Amber was sick to her stomach. She hadn’t found any solutions and the wedding day was in two days time.

She pulled her blanket over her head, her eyes squeezed shut as if blocking out the morning would stop time pressing on. 

Madness. The entire town had succumbed to madness and she wanted to leave. She wanted to be back in California. Some days she wished they’d never come here since this was all her fault. If she and Krystal had never spent time together, laughed together, kissed.

“God,” she whispered fervently. “God please. I’m not asking for myself. There is someone who needs your help. She's not even an adult yet. The people who were supposed to protect her are the ones causing her the most harm. this can't be what you want for her. This can't be something you'll allow." 

She didn’t know how many times she’d prayed over the past few weeks. She couldn’t seem to stop. What else could she do when the law wasn’t on her side and the people who should love and care for Krystal were unreasonable?

Hot tears ran down her cheeks as she raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Please."

-

"Have you read the books my mother left for you?" Gavin asked Krystal. They were having dinner at his parents’ house the night before they were to marry.

How did I get here? Krystal wondered. Days kept passing and soon, soon I’ll be a bride. I’ll be married. 

Krystal pulled How to be a Help Meet from her purse and passed it to Gavin's mother. There was a question and answer section in the back she'd used her time in isolation to fill out. Gavin gave her an encouraging smile, but she'd barely been able to meet his eyes since his confession.

He'd also been sent away.

 Her guts twisted in revulsion, asking her mind not to remember her own "camp" experience.

  How many others? she couldn't help but wonder.How many other students, classmates, children, have been sent away?

 It was something she'd never thought about before. She'd never considered how many other people she knew who'd been hurt the same way she had. Maybe worse. She just knew the kid she'd liked so long ago had disappeared. That their innocent crush had been the reason. Where was that little girl? Had her family accepted her and moved away from this town?

Gavin’s mother thoroughly read through each answer. "These are all wonderful answers," she praised Krystal. "I can tell you considered each word carefully. Having the knowledge in your head is one thing, but is it also in your heart?” 

Krystal in a shallow breath. Most of the book had been about submitting to your husband as you would submit to god. They’d been things she believed once, things she held dear, things she struggled to uphold in herself and others around her. She wanted to question. She wanted to have a deep discussion like she had with Amber in the fast-food scented interior of her little red car. She couldn’t be honest here; in her thoughts; in her conversation, or in her body. 

“Krystal?”

Gavin’s cold hand landed on hers and she pulled herself back to the conversation. “There are some things I’m still struggling with,” she answered as honestly as she could. “But my mother agreed to help me in those areas, especially when it comes to cooking.” She laughed a little. She’d been getting better at playing a part these past few weeks. “She’s going to type up the family cookbook for me.” 

“That’s good, that’s really good,” Gavin’s mother encouraged. “Let me know when she’s pulling it together. I have a few I want to add, especially Gavin’