Taboo by Mallory Rush Page A

unlatched the catch, and a miniature family portrait glared back at her, quickly stealing the thunder of her joy.
    Tears sparked her eyes.
    "How silly of me," she said, impatiently brushing them away and swift to disguise the source. "I'm such a sentimental fool."
    "You get that honest enough," Edward said with a chuckle while tears brimmed in Dorothy's eyes.
    "Here, put it on me," Cammie said. "I'll only take it off when I have to. And I'll treasure it always."
    "Turn it around so we can all see it," Uncle Brian said after Dorothy fastened the locket.
    Cammie gulped down the bitter taste in her throat and opened the locket, holding it out for all the relatives to witness the perfect, loving family in the portrait.
    The family she could splinter.
    They took turns going on and on about how lucky they all were when the world was such a mess, and wasn't it wonderful that Edward and Dorothy had such smart, good-looking, outstanding children. Why, they were kids any parents would be proud of.
    The parents in question were agreeing heartily, and all Cammie could think was that she wanted to be sick, she wanted to scream, "No! You're wrong! You're all wrong. We're not perfect. I'm weak and I'm human and if you only knew the truth you'd be appalled and half of you wouldn't want to lay eyes on me again for ruining the illusion."
    She made herself scan the table, and everyone there blended into a horrible collage, until she accidentally met Grant's steely gaze.
    His lips were compressed and his eyes were flat, hard. He shook his head slightly, his resentment blatantly obvious—to her. Everyone else seemed blind to it all.
    "Cammie," Trish said brightly, her own expression reflecting some kind of understanding, "your vacation's in a week. What sort of plans have you got lined up?"
    Cammie managed a smile of gratitude for Trish breaking Grant's visual line of fire.
    "I'm not really sure. I'd like to get away, though. Some peace and quiet is what I have in mind."
    "What about Mom and Dad's getaway?" Trish suggested.
    "Cammie, sweetheart, you're welcome to the cottage if you want to spend some time there." Dorothy reached across the table to squeeze Cammie's hand. "The lake's peaceful and there's not another soul around for miles. The pantry's stocked, so you wouldn't have to bother with many groceries."
    Cammie thought for a moment. Two weeks alone with no work and no phone and no family? It was exactly what she needed to try to get her world back on track. She could think and get her act together, put everything into perspective. It was paramount for her to get a firm grip. She couldn't go on this way and keep her sanity.
    "That sounds like a great idea," she said. "Two weeks at the cottage alone would be the perfect vacation."
    "Are you sure you want to go all alone?" Dorothy asked. "What if you got hurt? You know Dad saw a big rattler last year, and if he hadn't had his boots on he could have been a goner the way that thing kept striking." Dorothy shivered. "Oh, those things scare me. And remember that drifter that came by when you and Trish went swimming in the lake? Lord knows what might have happened if Grant hadn't been there to run him off."
    "I'll be okay." Cammie said urgently, premonition and anticipation and dread rolling up her spine. "Really, Mom. Only two incidents in the fifteen years you've owned the place aren't reason enough to get worried about me. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."
    "I know. I know. But still, I won't rest easy here knowing you're so isolated by yourself. Why don't you get Grant to go along?" Before Cammie could put up a fuss, she called down the table, "Grant, Cammie's taking her vacation at the cottage and I don't want her stuck in the middle of nowhere alone for two weeks. You wouldn't mind staying with her, would you? Just to make sure she's safe?"
    "No!" Cammie's objection came out too loud and forceful. Dorothy turned a puzzled gaze on her while the nearby chatterers quietened to listen