Betrayal - Fern Michaels [5]
“And now we have a shrink in the family. Emily, you need to keep your opinions to yourself. Sara doesn’t have a clue what getting ‘flipped off’ means.” Then Debbie added hatefully, “I can’t wait to dump you off at your uncle’s.”
Don shook his head in dismay. “Deb, I think that’s enough. The Krystal’s just ahead. Let’s stop and grab a hamburger. I want you two girls to stop arguing with one another.”
“But, Daddy,” Sara interrupted, “I didn’t do that.” Sara looked Emily straight in the eye. “She’s just a big fat liar. I hate you!” Sara stuck her tongue out at Emily.
Emily replied dryly, “Yeah? Well, the feeling is mutual.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sara wailed.
“If you’d pay attention in school, you’d know, dummy,” Emily added.
Debbie leaned over the front seat to peer at her oldest daughter. “I forbid you to speak another word to your baby sister. You’ll have her corrupted. Now, not another word out of you.”
Emily turned white and chewed her bottom lip, something she only did when she was upset. Her mother had such a distorted view of Sara. It was obvious the kid needed help. She prayed Sara didn’t act like a jerk once they arrived in Asheville. She would hate for Aunt Kate and Uncle Alex to see Sara at her worst. They’d never want her to visit again. They passed billboards advertising Café Risqué, a men’s club whose girls didn’t look much older than Emily. Signs for South of the Border must’ve cost the owner millions because they appeared before every exit. They’d stopped there on many occasions when the girls were small, but the place no longer amused them as it once had.
“There it is,” Sara shouted, pointing her pudgy finger at the sign.
Don took the next exit and pulled into the Krystal parking lot. “Let’s go inside and see if we can act like a civilized family.” Don caught Debbie’s gaze. If looks could kill, he’d be in a coffin. He couldn’t stand the way she spoke to Emily. As soon as the girls were out of hearing distance, he was going to tell her a thing or two.
“Welcome to the land of fine dining,” Debbie said as she opened the car door.
Don ignored her comment. This wasn’t fine dining, just something different. Did everything always have to be about making an impression with his wife? He wondered.
Sara flew out of the car and raced inside. Emily hung back until both of her parents were inside. Once inside, she slid into a booth and prayed Sara would behave. Sara was out of control, not just in her eating habits. She had a problem telling the truth. Emily couldn’t understand why her parents babied Sara all the time. It wasn’t healthy. No wonder the poor kid didn’t have any friends her own age. She acted like a six-year-old, and her parents continued to encourage her.
The smell of fried onions and grease made her nauseous. She didn’t see how Sara or her mom and dad could eat this crap. She’d have some fries and a Coke. That was all her stomach would allow. Emily couldn’t wait to eat Aunt Kate’s home-cooked meals. She was a professional chef. Sometimes her meals were gourmet, other times she would make something as simple as meat loaf with garlic mashed potatoes and gravy. It didn’t matter what she made, it was always delicious.
Don carried a tray laden with the minihamburgers he loved. Fries and Cokes were passed around. Sara grabbed at her food like a starving animal.
“Where’s my milk shake? Mommy said I could have one!” Sara’s shrill cries drew curious glances from the other diners.
Emily prayed she’d be sucked up in a big black hole. Embarrassed, she took a drink of Coke, her eyes downcast. Three more years, she told herself. She would go to college. No more of these humiliating family outings. No more Sara. Part of her felt bad for her little sister and the bad thoughts she always seemed to have where Sara was concerned, then another part of her wanted to smack her square in the face every time she opened her mouth.
“Shhh, Sara.” Debbie turned to her husband. “I told you to get her a milk shake. Is that so hard to