Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

Jonas suspected I might have done it out of retaliation for his obnoxious comments when we met earlier in the day and he referred to me as a cutesy little Barbie doll.”
    Kate and Libby exchanged a long look. “I don’t think this is very fair,” Kate said. “In fact I’m jealous that I couldn’t use my talent for anything but good. I had a few people who weren’t so nice in school I would have liked to do something to.”
    “Me too,” Libby agreed. “The rest of you have all the fun.”
    “Don’t worry,” Hannah said. She, Joley, and Elle exchanged a long, satisfied grin. “We were looking out for you. No one ever suspected your younger sisters.”
    “And I don’t believe for one minute that the two of you never used your gifts inappropriately,” Carol said. “Confession time.”
    Kate’s grin widened. “I am not about to lose my halo. Suffice to say, I did experiment a little.”
    “I just don’t believe this.” Abigail looked at Libby. Libby was the middle child, gifted with healing. She always managed to look serene, even in the middle of a crisis. She wore her heavy mane of jet black hair short and her eyes were a startling, very intense green that gave her an otherworldly appearance. Of all the Drakes, she was the one the local children called witch when they wanted to be cruel. Abigail had never seen her react, although once in a while she had cried in her room and that sent Hannah, Joley, and Elle whispering up on the captain’s walk. “Elizabeth Jane Drake. Not you too? I swear, all my illusions are being shattered.”
    “I admit to nothing.”
    Laughter bubbled up in Abigail. At the same time she wanted to weep. At every crisis within the family as far back as she could remember, her sisters had pulled together. Her mother and the aunts had always been the same, as had her uncles and cousins. She was very thankful for the wonderful legacy of family devotion handed down to her.
    “Oh, dear,” Carol said just as Sarah jumped to her feet and went to the door.
    They all heard a knock a minute later. Abigail froze, hand to her throat, her heart suddenly beginning to pound.
    “Relax, dear,” Carol said, “it’s only Inez and a few others from the Red Hat Club. They’ve come to get me, as I didn’t call right away.” She patted her niece’s shoulder and hurried to find her ornate red hat.
    “I’ve been leaving the gate open for my friends during the day.”
    Several ladies poured into the room, dressed in either flowing skirts or pants, but all with bright purple shirts and red hats on their heads. They laughed as they greeted the girls. “Carol was late so we decided Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    not to let her miss the meeting. We’re dragging her off with us and don’t expect her back early! It’s our girls’ day out and we intend to have fun.”
    “I’m ready.” Carol rushed into the room waving her arm, her camera slung haphazardly around her neck. “Unless you girls need me…” She trailed off, looking at Abbey.
    Abigail kissed her. “No, we’ll be fine. Just don’t get into too much trouble.”
    That sent another round of laughter floating up from the women. “Like the time we had to bail you out of jail,” Inez said.
    “Or the time you got stuck in that tree with Tommy Lofton and we had to call the fire rescue,” Donna added.
    “Aunt Carol!” Hannah looked proud.
    “I’m certain they’re making it all up!” Carol blew kisses at her nieces and followed the women out.
    The Drake sisters listened to the laughter as it slowly faded into the distance. “We might have to bail them out,” Sarah warned. “I think Carol’s going to be a very bad influence on that group, and worse, that they want her to be.”
    “Most of them went to school together. It’s so nice that they’ve remained such good friends,” Kate said.
    Hannah slipped off the chair and stretched out on her stomach on the floor, patting the place beside her in invitation as she looked up at Abigail. “I don’t know all that much about things, Abbey, but I do know guilt can eat you alive. You can’t let it rule your life. Aunt Carol never has. She pretends to be a little on the wacky side, but she lives large and she’s happy.”
    One by one the other Drakes lay on the floor as they did when they were children. Each stretched out a hand and placed it in the middle of their circle, one on top of the other in a gesture of