Into the Velvet

The Revelation

"Not now, Olly!"

My brother remained obstinate. "You might as well tell the truth. Lying never works out for you, does it?"

That was the last straw. I took the nearest object I could find — which at that moment happened to be my journal — and flung it at his head.

He ducked. "Woah!" His mouth fell wide open. He scrambled to pick it up off the floor. Then, much to my annoyance, he tucked the journal into his pocket. "Not what I'd hoped for, but it'll do."

"I'm so sick of how smug you are!" I yelled.

"It was a suggestion."

"I won't let you guilt me into telling Mom."

"But she's going to find out eventually. What do you think will happen once you're out of here, and Mom realises you lied about getting into college?"

That was something I wasn't prepared to deal with yet. Therefore ignorance was the solution. I would let my mother believe whatever she wanted — especially if it meant that she would leave me in peace.

But my brother had other plans. For once, he was trying to be a good older brother — pragmatic, annoyingly logical. I wouldn't listen. I tried to shut the door in his face, but he wouldn't budge. His fat foot was in the way.

I growled in frustration. "I can't think about this now. Go away. I have to see Kathryn."

His eyes lit up. "Oh?"

"Kathryn is too old for you."

"Not too old for me to stop and say hi."

"Olly, don't! Leave!"

Olly huffed. "Maybe Kathryn will speak some sense to you, then, cause only Jesus knows nobody else can."

He was right — Kathryn was very good at speaking professional sense. She had also cut her hair recently. It now settled at a length under her chin. It made her look more no-nonsense — as if, in the hour we had together, there would be some serious business to attend to.

I hovered by the door and blocked Olly's entry. She blinked in surprise.

"Oh," Kathryn said. "Hello, Oliver."

"You get paid to force my sister to get her shit together, right?" he asked. "Cause I need you to—"

"I don't force anyone to do anything." She seemed amused by this assumption. "But it's always good to see you."

He puffed out his chest, looking by all accounts to be peacocking. "The pleasure is mine. I swear, you only get more beautiful with time, Kathy. Is there a Mr. Kathy in the picture? Anyone's feelings I should care about before I really start laying it on?"

Kathryn hid her smile. "Louise, let's get started. There's a lot we need to cover today."

Olly's chest deflated. He jutted out his bottom lip like a petulant, overgrown toddler. I needed this win. When Kathryn turned her head away, I quickly stuck out my tongue.

"Close the door on your way out," Kathryn said over her shoulder.

The face that Olly made behind her back, as he shut the door behind him, was priceless. Breathless with victory, I gave Kathryn a smile. "Another week of talking about Amos again? Or can I talk about my shithead brother this time?"

She shook her head. "Actually, no. Today, I wanted to talk about something else."

"What about?"