much as it made her angry. She’d trusted Corinda, and she’d trusted Corinda’s abilities as a true psychic. Now so much was a lie.
Not all of it, whispered her inner voice. Sunlight is real. Believe in him.
She did, but even that felt fragile as spun glass.
Halfway home Dana saw a figure running toward her. Even from three blocks away she knew that run, knew that wild, curly, bouncing ponytail.
“Missy,” murmured Dana, and there was a catch in her throat. She broke into a run to meet her sister, knowing that somehow they’d both cut through whatever tangle of knots had snared them last night. But as they closed on each other, Dana could see that there was something wrong. Melissa wasn’t smiling. This wasn’t going to be a happy reunion. She was scowling. Her face was twisted into a mask of pure anger and resentment.
“What’s wrong with you?” cried Melissa from half a block away.
Dana skidded to a stop. “What are you…?”
“She called Mom and she was crying on the phone, Dana,” said Melissa with real heat as she slowed to a walk. “How could you do that to her? How could you say those things?”
“Corinda called home?” asked Dana, shocked by the news.
“Of course she did. Corinda cares about you. She’s worried that you’re going to do something stupid.”
“Like what? Tell everyone that she’s a phony and a liar?”
“No, she’s afraid you’re going to fly to pieces and maybe hurt yourself.”
The two sisters stood facing each other, both of them flushed and angry, fists balled, eyes bright.
“She’s a liar,” Dana repeated.
“And you’re an idiot. You had no right to say those horrible things to her in front of all her customers. She was so upset, and Mom had to calm her down. It’s awful. I never thought you could be this mean.”
“You’re going to take her word over—”
“Over yours? Yeah, I guess I am. Who wouldn’t? I heard about your drug test, Dana. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. After all this, who would believe anything you say?” Melissa pointed toward home. “You should be lucky Mom took that call and not Dad. You were supposed to come home right from school. Mom called the office, and they pulled me out of class to go look for you. You’ll be lucky if your suspension doesn’t turn into you getting completely kicked out. Mom wants me to bring you home if I have to tie you up and carry you.”
Dana opened her mouth.
“I don’t want to hear it,” snapped Melissa. “Mom said she won’t tell Dad if you come home right now.”
And there it was. No options, no way out. And no allies, even in her own sister.
Melissa turned and began heading home, fists still balled, shoulders rigid with anger. Dana followed like a prisoner going to the guillotine.
CHAPTER 79
Scully Residence
11:35 A.M.
Mom cried a lot. She asked the same questions everyone else had asked her. Dana repeated the same answers, but now it was like she was repeating lines in a script. Mom sent her to her room. No calls, no anything.
Later, though, there was a knock on the door, and when Dana opened it, she found a tray of food on the floor and heard Mom’s footsteps on the stairs, retreating quickly so she didn’t have to engage. It was horrible.
Dana slammed the door on the tray and sat on her bed all day and into the evening. Dad came home but did not come upstairs. Charlie played alone with toy spaceships in the front yard below Dana’s window. Melissa turned on her stereo and played very loud, very tragic music.
When Dana heard the front door creak open, she listened and heard Mom and Dad on the porch, talking quietly. Mom sobbed every once in a while.
That was the opportunity Dana was waiting for. She opened her door very quietly and crept into the hall. Melissa’s music was loud enough to provide good cover while Dana lifted the phone receiver and dialed a number.
Ethan answered on the sixth ring.
“I need to talk with you,” said Dana.
“Yeah, I figured you’d call with everything that’s going on,” he said. “But it’s going to have to be quick, because Uncle Frank just went to the store. He’ll be back any minute.”
“Ethan, I…”
“No, let me talk first,” said Ethan. “First, I’m really sorry about what happened. I didn’t say things right.”