The Family by Marissa Kennerson Read Free Book Online

Adam held her tighter.
    “It’s okay. I’m going to make everything okay.” Twig felt his lips touch her head. He pulled her even closer and ran his hands up her back. His lips were close to her ear. “So beautiful,” he said, his voice suddenly urgent.
    Twig froze.
    His lips moved to her neck. His body was hard, pushing against her. Was he trembling? Twig felt claustrophobic. He moved his mouth to hers, pressing urgently. She quickly pulled away in shock and fear.
    He recovered himself. “Twig, I’m sorry.” And then he recovered even more. It wasn’t like Adam to apologize. He smiled. “Everything will be okay. You’ll see. Just trust me.”
    Twig stood wide-eyed, just staring at him. What had just happened? He had kissed her. Her first kiss was supposed to be with her husband, after they were married. It was supposed to be loving and playful—at least, that’s how Twig had dreamed it would be.
    “Are you okay now?”
    “Yes,” Twig muttered. She wanted to get away from him.
    “Do you believe me?” Adam asked her.
    Twig was silent. She didn’t know what he meant.
    “That everything is going to be okay?”
    “Yes. Yes, of course I believe you, Father,” she said quietly.
    “Good. Now please go back and shave your mother’s head. And tell everyone there will be no breakfast today and that they can thank your mother for that.”

10
    Twig moved through the rest of the day in a haze. She couldn’t wait to take her favorite horse, Sapphire, out for a long run. They always rode in a group or at least pairs of two, but galloping on Sapphire always left her room to clear her head despite the company. Afterwards, she would brush Sapphire’s coffee brown coat until it gleamed and feed her carrots and apples by the handful.
    Farriss was at the stables when Twig arrived. He loved the horses, and even though as an Elder he didn’t need another position within the Family, he was the stable lead. He had been for as long as Twig could remember. Most roles rotated every month, but Farriss never gave up the care of the stables and horses. Twig grabbed an apple from one of the food baskets, rubbed it on the skirt of her dress, and took a big bite. She let out an audible sigh. She felt lighter just being near the horses.
    “Congratulations are in order, aren’t they, dear?” Farriss’ voice was velvety. Twig loved the sound of it.
    “Yes, thank you, Farriss,” Twig said quietly. Twig turned away and fed the rest of her apple to a big white horse with a mushroom gray muzzle named Candy. Twig liked Farriss. It was hard to look him in the eye and pretend nothing was wrong.
    “You know you can always come talk to me or Yasmine. It will be a big responsibility, being Adam’s wife, but I have complete faith that you will rise to the occasion.”
    “Yes.” Twig nodded humbly. “Thank you.”
    “She’s ready for you.” Farriss nodded toward the stall where Sapphire slept. “The group is already out there,” he added.
    Twig began to gather grooming supplies and headed off toward Sapphire’s stall.
    “Don’t forget this,” Farriss said, throwing Twig another apple, which she caught with one hand.
    Twig walked to Sapphire’s stall and pulled on the cotton tights she’d sewn for riding beneath her white eyelet dress. She couldn’t bear riding sideways in her dress, so she’d made the tights. All the women and girls wore them now when they rode. The men and boys in the Family wore white button down shirts and dark blue jeans. Twig had asked many times if the girls could be permitted to wear jeans, at least for some of their activities. So far the answer had been no. But now that she would be Adam’s wife, maybe she could convince him to change this. She brushed the thought away to revisit later.
    Twig saddled up expertly and pulled herself onto Sapphire with ease. Twig’s frame was slight, but her upper body was strong from years of yoga. Twig trotted out of the shade of the stables and entered the