Incarnate by Claire Kent Read Free Book Online

for Anna, like it was for me. But…but some of this might be our fault.”
    Her hands were on Seth’s sides, at his ribs, and she could feel his body grow still again. “What do you mean?”
    Erin swallowed hard. “Mackenzie has been getting a lot of attention lately—for obvious reasons. But, when I think about it, in some ways Mackenzie has gotten more attention than Anna all along. At least, a certain kind of attention.”
    Seth seemed to have stopped breathing. “Explain that.”
    She didn’t want to explain. It felt like she was taking a knife and carving into her husband’s chest. She phrased her words as carefully as she could. “Mackenzie gets more direct praise than Anna does. Her hair can’t be cut because it’s so beautiful. And she’s too good for anyone to date.” She paused, needing to swallow over the ache in her throat.
    “That’s me,” Seth said thickly. “All of that is what I do.”
    Erin slid her hands higher up on Seth’s sides as if she were trying to hold him together. She whispered, “She thinks you think Mackenzie is prettier than she is.”
    Seth’s body was so tight she was afraid it might shatter. His eyes were focused on a spot just over her shoulder and she had to look away from what she saw in them.
    “I know that it's not true. But, when you think about it, maybe you can see why she thinks that. You go out of your way to make sure Mackenzie is validated.”
    His voice was raspy and aching. “But that’s because—”
    “I know why,” Erin assure him. She wrapped her arms around him and lowered her embrace to the slightly softer flesh of his waist. “I do. But Anna doesn’t. She’s convinced she’s second-place.”
    There was a long moment where the room seemed to freeze, where Seth seemed to freeze in her arms. Then Erin started to feel him withdraw from her. Not so much physically—although he leaned back slightly, away from her hands—but psychologically. She could see him retreat, hiding behind the emotional defenses he’d erected so many years ago.
    He used to do it a lot, protect himself by pulling away.
    “Seth, don’t!” she said in a hoarse whisper, grabbing on to him and not letting go. “Don’t do it. I need you. Stay with me.”
    Seth snapped back before he’d sunk into one of the bleak moods that still overtook him occasionally. He blinked and focused on her face. His eyes were still raw and wounded but he hadn't withdrawn into himself. “I’m here. I’m here.”
    Erin reached up to take his face in her hands. “Listen to me, Seth. This isn’t a crisis. Anna knows you love her. I promise you. She’s a happy, healthy girl. We’ve done a good job with her so far.”
    “But you said—”
    “She’s a little insecure and it’s gotten worse because Mackenzie’s starting to date. We just need to make sure she knows she’s equal in every way to her sister. And I can’t do that alone. You have to help me.”
    She saw Seth’s face change. It was his thoughtful, driven expression—the one he always wore when he was concocting a plan.
    Erin let out a harsh sigh of relief. If Seth was planning something to address this, then he was all right.
    They’d all be all right.
    “She won’t believe us if we just tell her,” Erin mused, thinking aloud. “She’ll assume we’re just saying it to make her feel better.”
    “You don’t have to keep including yourself in the blame to salvage my feelings. I know I’m the one who—”
    Erin gave an annoyed huff. “I’m part of this too. You’re not parenting her alone.”
    “But—”
    They didn’t have time to finish the argument. The echoing doorbell sounded through the apartment.
    Justin had arrived.
     
    ***
    Erin was relieved to see that Justin had dressed well for the date—in a green dress shirt and a nice pair of brown trousers. He even had a belt and pair of leather shoes on. There was nothing about his appearance Seth could complain about.
    He really was a nice-looking young