Going Under Read Online Free

the rest.”
    Eliza Ryan was the strongest person Molly had ever met. Her mother was her greatest
     hero and role model.
    “Well, you know PURITY outed me two days ago. Apparently this morning Bright and Cleen
     called. Said they’d dump the firm if they didn’t dump me. I’m told I’m an abomination.”
    Eliza’s brow rose. “I can guess who said that. Does Angelica still have a stick wedged
     up her butt? Puritans, the whole lot of them. Oh, you were just fine to get them out
     of trouble a month ago. But now?” Her mother sniffed before gulping her own wine.
    “Not everyone is acting that way. Paige volunteered to quit and follow me to a new
     firm if I started it. She threatened to quit anyway. Don’t worry, I told her not to.
     She’s pregnant and she needs the benefits. It wouldn’t make a difference to them if
     she quit and it would only hurt her. Plus the Troys—you know my neighbors with the
     house across the street? Anyway, they came over when I got home today. With a big
     basket of baked goods. She hugged me and said it would be all right.”
    With that, the tears came. Because it wouldn’t be.
    Eliza put her glass down and moved to gather Molly up into her arms. “Let it all go.
     This isn’t right. It’s not fair and it’s not even American, for heaven’s sake.”
    “I d-don’t think things are going to be all right. Everything is different. Anthony
     is dead. Emma is dead. The guy who did my yard? Turns out he was a shifter. He’s dead
     too. I don’t think I’ll be able to stave off being fired. My firm. I built that firm,
     damn it.” Anthony Falco had been a father to her, Emma her sibling in everything but
     blood and she missed each one of them every damned day.
    Her mother rubbed a palm up and down her back. Up and down, over and over, just like
     she did when Molly got sick or when she got dumped.
    “
I’m
not dead. Nana Ryan isn’t dead. Rosa isn’t and she needs you now more than ever.
     We all need you, Molly. If you can’t stay at the firm, you’ll do something else. It’s
     who you are. I’ll help you in any way I can.”
    “You have your own problems.”
    Her mother snorted. “Thank goodness for tenure. The rest of the faculty—for the most
     part anyway—are supporting me. I’ll get through this. Don’t worry about me.”
    “Of course I worry about you! This is happening to you because of me.” Her mother
     was being persecuted for no other reason than being a parent to an Other. It was absurd
     and horrible and Molly felt responsible.
    Her mother stepped back, holding Molly at arm’s length. “
No
. This is happening because people are scared. And because people with no values are
     using that fear to whip them up into this frenzy that’s wrecking everything. You are
     the best thing I’ve ever done. I won’t let a bunch of small-minded bigots make you
     think anything else.”
    Her phone buzzed in her pocket. The song told her it was Rosa so Molly mopped up her
     face and answered.
    “Hiya, Mom.” Rosa Falco had come into Molly’s life when she was thirteen. She’d been
     the one to teach Molly about the other side of her heritage. The magickal side. The
     Falco family had become hers too. So much so that she’d been calling Rosa
Mom
since she was fifteen.
    Together with Eliza, they’d guided her, loved her and supported her. That her biological
     mother shared her daughter without any apparent jealousy was a testament to Eliza’s
     strength and love. And a powerful reminder that no matter how much Molly had lost,
     she still had them.
    “Turn on the television.” Rosa’s voice held a lot of anger.
    “What? What’s going on?” Molly found the remote and turned the television on as requested.
    “Watch and call me back.”
    “Okay.”
    She sat, her mother at her side.
    On the screen, Carlo Powers, the leader of PURITY, sat across from a news anchor,
     smiling. That smile made Molly curl her lip. A smiling fascist was still a