Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia

Author:Nekesa Afia [Afia, Nekesa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780593199107
Google: Gnr7DwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 0593199103
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2021-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

IT WAS RARE that Josie contacted her. They met in the back pew of church, in the middle of the day, in between Josie’s errands.

Josie sat straight and still, staring at the pulpit, not blinking.

“Hey, Sunshine,” Louise said, sitting down next to her. Josie barely acknowledged her. “What’s eating you?”

Josie leaned back in the pew. “I’m worried about Celia.” They had been spending more and more time apart. Celia was drawn away with her marathon wedding planning and daydreams. Josie had always been more practical.

“What’s going on?”

“She’s mixed in with bad people.” The answer came after a little pause. Louise reached out and took Josie’s hand. Josie had always been more mature and sensible than her sister. She tried to see the world as it was, whereas her sister tried to see it how it could be. Celia often lost her head or heart. Josie wasn’t like that.

“How do we help her?”

“I don’t think she’s getting married because she wants to.” Josie spoke as if Louise had not said a word.

Was this jealousy? Josie was still upset her sister was choosing to leave her. Even though they’d be together for a few more weeks and spend their birthday together, her one main support was starting a new life without her. “How do we help her?” Louise asked again. Josie was clutching onto her rosary, dangling the beaded string from her fingers.

“She won’t listen to reason.”

Louise longed to be able to take their problems away, like she used to. “I’ll talk to her, Sunshine. I’ll try.”

“You should meet him.” Josie was glowering at the pulpit. The familiar quiet sounds of the church surrounded them. They weren’t alone in the pews, but they were the farthest back. Other people held hushed conversations; some silently said their prayers. Louise knew her father and Sam were both in the bowels of the building. “He’s taking advantage of her. She can’t see it.”

“Josie, it’s okay. It’ll all be okay.” She didn’t know if that was true, but she wasn’t sure what else to say. Louise hadn’t felt like this when Minna had gotten married; in fact, she had barely felt anything at all. But she doubted this was just nerves about Josie losing her twin.

“But it won’t be.” Josie hadn’t yelled in all of her sixteen years, but she did now, raising her voice as loud as she could muster. People turned to stare at them. Louise pulled her sister up by the arm, gripping a little too tightly, and dragged her out of the church.

“What is going on, Josephine Lloyd?” she asked the minute they were outside, facing each other on the street. Her grip remained on her sister’s arm, and Josie didn’t pull away, just looked defiantly at her.

She recognized that look. She had seen it on herself, defying her father, waiting for the brutal reprimand.

But she wasn’t her father.

She let go of her sister. “Josie, please, you have to talk to someone. You can talk to me.” Josie stepped away from her.

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