Page 39 of Traces of Kara

Kara lifted her head and looked at her mother. “What does he mean?”

Mimi shook her head, resting her hand on the back of Kara’s shoulder and pulling her close. “You poisoned her. She’s dying,” she said through tears of anger. “She needs help. Please!”

Roland eyed the bottles of alcohol. “Shut up! If it weren’t for you, we’d have been together all these years.” He paced.

Kara looked from Roland to Mimi. What the hell was going on?

“Roland, you know that’s not true,” Mimi hissed.

“Mom?” Kara whispered.

Roland walked toward her, his words filled with venom. “You kept us apart.” He pointed at Mimi. “You did it! You’re the reason!” Roland’s feet moved quickly as he spun, looking around the room. He turned back to Mimi. “What time is it?” Roland demanded as he grabbed Mimi’s arm.

“What did you do, Roland?” Mimi wrenched her arm from his grip and clung to Kara again. “What did you do?”

“Mom?” Kara clawed at her mother’s arms, her head buried in her chest. She cried like a tortured child. “I don’t want to die, Mom. Please, please help me.”

Mimi shushed her, stroking her hair, and glaring at Roland. She grit her teeth. “Roland Greer, you tell me what you did this instant.”

Kara pulled back from Mimi, her jaw gaping. “You…you know him?”

Roland pressed his lips together and turned away.

“Roland Marcus Greer, turn around,” Mimi ordered him. “Look at your sister.”

Sister? Kara watched in horror as Roland turned and stared at her. Her mother’s eyes set on him.

Mimi’s voice softened, as if she were speaking to a child. “Roland, what did you do to Marissa?”

Kara broke free from her mother’s grasp, wrapping her arms tight around her middle, trying to come to grips with the warped picture being painted before her. “Mom?” Marissa?

Mimi didn’t flinch—her eyes remained trained on Roland. “Roland, you tell me what you did. Now.”

Roland. Ro—My imaginary friend. You were real. Kara’s body began to quake and shiver. “He’s real,” she whispered. Her heart pounded in her chest like a running bull. She pulled at her memories. What else had she somehow hidden from herself—and why? Who the hell was this guy?

Roland squinted and pressed his lips together, as if he might cry. A crimson flush crept up his neck and cheeks. In a flash his eyes sprung open, and he yelled, “I…We’re going to be together.”

Kara pushed backward with her heels until her back was against the wall. She wrapped her arms around her knees. “Mom? How do you know him?”

“Not now, Kara,” her mother said in a strong, even tone.

“Mom?” Kara said in a thin voice, looking from Roland to Mimi and back again. Was her mother playing the same game she had? Appeasing Roland? Kara didn’t know what to believe, but this time, she had to trust her mother. Mimi was displaying an unbridled confidence Kara didn’t know she possessed. Kara took a deep breath, trusting that whatever Mimi was up to, she was doing it to protect her.

Mimi glared at her and shook her head.

Roland suddenly broke his gaze and stepped back, throwing his hands up in the air. “No! You did this to her. This is your fault!” He grabbed the sides of his head and let out a long groan, doubling over and retching onto the floor. The acidic smell of alcohol and vomit filled the small room.

Mimi rushed over to Kara, pulling her to her feet.

Kara clung to her mother’s arms. “How do you know him? What’s going on?”

“I said, not now, Kara. Get up!” Mimi wrapped her arms around Kara’s shoulders, supporting her weight.

Kara leaned into her.

Roland stomped over to the dark corner where they struggled. “Leave her alone,” he commanded.

Mimi looked from Kara to Roland, her body trembling. “She’s my daughter,” she spat.