Sisters of Misery Read Online Free Page A

almost translucent skin, and skirts that swirled and gathered as they walked, they drew attention and curiosity from the Patagonia-clad onlookers. This was a town where the men and women didn’t dress that differently from each other. Khaki shorts, polo shirts, and boat shoes during the summer; in the fall, Oxford shirts and fleece vests. And when the temperature dropped to single digits, out came the cable knit sweaters and down ski parkas from trunks all around Hawthorne, carrying the sharp, woody scent of cedar.
    In contrast, Rebecca and Cordelia looked like they had stepped right out of a fairy tale. Consequently, the women they passed smiled politely, but Maddie knew they were seething behind their tight smiles and steely gray eyes. But Rebecca and Cordelia didn’t notice, or if they noticed, they obviously didn’t care.
    Tess and Maddie paced a few steps behind their new house-guests, who were so caught up in taking in the sights of Hawthorne, chirping and laughing as they toted their picnic basket overflowing with food from the farmer’s market, that they hardly noticed the serious discussion taking place behind them.
    “Rebecca and Cordelia are starting a new cycle, Maddie,” Tess explained solemnly. Everything was cyclical in Tess’s mind. The world, time, seasons, everything was just one big circle. “Now that Simon has passed, we have a very important role to play in helping them start over. You must remember that. They need us now. And perhaps one day”—she stopped and placed a hand on Maddie’s shoulder—“we will need them.”
    “My mother doesn’t seem to want to help them with their new cycle,” Maddie said wryly. Tess waited a beat as Rebecca and Cordelia started unpacking the food on one of the weathered picnic tables on the beach.
    “Your mother has her own issues that she needs to resolve, things that shouldn’t concern you. You need to listen to your heart and your soul and your dreams. Your mother has always blocked those messages out. You need to learn how to let them in”—she nodded then to Cordelia and Rebecca—“and let your new family in, too.”
    Maddie couldn’t resist a smile. Tess was always making things sound more mysterious—like there were larger forces at work.
    It wasn’t until much later that Maddie realized how true Tess’s words would turn out to be.

Chapter 3
     

RAIDO

    THE WHEEL-TIME
    New Beginnings, Promise, Opportunity;
A Spiritual Journey or Quest
     
    O ver the next few weeks, Rebecca and Cordelia settled into life in Hawthorne. Abigail kept a sullen distance, but Tess practically floated around the house, happy to have her house brimming with life once again.
    Despite Maddie’s attempts at conversation, Cordelia remained aloof, making it clear she didn’t want any new friends. In sharp contrast, Rebecca was open and warm. It was hard not to love her—with her musical voice and infectious optimism, she seemed to make everything a little bit brighter. She threw herself into work right away, making plans to open a New Age flower shop and setting the town all abuzz.
    “Aren’t you excited about the store?” Maddie asked her cousin one hot, muggy morning as they sat across from each other at the breakfast table. Tess was humming as she prepared eggs, toast, and coffee for them.
    Cordelia gave her a withering look and buried her head in the New York Times , obviously more interested in what was going on in the rest of the world than anything happening in Hawthorne.
    “Of course she’s excited,” Rebecca said brightly as she whisked through the room, planting a kiss on all of their cheeks, grabbing a slice of toast and part of Cordelia’s paper. “She just doesn’t know it yet. It’s just the beginning, girls, just the beginning.” She rifled through the stack of mail on the table. Cordelia and Maddie looked at each other, and they both fought back smiles, rolling their eyes. At least they could both agree on Rebecca’s eccentricity.
    “Oh