Chapter 2

"What's Lena doing? She knows you're home. Why hasn't she come down to say hi?"

Mom grumbled as she led Sophie inside.

"Do you still have enough spending money? I'll send you some more."

Sophie pouted and said something I didn't catch.

But the smile on her face was so glaring I wanted to rip it apart.

"Lena! Lena!"

I came downstairs, and Mom waved me over.

"You didn't come home for Christmas, so I forgot to give you your money."

She pulled crisp new money from her pocket: six one-dollar bills and six dimes.

"You can't find crisp small bills anymore. I had to go to several banks.

"Be a good girl and stop thinking about Sophie's gift money."

Mom patted my head, then quickly pulled her hand away.

"You were born unlucky. No amount of money will stay with you. I don't want to see anything happen to you again."

I pressed my lips together and took the money, wanting to say something.

Mom, why did you lie to me?

Mom, am I not your own daughter?

"Mom, why..."

Before I could finish, Sophie laughed and pulled Mom's attention away.

"Mom, how come you're only giving Lena money and not me?"

She made a cute face, and when she looked at me, her eyes were full of condescending pity.

Mom beamed and pulled out another thick envelope for her. "As if I'd leave you out! We gave you six hundred and sixty thousand at Christmas. Here's another sixty-six thousand.

"Spending money. Go buy yourself some new clothes."

I stared at the thick stack of bills and felt dizzy.

Five years ago, I'd snatched one of Sophie's gift envelopes.

I remembered it clearly. She'd piled her envelopes on the coffee table and was counting the bills one by one.

Before I knew what I was doing, I reached out and took the thinnest one.

I hid in my room and counted it again and again. Ten hundred-dollar bills. A thousand dollars.

I tucked the money under my pillow and fell asleep smiling.

The next day, I broke out in hives all over. My throat swelled so badly I went into respiratory failure, and I spent three days in the ICU.

When I woke up, I believed every word Mom had said, and I gave the envelope back to Sophie in tears.

I believed I was born unlucky, that money would never stay with me, that the $6.60 curse was real.

But now, looking at the money in Sophie's hand and remembering what my parents had said, I felt dazed.

Sixty-six thousand.

How many $6.60s was that?

I couldn't work it out, just like I couldn't work out what all those years of suffering had been for.

"Sweetheart, what were you going to say?"

Mom's voice cut into my thoughts.

I wanted answers, but I didn't know how to begin.

"Fine, fine. If it's nothing, go bring the fruit out from the kitchen."

I snapped out of it and drifted toward the kitchen.

Cherries, strawberries, and blueberries, all Sophie's favorites.

She picked up a strawberry, bit off the tip, and casually held the rest out to me.

"Here, Lena. You can have the bottom."

I didn't move. I just stared at her slender fingers, nothing like my own cracked hands.

"Lena? Hello?"

Sophie waved a finger impatiently in front of my eyes and shoved the strawberry bottom at me.

"Don't act like you're the victim here. I'm doing this for your own good.

"It's not my fault you were born unlucky and good things aren't meant for you."

Hearing that, Mom shot me a disapproving look.

"Lena, what's wrong with you? Sophie's looking out for you!"

I pretended not to hear and grabbed the strawberries off the table, stuffing one after another into my mouth.

They were so sweet.

So sweet that tears rolled down my face.