Chapter 16 The Big Reveal
“Looks like Lula’s running for mayor,” Talia said.
“I thought we had an agreement. You can hoover up all the hometown gossip you want. But do not talk to me about Lula Lambert Dean.” Taylor resumed bedazzling her nails.
“She’s all over Facebook. There’s no escape.” Talia’s hand suddenly flew to her mouth. “Oh Lord, Taylor. You’re not going to believe this.”
“What?”
“I just clicked on her profile. She’s got fifty thousand followers.”
It took Taylor a moment to recover. Then she shook the thought right out of her pretty head. “You know she must have bought them. There aren’t fifty thousand people in that whole county. Why are you telling me all of this anyway?”
“She’s holding some kind of rally in the square tonight.” Talia gasped. “It’s in support of ‘our Confederate heroes.’”
Taylor held her hand out for the phone. “When did Lula start caring about any of that Lost Cause crap? I bet she thinks Manassas is something that happens if you don’t eat enough fiber.”
Talia kept the phone and didn’t answer. Her eyes widened as she scrolled back in time. “She formed a book-banning committee. They’ve been pulling books out of the libraries.”
“What?” Taylor cringed at the thought. “Some nerve that woman’s got—telling people they can’t read dirty books. She was dipping into monster erotica before we left.”
“She’s banning more than dirty stuff. Lula posted a list of the banned books. I see Anne Frank and Beloved up top.”
The twins looked up and locked eyes.
“She’s lost her damn mind,” Taylor said.
“We both knew it was bound to happen.”
Taylor shook her head and leaned toward the mirror to touch up her eyeliner. “Nothing we can do about it right now,” she said. “We’re booked up here in Florida till the end of the week.”
“You know what she’s capable of,” Talia warned. “She’s ruined people’s lives. We should have been keeping a closer eye on her.”
“Don’t act like we’ve been spending all our time at the beauty salon,” Taylor argued. “We’ve been busy doing the Lord’s work. The people down here need us, too.”
“Yeah but—”
“But what?” Taylor demanded.
“I feel like she’s our responsibility,” Talia said.
“After everything she did? Why is that bitch our burden to bear?”
“Because we’re the only ones who can stop her.”
Taylor stood up and checked herself in the mirror. Her diadem gleamed and ebony curls spilled over her shoulders. A golden lasso of truth hung from her spandex-clad hips. In her knee-high red boots, she towered over her sister.
“How am I supposed to help you with your cape when you put on your boots first?” Talia asked.
“Sorry.” Taylor plopped back down in her seat.
Talia attached the cape to Taylor’s uniform and used a steamer to rid the garment of wrinkles.
“Alright, let’s see it,” Talia said.
It always felt like a sacred moment. That first glimpse of her full uniform never failed to remind Taylor why she’d squeezed into it in the first place. Her mission was to fight back the darkness and act as a force for good in the universe.
As Taylor rose from her seat, the white satin cape unfurled down the full length of her back. Written in cursive in sparkling golden sequins was MOXIE!
Talia may have been dressed in her usual jeans and T-shirt, but the two of them shared the same mission. They had always been a team.
“Alright,” Taylor said. “As soon as we’re finished here in Tallahassee, let’s go home and take care of Mama.”