“Sawyer!”
“That’s Grandma Ada. I better go help her. See you all around.”
He waved his arm in a sort of salute and ran around the side of the shed, his hair flopping as he disappeared around the corner.
Later that night, after dinner, Dad came home with a cookie cake. He held the white box out for us to open.
“Marlow. This is really for you, sweetie.”
She clapped her hands in delight as he revealed the large chocolate chip cookie decorated in white and black icing.
“Oh, so nice,” Moni declared, immediately going to the pantry to retrieve paper plates.
Mom stood behind the counter, drying a pot from dinner with a dish towel. “When did you find time to get that, Patrick?” she asked with a tightened jaw.
“I shortened my office hours a little.”
“Your students didn’t mind?”
He stared back hard. “They didn’t. And besides, this is a special occasion.”
“What’s so special?” I asked, pulling the box down to get a better look.
Marlow stuck her finger in the white icing and put it in her mouth.
Dad glanced at Mom. “Tomorrow we’re all going down to the courthouse.”
“What for?”
He took a deep breath. “Well . . . Marlow is going to officially be part of our family.”
I found myself quickly looking at Mom, whose cheeks went flush.
Moni came back with a stack of paper plates lined with blue and pink flowers. “Very special day.”
“We’re adopting Marlow. She’ll be your sister, Isla,” said Dad, chest out, a wide smile plastered on his face.
“I thought she already was.” I fingered the icing like Marlow did, dipping it in the black instead.
“Hey, hey. Let Moni cut you piece,” she said, swatting me away.
“Marlow, do you know what this means?” Dad asked, bending down next to her.
She smiled. “I don’t have to leave?”
“Oh. Sweetie. No, you don’t. You’re part of our family. I’m your Dad and Stella is your Mommy.”
Mom put the pot away, closing the cabinet door forcefully.
“Mom. That means you’re going to have two daughters,” I said.
She said nothing to me and suddenly stood in front of the cookie cake. Her face went even redder before reaching out and hitting the cake hard with a serving spoon. Once, twice. Before dipping her head down toward the cracked confection. “Now. Who wants a piece?” she asked calmly, reaching for a plate.
In the middle of the night, I sat up in bed. I could hear murmurs and whispers, low at first and increasing to loud pitches that hit my ears like arrows. I couldn’t make out any of the words. I tried not to. Too afraid to hear what was being said in those incensed tones.
I didn’t know when I noticed her, but when I did, I wasn’t startled. Only curious as to when and how she got there.
She sat in the corner surrounded by my bevy of stuffed animals and plush dolls. She rose slowly and then hurried over to me, covered my ears with her small hands, pressing hard until all I could hear was her breathing near my chest.
CHAPTER 11
THE INTERVIEW
2021
[Studio]
JODI LEE: So, you wouldn’t consider yourself a violent person, then?
MARLOW FIN: I’m like any normal human being. If left alone, I’m not going to lay a finger on you. If provoked, of course I’m going to react. We are reactionary, as people. We’re not sea coral.
JODI LEE: Some people might say you have been known to have a reputation.
MARLOW FIN: A reputation for what?
JODI LEE: You are known, by some, to have a . . . temper, shall we say? In particular, this temper has been channeled toward members of the press.
MARLOW FIN: Leeches aren’t members of the press. They aren’t journalists. You are a journalist, Jodi. They are not.
