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A nickname. She’d given me a nickname.
It might sound stupid, but I’ve spent my life constantly being told I’m not good enough. It was nice to be gifted something that I didn’t have to work for. Something that just… fit.
So, like I said, a part of me feels bad that someone as nice as her was forced into this nightmare, but now that she’s here, I pray she never leaves. We’ve been inseparable at school since that first day, and now my parents have finally agreed to let me go hang at her house. I think about how kind she is, and I wonder if all public school kids are like that. If I thought it would do any good, I’d beg my mother to let me go to public school, but she’d never allow that. Even asking such a question would earn me a slap to the face. I can practically hear her voice now. Public school is for trash, and Burkes don’t associate with trash.
No, apparently, we only associate with snobs. I scoff at the thought.
“What was that, young lady?!” she snaps from the driver’s seat.
“Nothing,” I respond. “I’m listening.”
She mutters something to herself about me being useless before continuing. “As I was saying, you are to be on your best behavior today. Not that that little ragamuffin you’re spending time with would know what civilized looks like.”
My back stiffens, my posture straightening as I sit all the way upright in my seat. “Do you have a problem with Joanna? You haven’t even met her.”
“I don’t need to. Her mother was a nobody who got lucky when her car broke down on a road that the right man just happened to drive down. Honestly, it’s downright shameful how fast she sank her claws into poor Mitch. All the suitable matches he could have had his pick of.” Her tongue makes the clicking sound she only does when she’s disappointed. “Just goes to show he hasn’t been in his right mind since he lost his wife. I’m sure he ate that damsel in distress act right up.”
“Maybe her mom’s just a really nice person, and her stepdad liked that about her.”
My mother’s shrill laughter echoes around us. “Oh, my poor naïve daughter. You don’t know the first thing about how the world works. That woman weaseled her way into quite the setup using methods not suitable for discussing in the presence of children, and now look at her. She’s got that poor man eating out of the palm of her hand. He gives her anything she wants, including letting her run his office.” She flicks her blinker, making a right into a neighborhood with houses easily two times the size of ours—and ours is pretty big. “If she really had his best interests at heart, she’d be home wrangling those two feral beasts they call children. But no, instead they let them run wild in that mud pit.”
“It’s not a mud pit, Mom.” I rush to defend my friend. “Jonsie and her brother ride dirt bikes. Her brother’s like really good, and she said he’s been teaching her how to ride since she was six. She even said he’d probably be willing to show me how—”
“Little girls do not ride motorcycles!” she shouts, cutting me off. “If I find out you climbed on one of those things, I swear to Christ, Daphne, I will spank you so hard you won’t be able to sit down for a week. For God’s sake, have some class!” She makes a left before turning down a long driveway lined with large trees.
“Why are you even letting me go?” I regret the words the second they leave my mouth, suddenly afraid she’s going to throw the car in reverse. Surprisingly, though, she doesn’t. Instead, she slows to a stop in front of the house, which she stares up at through the windshield with jealous eyes.
“Listen to me, Daphne.” The ice in her voice sends a chill down my spine. “Mitch Conners is the wealthiest man in Dutchess. Maybe even Queen City. That means that even though I don’t agree with his life choices at the moment, it would be foolish not to seize an opportunity for our families to align for the time being. Your friendship with his stepdaughter provides your father with the opportunity to potentially partner with him on some investments. Do you understand?”
I blink a few times, allowing her words to sink in.
“You want me to be friends with Jonsie so Dad has a reason to spend time with her stepdad?”
“For the time being, yes.” My mother nods, completely unbothered by the tears I’m clearly fighting back. I was stupid to think they were letting me come here for any reason other than one that would help them.
“I’m not going to let you use my friend.” My fists grip hold of the fabric along the hemline of the dress. My mother made me wear it, complete with tights. I hate when she makes me wear dresses. I mean, it’s freaking November! Everything about this situation is making me angry.
“Stop being dramatic, Daphne! I’m not asking you to spy around their house. I’m asking you to maintain a friendship for a few months. You’re getting off easy. It’s not like we’re arranging a marriage between you and their son.” She forces a shudder. “Thank God. I don’t know if I could bring myself to accept Daniel as a son-in-law.”
“Nick.”
“Hmmm?” She glances back at me.
“Jonsie’s brother’s name is Nick. Not Daniel.” I huff in annoyance.
“Jonsie,” she scoffs. “What a ridiculous name. Joanna’s stepbrother—” she emphasizes both words “—is Daniel Conners. It is his legal first name and, therefore, the only thing I will refer to him as. I remember the birth announcements his parents sent out the day after Mitch and Gabriella brought him home from the hospital. Honestly,” she mutters to herself as she opens her door to climb from the car, “if Gabriella wanted to everyone to call him Nicky so bad then she should have made it his first name.”
My mother hops out of the car and slams the door when everything suddenly clicks.
Oh. My. God.
My head whips to the side in a panic, looking out my window at the same time the front door of the house swings open. Jonsie comes running out toward the car, while a really pretty blonde woman follows not far behind.
And then I see him. He’s older now, eleven or twelve, but I am one hundred percent positive it’s him. I could never forget that face.
Nicky.
Joanna’s brother is Nicky. The boy from the funeral my mom took me to when I was little.
