The next morning, I’m up early. I’m a little tired, but I’m going to be brave. I’m going to face my family and the consequences no matter what.
I put on clothes, brush my teeth, and steady myself before heading downstairs for breakfast. My brothers are there and so are both my parents. My father glances up from his paper when I come into the room.
“You slept late,” he comments.
I pause. “I guess so,” I say. I expect him to start yelling any minute.
But everyone acts normal. Mother doesn’t look up at me. Peter is busy on his phone. Michael is reading the paper. Nobody is staring at me. Father doesn’t even look angry.
He turns back to his paper. I grab a plate and load it up with the usual before taking my seat. I look around, totally confused, but everyone seems absolutely normal. It feels like nothing at all happened, but of course father knows, and of course mother does, too.
Maybe they’re just letting me get away with it. Or maybe their punishment is even worse than I could guess.
I dig in, wanting to get the hell out of there as fast as possible. I finish my meal as fast as possible, wanting to get back into my room so that I can text Gavin. As soon as I finish, though, my father puts down his paper and clears his throat.
“Peter, Michael, can you excuse us for a second?”
Peter looks up, surprised. “Huh? I’m not finished.”
“Peter,” mother says. “Please. We need to talk to your sister.”
My face turns red. This is the moment I was dreading. I really thought I could get away with it, but apparently not.
Michael stands and gives me a little look. I can’t understand it. I don’t know if he knows what I’m in trouble for, or if he’s just always something of an ass. Peter gives me a little smile and reluctantly leaves. He definitely doesn’t know, at least.
Mother and father stare at me once my brothers are gone. My father doesn’t look angry, but he’s not smiling either. Mother just looks tired.
“You’re not a child anymore,” father says finally. “You’re becoming an adult, slowly but surely, no matter what we want. And I understand you’re going to want some measure of freedom.”
I narrow my eyes at my father. “This isn’t about that.”
“Let your father finish,” mother steps in suddenly, sounding angry.
Father frowns. “Listen, Sadie. I’m not an unreasonable man. I understand you want to live your life and enjoy yourself. But honestly, Gavin Waller is an embarrassment.”
“He isn’t,” I say.
“Watch it,” mother says.
“Sadie,” father cuts in. “I’m offering you a chance here. A clean slate. No punishments for sneaking off with that low-class man last night, but in exchange, you’ll do something for me.”
I pause, a little surprised. I expected him to lose his temper and to yell at me, but he’s being surprisingly calm about this, almost reasonable.
“What?” I ask him, skeptical.
“Go out on a date with a proper match,” he says. “Milo’s parents have already agreed. He’ll meet with you tomorrow night for dinner.”
My eyes widen slightly. I know my parents want me to marry Milo and unite our families, but I had no clue they’d take it this far.
“I can’t,” I say.
“You will,” mother says, leaning toward me. “I’m so tired of you being such a little brat—“
“Regina,” my father says, stopping her. “Please.” He turns to me again, his face passive. “If you refuse to see Milo, that’s your choice, but we will no longer support you.”
I gape at him. “What does that mean?”
“Banishment,” mother says angrily.
Father sighs. “Nothing so dramatic. We’ll send you to your cousin’s in upstate New York where you’ll meet with tutors for a few months. You’ll be comfortable there.”
“And far away from that man,” mother says.
I stare at the two of them. “I’m not a child,” I say softly.
“You’re right,” father agrees. “You’re not. But you rely on us for everything you have. And if you want to continue living your accustomed lifestyle, you will obey.”
I frown down at my plate, not able to meet my father’s gaze.
I don’t want to go out with Milo. He’s not the worst person in the world, but I’m just not interested in him. Frankly, he’s boring, and I know I’ll never marry him. Or at least I don’t want to ever marry him. Milo doesn’t make me feel even half as good as Gavin does.
But I know that my parents can banish me to New York if they want. They can take everything I have away and make my life very, very difficult. Nobody will help me, either, because of how powerful my father is. I know he’s going easy on me right now, but things can be very, very bad.