Under Their Skin Read Free

that’s fine . But you said we’d never even meet them. How about at the wedding? Aren’t you inviting your own children to your wedding?”
    Mom daintily dabbed her mouth with her napkin.
    â€œActually, no,” she said. “Sorry. We’re eloping. Michael and I decided it would be so much more romantic to elope.”
    Nick aimed a kick at Eryn again. He tried to make it more accurate this time. But at the same time, apparently Eryn was trying to kick him.
    Their feet met in the middle, under the table, and that was all they needed.
    Eryn’s kick very clearly said, Eloping? Who are they kidding? They’re both, like, forty! Now do you believe me that something weird is going on? Will you help me figure out what it is?
    Nick’s kick carried a briefer message: Oh yeah.

THREE
    Ava and Jackson, Eryn thought. Jackson and Ava.
    It had been thirty-six hours since Mom had sprung the news on her and Nick about the marriage, the move, and the mystery stepsiblings. And in those thirty-six hours, that was all Eryn had been able to find out about the mysterious kids: their names.
    No matter how much she and Nick asked, Mom wouldn’t tell them anything else.
    They’d even Googled the two kids’ names and found nothing.
    Now it was Sunday night, and Dad had just arrived to pick them up for the next week at his house. Eryn met him at the front door.
    â€œDid you know?” she demanded.
    Dad looked baffled. He hit the palm of his hand against the side of his head, which was his jokey way of acting like he was trying to jar something loose in hisbrain. This left his wild, curly, dark hair slightly mashed on one side.
    â€œUm . . . know what, Sunshine?” he asked.
    Mom slid up behind Eryn and held the door open for Dad.
    â€œHi, Donald,” she said, giving him a single kiss on the right cheek. He responded by giving her a single kiss on the left cheek.
    This was their Sunday night routine. Once, years ago, Eryn had talked herself into thinking Mom and Dad might get back together. She only had the nerve to tell this theory to Nick. But somehow, even as a six- or seven-year-old, Nick had been cued in enough to adult behavior to tell her, “They kiss on the cheek. People who want to get married kiss on the mouth .”
    Now Eryn could see that her parents’ Sunday night kiss routine was about as romantic as oatmeal. It was like flossing their teeth or vacuuming the carpet: a duty.
    But when Mom and Michael are married, are Nick and I going to have to see those two kissing all the time? Eryn wondered. Constantly being romantic and lovey- dovey? Ugh!
    She distracted herself from this new, distressing image in her head by listening to Mom and Dad.
    Mom was telling Dad, “I assume Eryn is referring to my getting married.”
    Mom turned to face Eryn directly.
    â€œYes, honey, of course I already told your father,” she said. “It would be highly inconsiderate of me not to keep him informed of any upcoming change that would affect you and Nick so dramatically.”
    While Mom wasn’t looking, Dad rolled his eyes at Eryn. But it was in a jokey, good-natured way, so even if Mom saw him, her feelings wouldn’t be hurt.
    â€œAbso-dutely-lutely, Eryn,” Dad said. “She told me. And I have already wished her and Michael many, many years of happiness together.”
    If Dad had ever had any hopes of getting back together with Mom, he was good at hiding it. He really did sound happy for Mom and Michael.
    Mom and Dad went into Mom’s office. This was also part of their Sunday night routine. The parent who’d had Nick and Eryn the previous week always told the parent who would have them the following week what tests they had coming up, what school projects were due when, and what extracurricular activities were on the schedule. At least, that was what Mom and Dad claimed happened in their weekly meetings. Eryn guessed thatMom usually did