"It's Vanessa. Vanessa White." She rolled her eyes as if the woman wouldn't recognize her voice.

Vanessa heard the locks sliding back and then the door opened. Callista Cornel stood in the doorway peering up at her.

Vanessa was confused. This was her aunt but she was completely changed. She had always been shorter than her but now it was in a different way. Callista was stooped over and her back had a hump to one side. She held a cane and Vanessa noted that her knuckles ...