Page 20 of Releasing 10
“No, Liz, I’m sorry.” Her arms tightened around me, making me feel warm and happy. Making the burning, itchy pressure in my throat go away. “I need to have more patience with you.”
“Does Daddy hate me?”
“No.” She pulled me closer. “He’s just worried because of Grandad and Nell.”
“Who’s Nell?”
“Remember that weirdo who showed up to dinner today with the Christmas presents?” Settling me between her legs, she freed my hair from my ponytail. “The one Mam got upset with for taking you to the river?”
I thought about the lady that came to our house today and smiled. “We fed the ducks.”
“That’s Dad’s sister.” She continued to brush my hair out with her fingers. “Nell.”
“I didn’t know Daddy had a sister,” I replied. “She never came here before.”
“That’s because his sister is a rip-roaring lunatic,” Caoimhe explained, braiding my hair. “Just like her dad was before he died.”
“Her dad?”
“Grandad Young.”
“What’s a lunatic?”
“Someone who’s crazy and hears voices.” Caoimhe sighed. “That’s why Grandad drowned in the river when Dad was a kid. The voices told him to jump in.”
“But I hear voices.” My eyes widened. “I can hear your voice right now.”
“Not real voices,” Caoimhe chuckled, still working on my hair. “Pretend voices.” She poked my temple with her finger. “Inside your head.”
“But the lady wasn’t rip-roaring at me,” I replied, scrunching my brows up. “She wasn’t talking to any voices when we were feeding the ducks.”
“Probably because she was too busy thinking about a way to feedyouto the ducks,” she replied, sounding worried now. “You’re lucky she didn’t throw you in.”
“But I can’t swim yet.”
“I know.” Her voice was sad again. “That’s why Mam is so upset. She thought you weren’t coming back today.”
“Because the lady took me to feed the ducks?”
“Because she took you to the river.” Caoimhe shivered. “You must never be alone with her.”
“Never?”
“Never ever, and if she ever comes back and tries to take you away, then you have to run, Liz.”
“Run?”
“Run.” Finishing with my braid, she turned me around to face her. “As fast as you can.”
“How did the voices get into Grandad and the lady?” I asked, shuffling closer to my sister.
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I think they were just born with it.”
“Can they get better?” Nestling into her chest, I reached up and touched her cheek; my favorite way to snuggle. “Can the doctors take the voices away?”
“Well, Grandad’s up in heaven with holy God now, so he’s not suffering anymore.”
“Suffering?”
