Page 19 of Sins (The Sins Trilogy 1)
“It’s not that. I don’t have any.”
Yuna pauses for a second. “Seriously? Not even a snapshot from a vacation or something?”
I shake my head.
“That’s weird. You have lots of photos of Harry and Edgar. Why not Tony?”
“He doesn’t live here.” But it occurs to me that I’ve never seen a picture of Tony anywhere in the house, not even one from his childhood, when he was still living in Tempérane. He’s been such a mystery, I didn’t even know what he looked like until yesterday.
Or maybe Aunt Margot and Uncle Lane did what they could to erase Tony’s presence in the house…and family. Harry made it clear after our Schubert practice that Tony and Margot have some issues.
Oh no. Tony.Please let my assumption be wrong. Maybe all his photos burned in a fire or got lost in a flood or something. Maybe his parents just missed him too much to talk about him.
“Well, if you don’t have a picture, tell me about him. What’s he like?” Yuna sounds more rational now, rather than in “I gotta marry somebody to get my dad off my back” mode.
“He’s kind of contradictory. Can be rude…but also nice and protective.” I tell her about what happened in the piano room and at the party.
She gasps when I get to the drinking part. “What kind of jerk is that Caleb? Oh my God, don’t ever drink poktahnju!”
“What?”
“The thing he gave you—the mix of beer and soju. That’ll take out even the strongest drinker. Like my cousin. She can handle bottles and bottles of soju, straight, no problem. Her liver is indestructible. But three poktahnju, she’s out like a boxer who got punched in the face. Doesn’t remember anything that happened later, either.”
What a dick.Caleb made the drink sound harmless. But he must’ve known what would happen when he offered it to me. I doubt anything he did yesterday was innocent or without an ulterior motive. Asshole. Knowing what that particular mixture can do adds an extra-sinister layer to him. Now I wish I’d waited until Tony kicked him a couple more times before stopping him.
“Tell me Tony beat the crap out of that guy,” Yuna demands.
“He did.” I give her the rest of the story.
“Good!” We keep chatting, but after a while, Yuna starts yawning.
“What time is it there?” I ask.
“Almost two. In the morning.”
“You need to get some sleep!” She usually doesn’t stay up past midnight.
“I know.” She yawns again, her mouth so wide I think I hear her jaw creak. “Still, it’s good to talk to you, Ivy. Nobody gets me the way you do.” She smiles. “I’m feeling much better.”
“That’s what best friends are for. Glad I could cheer you up.”
“Next time, you’re coming with me to Seoul. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Okay.” She nods once regally. “Good night. Or, uh, afternoon.”
“Sweet dreams.”
I hang up and leave the room, thinking about things. What if Tony’s been disowned?
But if he were, he wouldn’t have been able to come home…right?
On the way back to my room, I walk past the small meeting den. It’s a cozy space with four chairs and a round table in the middle. It doesn’t have a door, and Aunt Margot and Uncle Lane usually use it for casual, non-business conversations.
I hear voices, and stop when I realize it’s Caleb’s mother in there with Aunt Margot. Hiding behind a wall, I sneak a peek at their tête-à-tête.
Mrs. Wentworth’s features remind me of a rodent: small eyes set closely together, nose pointy and a tight mouth with two remarkably large front teeth. The short brown hair on her head is coarse and dull, and no amount of foundation can hide the florid undertone of her skin. The neon lime green of her sleeveless dress doesn’t do a thing to flatter her complexion.
