Dark Hope by Monica McGurk

Author:Monica McGurk [McGurk, Monica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-938416-69-9
Publisher: River Grove Books
Published: 2014-11-15T05:00:00+00:00

I’d managed to swallow my hurt and feigned enthusiasm for the fashion parade that had invaded my closet, finally settling for the least embarrassing of the dresses. As for the shoes, they were all death traps; I’d opted for the ones that looked the least uncomfortable. Then, I’d sat like a mannequin, swathed in my robe while Margaret did her dirty work.

What was for her only small talk felt to me like an inquisition, with me constantly on my guard lest I give something away. I’d parried her barrage of questions with vague answers, making up stories about my “uncle” that only made me bitter as I told them. I’d sat numbly as she’d plucked and waxed and subjected me to treatments I couldn’t even name. I had finally lulled myself into the rhythm of her gentle touch and mindless banter when she’d taken a brush to my damp hair. I’d frozen, suddenly alert to the risk.

“I’ll fix my own hair,” I’d mumbled, reaching up for the brush.

“Nonsense,” she’d cooed, gently swatting my hand away. “It’s all part of the service. Plus, the hair is my favorite part.”

She’d begun brushing, drowning out my protest with the blast of the hair dryer. I steeled myself for the inevitable as she began sweeping my hair away from my neck.

“Beautiful!” she’d squealed. She’d trailed her fingers on my bare skin and I’d flinched. “We’ll have to put your hair up.”

Of course we will, I’d thought as I sat numbly, pretending none of it was happening to me.

As she’d left, she’d told me Mr. Carmichael was waiting for me in the lobby.

If only it really was my dad, here to bring me safely home.

I’d managed not to look at myself too closely while Margaret had fixed me up, but I couldn’t avoid the mirrors in the elevator. The fractured glimpses I caught of myself in the glass showed my hair piled high and makeup way too old for my years. My hand snaked up, nervously fingering my hair, but I stopped myself from pulling it back down to cover myself.

“We have to draw attention,” I reminded myself. “For Dad.” I dropped my hand and forced myself to look back into the mirror. A gold necklace splayed heavily across my collarbones. My dress was one-shouldered, with an asymmetric cut that left nothing to the imagination. I wore the hotel slippers and clutched platform sandals in my hand, not trusting myself not to trip, and I tugged at the short skirt, trying to force it to reach my knees.

I look like a little girl playing dress-up, I thought nervously. Will I pass muster?

No, you look like a tart, Henri added, seeming to enjoy my misery. Which is probably the look he is going for. Just remember, there is a point to this. You have to stay on Michael’s good side.

As if I could ever forget.

I turned slightly, staring at the reflection of my Mark in the mirror. My hand drifted up, touching it as much as from habit as from self-consciousness.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.