Under Her Skin

Chapter 30

Sunny slid through the front doors quietly, like a snake. She was set on making her return quiet and unnoticeable.

Yeah, no.

Hiram flicked on the lights, making the bawling Lyssa visible. The mood of the room was terrifying.

"Oh my god. You're okay," sobbed Lyssa, reaching her hands forwards.

"Big high school student now, think you can just... just DISAPPEAR?" Said Hiram, in a voice that was newly thick. "Huh? I mean Jesus are you out of your mind?"

Lyssa cried louder. "Stop it, Hiram, you're scaring her."

"She should be scared! I mean look at YOU, you're a mess on OUR day. And it's all because of her!" Hiram pointed at Sunny fiercely. Lyssa chugged down two shots of whiskey.

Sales sucked. Nobody showed up. They had planned everything to the brink but hadn't known that the fair was in town that week. The shiny rides and colorful straws stole everything. Lyssa didn't get anywhere near the goal she set. She closed her eyes and her skin flattened into a crusty grey color like underwear washed so many times it was minutes before falling apart.

"Where were you?" Lyssa finally asked. "We were worried out of our minds. We thought something must've happened." Hiram began shouting, and then within seconds, everybody at the Wong household was shouting; it was the only way to be heard.

Sunny couldn't say that she was at the fair. That would break them into pieces.

So she began to cry. Immediately, Lyssa wrapped her arms around her and hold her like a doll while Hiram stood in the corner in time-out. Sunny liked hugging. Hugging was a way of demonstrating affection that also involved hiding her face. It had been hard for Sunny to look at Lyssa's face ever since they got busy. There was something wrong with it. It had its natural sands and wrinkles. With a little bit of women's vanity, she had the face that needs to seek enhancement from the knife.

Lyssa pushed away.

"It's all my fault," she said. Her body had no smell. Sunny missed when Lyssa used to lather on a perfume that didn't enforce a layer of artificial scent on top of human scent but somehow, through a patented combination of botanicals, neutralized the scent of the body entirely.

"I've put work before family and it's horrible. Look at the pain I've caused." Sunny began to cry again, trotting a very fine line between being pitiful and obnoxious.

"I just felt alone," said Sunny. "I didn't know what to do."

"I know, honey. I know," said Lyssa.

Hiram saw right through Sunny's act and scoffed under his breath.

"I want to be here for you," said Lyssa. "And- and maybe I was too harsh on her. Maybe I was wrong about Selena. Maybe she deserves a second chance."

"Really?" Asked Sunny. "You're willing to do that for me?"

Suddenly, Lyssa wanted to show her daughter her gratitude by loving her with every power she possessed.

"Invite her over tomorrow. I want to make things right," said Lyssa. There will be no more phone calls. I want to be present, honey."

Hiram turned around. The Father aspect of the man that came alive. He walked over, and both parents tucked her in. The night concluded in the sweet togetherness of family, and Sunny got away with murder.

***

Sunny had never invited anyone over before. The thought of it was reputation suicide. They would see Hiram and Lyssa, which meant an exposure of her most unaccepted side. But she wanted to be independent of the opinions of others, and wanted to give Lyssa a chance.