Page 2 of Dominance

Me, he tolerated. I was just an awkward, eleven-year-old nerdy kid.

At least until they had my sister. Things got better for a little while when she was born. She was a blessing in a dark time. A ray of sunlight through storm clouds. And Claude’s meal ticket.

Just as the thought crosses my mind, my phone buzzes, making me jump in the wavering shadows of a streetlamp.

“Merde!” I look around out of habit while flicking the green button. “Anna! What are you doing up at this hour?”

“Wow! Language, Gloria Marie. I was waiting for you to get off work, so I could call.”

“Sorry, you just scared me. And that sounds like a fast way to getting a handful of demerits and detention!” I scold.

“I never get in trouble, so they never suspect this perfect angel.”

“You’re a wretched little brat. Where did you learn to be so conniving?”

“If I recall, my big sister used to sneak out of our house to go dancing late at night…”

“More like to go stay at Brielle’s house where I didn’t have to share a room with a toddler!”

“I remember that apartment. It wastiny!” Anna’s giggle is musical, high and happy.

“Hold that thought…” I drop the phone to my side as I cross at the intersection, skipping to dodge a late-night cyclist.

“Pardon!” I growl out, glaring back over my shoulder.

“You okay, Glow?” the garbled little voice in my hand calls out.

“Yeah, sorry. Some people don’t know how to read road signs or stop for pedestrians!”

Anna pauses before she responds, a little hitch in her breath. “Um, Gloria, is everything alright?”

“Yeah, of course. It was just a biker.”

“Not that. It’s just, you sound…stressed out. Tired.”

“Don’t worry about memon chau.”

“I’m not a cabbage!”

“No, you’re achoux a la creme, my sweet little cream puff!” I laugh, remembering all the times she used to giggle at the nickname as a little girl. I’d tickle her until she was red in the face.

“But I do worry. You work too hard and…I don’t know.”

“Tell me.”

“I just got a bad feeling today, that’s all.”

I take a breath, arguing with myself as I turn the corner onto a brightly lit street. I take the long way home when I have to leave late.

“You know you can talk to me, Glow. I’m twelve. Not a baby.”

“You’ll always be a baby to me. But I…I got a notice from my school about my loans for next semester.”

“What did it say?’

“I-I can’t go. But that just means I can work all spring and summer, and then?—”

“Gloria, no!” Anna sighs, sounding genuinely upset for me.

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