Exaltation (Insight #11)(9)
Really? “And you call me backwoods? Do you know what decade it is? I don’t need a man to raise my girls.” She stood emotionless. Confirming she didn’t even care enough to be mad at him.
Behind him, through the screen, she saw that Thelma Ray had placed his barely unpacked bags by the back door. At the same time she heard the girls crying, surely wanting to be fed. “Your things are ready.”
“This is not over.” It couldn’t be, Emery was the key to all his research, she understood deeper than he could ever hope to do. Without her he was ruined.
“It is.”
He grabbed her arm as she passed him. “You’re going to get sick of playing house one day. And when you do, you’re going to see how immature you’re being now.”
She detached his hand with little effort and made her way to the nursery.
Thelma Ray stood over his bags with a cold stare.
“You did this. You put ideas in her head,” Duncan seethed.
“Ain’t nobody ever been able to get that girl to latch on to an idea she didn’t conjure up on her own. You best be leavin’ now.”
“Why? Planning on having Jamison over for coffee?”
“You best be forgettin’ his name ‘for someone helps you with dat.”
“Someone like you?”
She slowly grinned. Right then the den turned frigid. The screen door slammed opened and haunting whispers could be heard on the wind.
“No, but I have a notion you’re no longer welcome in the Quarter.”
“I have done nothing wrong in this neighborhood.”
“Probably not yet. But the spirits have seen something in you they care not for. Like I said, best be movin’ on.”
“Listen here you little wanna be priestess. This is not over. You will regret this night if it’s the last thing I do.”
The screen door slammed against the wall as if the wind was demanding he leave.
Duncan grabbed his bags, gave Thelma Ray a lasting glare then left without another word, vowing to himself revenge would be his. No mumbo jumbo wannabe Hoodoo would trash his five-year plan—steal his wealth and fame.
Chapter Four
Seventeen years later…
“I’m in trouble. I’m in SO much trouble,” Raven BellaRose thought to herself. She was seated between her best friends—who might as well be her sisters—the Sabien twins, River and Ashlyn (who everyone called Ash) on a bench outside of the principal’s office.
Raven’s thoughts were rushing through the list of things she could be in trouble for and hoped against all hope it was for skipping lunch. She and the girls were sneaking in a side hall door when they heard, “Raven BellaRose and the Sabiens, please report to the principal’s office,” over the loud speaker.
Even though they had never lived at any home beyond the ones they were born in, this was their third high school and tenth school all in all.
Oddly, they had a knack for getting suspended, over and over, and then expelled. It was always for stupid reasons—at least as far as they were concerned the reasons were ridiculous. Reasons like: not wearing their uniform, or arguing teaching styles, even objecting to the monocracy of cliques in general.
Then again, last year they did manage to burn down a science lab. The year before, they flooded an art room. “It was an honest mistake.” That’s what Raven told her father as sweetly as she could. “We really never meant any harm—swear.” And they never did.
The girls had yet to figure out how they were even blamed for it. But they were the last ones in both rooms, so it was hard to deny they could’ve been at fault.
Stranger things have happened…
River was the rebel of their group, the one who came up with wicked ideas, even though Ash was usually the one that came up with their grand schemes to live out said ideas. Raven, in most cases, was just along for the ride.
Raven was all about having a good time. Feeling the rush of life always eased her into a simple bliss. More times than not, she found a way to get all of the girls out of trouble when it arose. She had a way of reasoning with her father, and Miss Emery had a soft spot for her. Now, when it came to Miss Thelma Ray, none of them got any mercy.
They had made an honest to God pact to stay out of trouble that year. They wanted to make it through their junior year with a clean slate. And so far, they had made it through the first four weeks without any issues. A golden accomplishment as far as they were concerned.
“It will be just a few more minutes, girls. Principal LaDay wanted to speak to your—” The secretary stopped short to answer the phone ringing on her desk.
Raven glanced at River, as Ash let out a shuddering breath. They were all thinking the same thing: who is behind that door.
Raven’s father, Jamison, had investments in most of the French Quarter and he tended to watch his investments rather closely. On the weekends he usually worked late. For as long as Raven could remember Thursday through Sunday she stayed at the Sabien’s. Miss Emery was listed as her guardian. Her Aunt Saige was too, but she rarely dealt with the ‘public.’ Saige wasn’t mean or anything, she just didn’t see the reasoning of the rules girls their age were supposed follow. Saige often said, “There is more to worry about in this world than if a uniform is worn properly—uniform as if Raven will ever be uniform,” under her breath. The phrase, “blasted mortals,” would follow, but the girls disregarded the offhand expression as they overlooked every other oddity. Life in the Quarter had taught them anything was possible…and if you let it, your imagination would run you.