The kitchen door swung open. Lena backed through the door, carrying a huge silver tray, piled high with exotic-looking fruits that definitely were not from South Carolina. She wore a fitted black floor-length jacket, cinched at her waist. It looked strangely timeless, like nothing I had ever seen in this county, or even this century, but when I looked down, I noticed she was wearing her Converse. She looked even more beautiful than when I had come over for dinner… when? A few weeks ago?

My mind felt cloudy, like I was half asleep. I took a deep breath, but all I could smell was Ridley, a musky smell mixed with something way too sweet, like syrup bubbling on the stove. It was strong and suffocating.

“We’re almost ready. Just a few more—” Lena froze, the door still in mid-swing. She looked like she had seen a ghost, or something much worse. I wasn’t sure if it was just the sight of Ridley, or the two of us standing there arm and arm.

“Well, hello, Cuz. Long time no see.” Ridley advanced a few steps, dragging me along next to her. “Aren’t you going to give me a kiss?”

The tray Lena was carrying crashed to the floor. “What are you doing here?” Lena’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Why, I came to see my favorite cousin of course, and I brought a date.”

“I’m not your date,” I said lamely, barely choking the words out, still glued to her arm. She pulled a cigarette from the pack tucked in her boot and lit it, all with her free hand.

“Ridley, please do not smoke in the house,” Macon said, and the cigarette instantly went out. Ridley laughed and flicked it into a bowl of something that looked like mashed potatoes, but probably wasn’t.

“Uncle Macon. You always were such a stickler for the house rules.”

“The rules were set long ago, Ridley. There’s nothing you or I can do to change them now.”

They stared at each other. Macon gestured, and a chair pulled itself away from the table. “Why don’t we all have a seat? Lena, can you let Kitchen know we will be two more for dinner?”

Lena just stood there, seething. “She can’t stay.”

“It’s all right. Nothing can harm you here,” Macon assured her. But Lena didn’t look scared. She looked furious.

Ridley smiled. “You sure about that?”

“Dinner is ready, and you know how Kitchen feels about serving cold food.” Macon walked into the dining room. Everyone filed in after him, even though he had barely spoken loud enough for the four of us in the room to hear him.

Boo led the way, lumbering in with Ryan. Aunt Del followed, on the arm of a gray-haired man about my dad’s age. He was dressed like he was right out of one of the books in my mom’s study, with knee-high boots, a frilly shirt, and a weird opera cape. The two of them looked like an exhibit from a Smithsonian museum.

An older girl entered the room. She looked a lot like Ridley, except she had on more clothing and she didn’t look so dangerous. She had long, straight blond hair with a neater version of Ridley’s choppy bangs. She looked like the kind of girl you’d see carrying a stack of books on a fancy old college campus up North like Yale or Harvard. The girl locked eyes with Ridley, like she could see Ridley’s eyes through the dark shades she was still wearing.

“Ethan, I’d like to introduce you to my older sister, Annabel. Oh, I’m sorry, I mean Reece.” Who doesn’t know their own sister’s name?

Reece smiled and spoke slowly as if she was choosing her words carefully. “What are you doin’ here, Ridley? I thought you had another engagement tonight.”

“Plans change.”

“So do families.” Reece reached out her hand and waved it in front of Ridley’s face, just a simple flourish, like a magician waving his hand over a top hat. I flinched; I don’t know what I was thinking, but for a second I thought Ridley might disappear. Or more preferably, I might.

But she didn’t disappear, and this time, it was Ridley who flinched and looked away, like it was physically painful to look Reece in the eye.

Reece peered into Ridley’s face, as if it were a mirror. “Interestin’. Why is it, Rid, when I look in your eyes all I can see are hers? You two are as thick as thieves, aren’t you?”

“You’re babbling again, Sis.”

Reece closed her eyes, concentrating. Ridley squirmed like a pinned butterfly. Reece fluttered her hand again, and for a moment, Ridley’s face dissolved into the murky image of another woman. The woman’s face was somehow familiar, only I couldn’t remember why.

Macon clapped his hand down heavily on Ridley’s shoulder. It was the only time I’d seen anyone touch her, except me. Ridley winced, and I could feel a twinge of pain shooting from her hand, down my arm. Macon Ravenwood was clearly not a man to be taken lightly. “Now. Like it or not, the Gathering has commenced. I won’t have anyone ruining the High Holidays, not under my roof. Ridley has been, as she so helpfully clarified, invited to join us. Nothing more needs to be said. Please, everyone have a seat.”

Lena sat down, her eyes locked on the two of us.

Aunt Del looked even more worried than when we had first arrived. The man in the opera cape patted her hand reassuringly. A tall guy about my age in black jeans, a faded black T-shirt, and scuffed motorcycle boots wandered in looking bored.

Ridley handled the introductions. “You’ve already met my mother. And this is my father, Barclay Kent, and my brother, Larkin.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Ethan.” Barclay stepped forward as if to shake my hand, but when he noticed Ridley’s hand on my arm, he stepped back. Larkin drew his arm around my shoulder, only when I looked over his arm had become a snake, flickering its tongue in and out of its mouth.