Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“After all,” Sister Margaret says, “I’m sure you’ll want to get your schooling done before you get married.”
“What?” I ask, blinking at her.
Brom coughs, and I give him a look of confusion that he gives back in return.
“The marriage,” my mother says, as if we had just been talking about it. “Your betrothal to each other. As it’s always been promised. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.” There’s a sharpness over those last words, something hard coming over her expression.
“Mother,” I begin, exchanging another glance with Brom. “I hardly think this is appropriate, given the circumstances. He just got back.” From where? “And we haven’t seen each other in four years. A lot can change.”
“Nothing changes,” Leona says, her voice going low, her cold eyes bouncing between Brom and me. “Some things are meant to be. You were destined to be with each other from the day you were born.”
Brom makes a low, guttural sound, and I look at him. He looks like an animal about to pounce, his jaw set. “I don’t even know how I fucking got here,” he growls at them, his eyes flashing with petulance. “How about I figure that out before you talk about us getting fucking married.”
Everyone looks stunned, their eyes wide. Only Ana looks like she’s trying to hide a smile.
He doesn’t even know how he got here?
“Abraham!” my mother admonishes him. “I don’t know where you were living before, but that kind of language isn’t appropriate in Sleepy Hollow or at the institute.”
“Sarah,” Leona admonishes her with a wave of her bony hand. “Let him be. It’s quite alright. He’s been through a lot, I’m sure. Let him speak in whatever way he sees fit.”
My mother clamps her mouth shut into a white line, shrinking slightly into the background. How quickly she cowers to Leona.
“Brom,” Leona says. “That is what you still like to be called, isn’t it? Not Abraham or Abe?”
He grunts, and I notice his hands flexing and unflexing at his sides.
“Perhaps it would be best for you and Katrina to get to know each other again,” she goes on. “Sarah, why don’t you invite Brom and his parents over for dinner tonight.”
It was a command more than anything, and my mother nods. “Yes, of course.”
“Wait a minute,” I speak up. None of this is making any sense. “He just got back, yes? As much as I would like to see Brom, doesn’t he need to be with his parents alone? I’m sure they want to talk to him.”
“Darling,” Leona says with a sympathetic tilt of her head. “Didn’t you know that Brom got back days ago? I’m sure it would be fine with them all to join you tonight.”
I turn to Brom in surprise. “You’ve been back for a few days and you didn’t tell me? You didn’t come by and…and…”
There was no news of it. Nothing.
He stares at me for a moment, and he must have learned something from Professor Crane already because I can’t read his face at all. He doesn’t say anything either.
I’m not sure I have a right to feel it, but I feel utterly betrayed that he’s been back and he didn’t even come by to say hello, to let me know he was in Sleepy Hollow and he was okay. What has he been doing?
“He’s been ill,” Sister Margaret says. “Have some compassion, Katrina.”
I look at all of the Sisters. They’re all staring back at me with an expectant look in their eyes, like I’m supposed to shrink into the background like my mother did.
“I do have compassion,” I tell them. “I’ve been sick with worry for years, thinking he was dead, and suddenly he’s back, my best friend is back, and I’m supposed to just be understanding that this was kept from me for days?”
“I’m sorry,” Brom mumbles.
But the fact is I’m not mad at him, not really. I’m not sure what I’m mad at; I’m still trying to get a handle on it. Everything is happening so fast and at once. Me and Crane together, then the horseman, then Brom back in our lives. It’s overwhelming, like I’ve been torn into too many different directions and too soon.
“Perhaps we should let you get back to class,” Leona says. “I’m sure it won’t take long before you’ll be hitting it off like you used to.”
She gives the other witches a look and a sharp jerk of her chin, and they start floating down the hall away from us.
“Sarah,” Leona barks at her. “Come.”
My mother meets my eyes, and for one moment, I see fear. Pure terror, as if she’d just been asked to stride into Hell. Then she turns, her head down, and follows after her sisters.
And I’m left in the hall with a boy I once knew who has turned into a man that I don’t.