Free The Believing Game by Eireann Corrigan Page A

won’t sleep all night. And if I hear so much as a whimper from you, I am going to start pounding — first on the door, then on him. You understand?”
    I nodded. Sophie slipped across the hall to pace.
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    About forty-five minutes or so after lights-out, I heard a soft rap on my door. I might have missed it if I hadn’t been listening so hard. And for a few seconds, I considered pretending I was asleep. But then I heard Addison’s quick whisper. “Greer, Greer — it’s late and we’re here.” I opened the door. He ducked into the room and Joshua followed.
    â€œYou’re such a cheese ball,” I chided.
    â€œHe loves to make a hymn out of your name.” Joshua stood with his hands clasped in the center of the room. I gritted my teeth. The little rhymes that Addison made with my name were just stupid little things, but they were ours — a joke between us. I didn’t need Joshua to make them holy.
    â€œAre you staying?” I tried to keep the hope from my voice.
    â€œNah, I just figured I’d check in on you.” Addison searched my face. “You okay?”
    â€œSure. No one saw you?”
    â€œWe’re clear.”
    â€œYou guys must have superpowers.”
    â€œPeople see what they’re looking for.” Joshua sounded solemn, but he smiled warmly. “Elizabeth, give me a hug.Are you all right with this? Truly? Addison felt you were ready for this step, but the last thing I’d want is to make you uncomfortable.”
    I looked at Addison and then Joshua. “No, of course not. I’m happy you’re here.”
    â€œGood. I’m glad to hear you say that.”
    â€œMe too.” Addison wrapped me in his arms and squeezed. “I better sneak out.” He kissed my neck, right below my ear. “You’ll take good care of my lady?”
    â€œOf course. She’s your treasure.” Spending the night with Addison’s spiritual adviser might be awkward, but at least I got to enjoy all the possessive pronouns flying around the room.
    Addison put his finger to his lips, shushing us as he opened the door. He was there for a second, silhouetted in the doorway. I could just barely make out his smile in the low fluorescence of the hall lights.
    And then the door shut. Joshua stepped closer to examine the reading lamps clipped on to my bed. “So the lights-out policy is just a saying.”
    â€œWell, no. All the overhead lights go off at the same time. After a while, they let us have little ones, for reading.”
    â€œYou have to earn that?”
    I nodded. “It’s part of the patented McCracken privilege system.”
    Joshua smiled again. He motioned to the bed. “May I?”
    â€œUmm … yeah. Sure.”
    â€œDo you feel like you’ve had a lot of privilege?”
    It was apparently time to discuss my spoiled upbringing.
    â€œMy parents are sort of wealthy.”
    â€œThat wasn’t my question.” His voice wasn’t mean, just firm.
    I thought of our stately brick house, standing at attention at the top of Hillside Lane. “Some people would say I grew up very privileged.”
    Joshua still smiled, but his voice didn’t waver either. “I didn’t ask what some people would say. Would you call yourself privileged?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œBecause?”
    â€œI always had enough to eat. We have a nice house. With running water —”
    â€œOne second, please.” Joshua held up his index finger. “Did you just say you had running water?” I bit my lip. “That’s what you can come up with when I ask if you’ve led a privileged life?”
    â€œWell, some people don’t. I never went to bed cold or hungry. I was educated. Not everyone on this planet can say that.”
    â€œWell, all right, Saint Greer, I hear you. But tell me this, did you feel loved?” I felt my eyes roll. “Well?” I looked at