Most Precious Blood by Susan Beth Pfeffer

stay home from school.”
    â€œI feel fine, Daddy,” Val said. “You didn’t have to come home early.”
    â€œYou’re a lot more important to me than some jerk at HUD,” Rick replied. “But I don’t like this. Headaches, then not calling Bruno, but taking off on your own. Are you sure everything’s okay?”
    â€œNo,” Val said. “It isn’t.”
    â€œI knew it,” Rick said. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”
    Val stared at the man who was what, her father, her kidnapper, and tried to follow Jamey’s advice. Just ask him and wait for the happy answers. But the words were choked up inside her, and she realized that she was afraid. She had never been afraid of her father before, not even when she was little and had angered him. And now he frightened her the way he had frightened Terry.
    â€œIt’s Kit,” she said. “I told you Amanda’s in a clinic. She got drunk on Sunday and tore up the house. She broke just about everything in the kitchen, and she even ripped some of Jamey’s paintings.”
    â€œShe’s a very sick woman,” Rick said. “I guess Kit’s real upset about it.”
    Val nodded.
    â€œAnd you’ve been over there, helping her out,” Rick said. “Headache and all.”
    Val looked down at the floor.
    â€œI hope Kit appreciates what kind of a friend she has,” Rick said. “The way you stand by her, the way you’re always there for her. She’s a lucky girl to have you.”
    â€œYeah,” Val said. “She’s real lucky.”
    Rick gave Val another hug. She felt her body stiffen, and tried to relax before he sensed her tension. “Tell you what,” he said. “How about you go to your room, get out of that uniform, and we have dinner out together? How does Chinese sound?”
    â€œNot tonight, Daddy,” Val said. “I really should go to my room and catch up on my homework. I didn’t do anything yesterday because of my headache.”
    â€œYou’ll get another headache if you don’t eat supper,” Rick said.
    â€œI have my period,” she lied, knowing Rick would be uncomfortable with that. “I feel kind of crampy.”
    â€œPoor kid,” he said. “Go upstairs then, and I’ll have Connie make you some tea. If you feel up to it later, we can watch a movie together.”
    â€œOkay,” Val said. She forced herself to give her father a quick kiss on his cheek, then turned her back to him, and walked away from him slowly, carefully, so he couldn’t see how hard she was shaking.

Chapter 7
    Rick was already in the dining room when Val went in for breakfast. He put down his newspaper and looked at her, awaiting his morning kiss. Val walked over to him and pecked him on the cheek. She’d avoided further contact with him the night before, but she knew she’d have to see him in the morning and act as though nothing had happened. She didn’t have the strength for a confrontation, not just yet.
    â€œSleep well?” he asked. “Feeling better now?”
    â€œMuch,” Val replied.
    Connie came in and asked Val what she wanted for breakfast. Val hated the thought of eating in front of her father, but knew she had no choice. “Scrambled eggs and toast,” she said.
    â€œI have some nice melon,” Connie said. “I bought it yesterday. How about a slice?”
    â€œSure,” Val replied. She glanced at her father to see if he had resumed reading the paper, but he hadn’t.
    â€œI made a few phone calls last night,” he said.
    â€œOh?” Val said.
    â€œFigured I might as well, let people know I’m back a little early,” Rick declared. “Good thing too. Jamey tells me the shopping center in Hackensack’s run into some labor problems. I’ll have to go over there, talk things out with the boys.”
    â€œI hope it