She said she left Romania looking for work. A company came around and posted flyers announcing jobs in the US. Good jobs. She took all of their tests and did well. They even showed her pictures of the children she’d be taking care of. But then there was some other sort of test. She just kept repeating the word “test,” and saying, “no pass.” I thought she meant like language tests, that her English wasn’t good enough for the job. But she rolled up her sleeves and showed me bruises, needle marks. They injected her with something. And no, it wasn’t tracks, it wasn’t like she was shooting up. I’ve seen plenty of that.
I do get a brief visual then . . . of a pale, thin girl who looks to be in her late teens. She’s beautiful, with wide blue eyes and long dark hair, but I’m not sure I’d have recognized her as the woman I met earlier tonight if Molly hadn’t made the connection. The girl is holding up the sleeve of her blouse to reveal an upper arm with the mottled greenish-gold signs of fading bruises. There’s a faint pink spot near the middle of the largest one.
And then as quickly as the image came, it’s back to black again.
You said there was another girl, too. Was it the same with her? The tests, I mean.
I don’t know. We didn’t talk. She was the first one Cregg . . . finished. The same night Lucas killed my mom. The same night he handed me over.
Molly goes silent. I don’t want to push, so I wait. When I hear her again, her words tumble out quickly.
Just let me tell them, okay? Give me ten more minutes and let me get it over with. If I tell you everything, and then you have to relay it to them, that means I have to say it and then I have to hear it. I don’t think I can do this twice. I know Kelsey isn’t here. But Deo is. And Daniel’s practically a cop. There has to be some sort of law against me stealing your body, right? I promise I won’t fight you, and I won’t ask to see Pa again. Please, Anna. Just let me get it over with.
And even though she doesn’t mention it, I get a quick visual of Taylor’s face from earlier tonight. When she was angry. Molly also wants to say good-bye. I don’t entirely understand why, but she needs Taylor’s forgiveness.
Fine.
Even as the word forms in my mind, I feel my muscles tightening. It’s partly because giving her control makes me nervous, and partly because Deo’s not going to like this. I hate to worry him. The icing on the crapcake, however, is that I know beyond doubt that Molly’s story isn’t one I want to hear. I’ll have to relive all the details at some point, but there’s a really big part of me that’s perfectly okay with pushing that point as far into the future as I can.
“Deo,” I say as I open my eyes. “I’m letting Molly move to the front for a bit.”
I guess he can tell from my expression that my mind is made up, because he doesn’t try to talk me out of it. He just gives me a worried shake of the head and says, “Bad. Idea.”
“Maybe. You’ve got Kelsey on speed dial in case I get lost?”
It’s intended as a joke, but he pulls out his phone.
All four members of the family Quinn are staring at me now.
“What do you mean . . . move to the front?” Taylor asks.
“It’s Molly’s story and she needs to tell it. Her words without me in the middle. I’m giving her ten minutes, and I’d appreciate it if you’d help Deo . . . enforce that?” It comes out as a question, because I don’t really know whether I can count on any of them in that regard.
They exchange a look, and Aaron asks, “How? What should I do?”
“Just remind her we had an agreement. Molly’s a good person, but she’s scared, and . . .” I shrug, wondering now if Deo isn’t right about this being a bad idea.
“You have my word,” Sam says. The rest of them don’t say anything, but they all nod, even Taylor.
I squeeze Deo’s hand. “Back in ten.”
“You’d better be.”
Thanks, Anna.
Molly doesn’t sound as eager about taking over as she did in Kelsey’s office, but she slides forward and I feel the chicken and the biscuit I ate churn.
The room fades slightly around me. Molly glances at all four of the Quinns, saving Taylor for last.
“You been sayin’ you were gonna cut your hair for what . . . five years? Can’t believe your mama finally let you do it. It looks cute, Tay.”