Storms 01 - Family Storms

asked. Everyone nodded, and she turned his picture over.
    “It’s between Boyd and Ricky, and we know how you feel about Ricky already,” Marcia said.
    “Ricky’s usually the most gentle,” Doris added.
    “I prefer Boyd,” Margot said.
    “It’s not your initiation.
    It’s hers,” Doris told her.
    “Boyd is more professional about it. He spends more time on foreplay,” Margot insisted.
    “I think this should be a secret ballot,” Kiera announced. “There’s a little too much personal business going on here.”
    “Whatever,” Margot said.
    Deidre produced a sticky pad and handed each girl a sheet.
    “I don’t have a pen,” Margot said.
    “Use your lipstick,” Doris told her.
    “Then everyone will know it’s my vote. That’s not a secret ballot.”
    “I’m just kidding, stupid.”
    Deidre got up, walked out, and returned with pens for those who didn’t have any.
    “Just an
R
or a
B
is all that’s necessary,” Kiera said.
    I watched as they spread out to vote. It wasn’t until they all handed their folded papers to Kiera that the full realization of what they were deciding for me hit me. I had sworn their oath, and I had gotten the tattoo, but I wasn’t confident that I could go through with the rest of it, especially if they had chosen Boyd. Kiera didn’t announce the votes. She opened each slip and put it on the right. She put none on the left.
    “It’s settled,” she said. “Unanimous. Ricky.”
    “When?” Margot asked immediately.
    “As it happens, we’re all going on Ricky’s boattomorrow,” Kiera said. “I didn’t say anything until I knew for sure and knew this would be the vote for sure. I mean, Boyd will be there, too, but Ricky’s the one.”
    “And you can make it dangerous, too,” Margot said, “if it happens on the boat.”
    “No, that wouldn’t count as dangerous,” Kiera said. “It’s only us. Besides, you wanted real privacy the first time, as I recall. I heard Tony almost had to use a sheet with a hole.”
    “That’s not true!” she cried.
    Everyone laughed.
    “Let’s have some music,” Deidre declared, “and order some Chinese.”
    Everyone rose to congratulate me as if I had done or would do something historic. Maybe I was naive about sex, but I knew that what they expected me to do, what I would do, was not all that much of an accomplishment, except, of course, that it would make me solid with these girls. I’d be part of their family, and for an orphan, that was some accomplishment.
    “I bet you’re really excited,” Kiera said after we left Deidre’s house.
    “This is all supposed to happen tomorrow on Ricky’s boat?”
    “Sure. It has two staterooms. Don’t look so worried. You’ll do fine.”
    She made it sound like a performance or a test. When we arrived home, however, we were both almost grounded. Mrs. March had learned the truth. The drama teacher had not held auditions for the play yet. She intercepted us just before we were about to go upstairs.
    “In here,” she commanded, standing in the living-room doorway.
    Kiera and I looked at each other. On the way into the living room, she whispered, “Whatever it is, let me do all the talking.”
    Mrs. March was alone. She stood with her arms folded under her breasts and nodded toward one of the settees. We sat.
    “What now, Mother?” Kiera asked.
    “What now? Why did both of you lie to me about the auditions? There were no auditions that day. Well?”
    “I was too embarrassed to tell you that I had made a mistake and misread the date on the bulletin-board announcement. We actually went to the auditorium and felt like idiots. At least, I did. It wasn’t Sasha’s fault, so don’t blame her.”
    “But you continued the lie, giving me that story about changing your minds,” Mrs. March said, looking from Kiera to me. I couldn’t look directly at her.
    “Yes.”
    “Why? Why wouldn’t you just tell me the truth? You made a mistake?”
    “I didn’t think you’d believe me, and besides, we really did decide not to do it.”
    “Where did you go that day?”
    “Nowhere. We just killed some time riding around and then came home. It’s not a federal case, Mother. It’s not like we did some terrible thing instead.”
    “I don’t believe you, Kiera.”
    “Don’t believe me. Ask Sasha.”
    She looked at me. “Is what she’s saying true? You just rode around?”
    “Yes,” I said softly, almost too softly for her to hear.
    “I’m very disappointed in both of