The Girl from Her Mirror (Mirrors Don't Lie Book 1) by Becki Willis Read Free Book Online

their respective
resorts, they all finished their desserts.
    When Bob asked if anyone would like more
wine, Makenna glanced at her watch. “It really sounds tempting, but I promised
Hardin we would be back in time for him to make a phone call. If we hurry back
to the hotel, I get to keep my word.”
    “Is it that late already?” Hardin
murmured, consulting his own wristwatch. He feigned a surprised whistle. “You
know what they say about how time flies... I’m sorry, but I really do need to
make this call, and all my information is back at the hotel.” He looked
appropriately apologetic.
    “Oh, no, no, we understand, don’t we,
Bob?” Lisa assured the worried younger couple.
    “Sure, sure. You go on now, and we’ll
get the check.”
    “No, of course not. Dessert was my
treat.”
    “Already taken care of,” Bob said,
holding up a lean palm to stop any further argument. “You can treat next time.”
    “Well, then, thank you for dinner.”
Hardin held out his hand for a shake, as Makenna gathered up her purse and said
her goodbyes to Lisa. With another glance at their watches, they hustled to the
door.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    Monroe, Louisiana
    April, 1992
     
    The reflection in her mirror looked
different today.
    Short, clipped hair. Plain blue jeans,
without sparkles or butterflies. A blue and orange striped t-shirt. Instead of
her favorite pink sneakers, these were bright orange.
    “We’re going to play a little game.” Her
mother made the announcement as she tucked the t-shirt into the waistline of
the little girl’s jeans. She called it a game, but her face was somber.
    “I like games!” the child said.
    “And I think you’ll be very good at this
one. You know how you like to play in the mud and get dirty?”
    The little girl nodded. “It’s fun, but
you always say little girls ought not to be so dirty.”
    “That’s why you’ll like this game. You
like to climb on things and play outside, don’t you? And you like to play with
cars and trains and dump trucks?”
    The little girl nodded vigorously. “Boy
toys are so much better than girl toys.”
    “So for this new game, we’re going to
pretend that you are a boy,” her mother said. “Doesn’t that sound like
fun?”
    If she still had curls, they would have
bounced all around her face in delight. Instead, her newly shorn head felt
light as air as it bobbed up and down enthusiastically. “Yes!”
    “We’ll have to call you something
different. Do you like the name Charlie?”
    “Uh-huh!”
    “Okay, good. Then Charlie it is. We’re
going to try to see how many people we can fool, by pretending you’re a little
boy. We’ll tell people you’re our son and we’ll only call you Charlie and we’ll
buy you boy clothes and boy toys. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
    “Do I get to play in the dirt and climb
trees and pick up rocks?”
    “Most little boys do.”
    “And I don’t have to wear a dress
anymore with the pokey stuff on the edges?”
    “No more lace dresses,” her mother
promised.
    “Can I have a dog?”
    Her mother frowned. “I don’t think our
new apartment allows dogs.”
    “But I like this house!”
    “We’re moving, Charlie. To a nice little
apartment in a very big town.”
    “You just called me Charlie,” the little
girl giggled.
    “The game has already started. That’s
who you are now, and it’s important that you don’t forget. You are a little boy
named Charlie now.”
    When her mother had gone, the little
girl looked into the mirror. She thought about the game she liked to play, when
she pretended to visit with the image on the other side of the glass. Did
little boys play the same game?
    Just in case, she put her hand up to the
cool pane of glass and smiled at herself. “I have to go now. It’s been fun
playing with you. And I promise, I’ll never forget you.”

CHAPTER SIX
     
     
    Well known for her penchant for making
lists, Makenna had a long one started early the next morning. Before noon,