Incarnate Read Online Free PDF

far?” Anna asked from the doorway.
    Mackenzie scowled at her sister. “Fewer times than you do every morning, just to go to school.”
    Anna frowned at this and didn’t reply, and Erin wondered if her feelings had been hurt. It had been nothing more than typical sisterly give-and-take, but sometimes one of them would hit a nerve and wound the other.
    “Don’t be snippy,” Erin said, aiming her words at both of them.
    “Dad’s not going to like that skirt.” Anna’s earlier expression had disappeared, and she was grinning now.
    Mackenzie’s brows drew together, tugging on the hem of her skirt. “It’s not that short.”
    “It’s fine,” Erin assured her. “Your outfit is perfect. If your dad says anything, it’s just because he has a hard time seeing you look so grown up.”
    “I’m sixteen,” Mackenzie muttered.
    “I know. He knows that too. But you’re still his little girl.” Erin stroked her daughter’s long hair. “You’ll have to give him time to adjust.”
    When Erin looked back at the door, Anna had disappeared. Her unexpected departure caused a prickle of worry, but Erin didn’t have time to dwell on it.
    Mackenzie’s big blue eyes slanted her an almost teasing look. “So you're not having to adjust?”
    The question caught Erin by surprise. “Don’t get me started. I’m doing my best to act laidback about the whole thing, and I really am excited for you. But still…” She smiled wistfully, remembering Mackenzie as an infant, holding onto Seth’s finger. Mackenzie as a toddler, throwing her Cheerios on the floor in stubborn resistance to Seth’s authority. Mackenzie as a little girl, holding her sister by the hand.
    “Oh, God,” Mackenzie groaned, “You aren’t getting sentimental on me, are you?”
    Erin blinked and swallowed. “Certainly not.” She managed not to sniff.
    “It’s just a date.”
    “I know. It just means there's more of this sort of thing to come.” The comment gave her an uncomfortable thought—a small, insistent, uncomfortable thought that Erin would rather ignore. But she wasn't in the habit of avoiding things just because they were hard. So she cleared her throat and asked, “So you’re all right about everything? About the date, I mean. Anything you want to—”
    She broke off, feeling a wave of embarrassment and self-consciousness. She was acting exactly like every other parent she’d always considered clueless and awkward.
    Mackenzie actually chuckled. “I’m not going to have sex, Mom.”
    Despite her attempts to be mature and reasonable, Erin blew out a long breath of relief. Then said immediately, “You know, you never have to lie about that to me—”
    “Mom, I’m not lying to you. I assume I’ll have sex later.” When Erin stiffened, Mackenzie clarified, “Not later tonight. Later on.” She gestured with one graceful hand to convey some unspecified time in the future. “But I’m not going to have sex now.”
    Erin relaxed again, mentally berating herself for acting so ridiculous about all of this. “Good. I guess I don’t have to tell you that I’m glad to hear that. I know girls your age and younger have sex all the time, though. And I’d rather you be honest with me when you make the decision so you won’t end up in a difficult situation on your own.” She sighed. “You know I had sex really early.”
    “I know.”
    “And I didn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about it, so I was all alone with it. It was hard.”
    “I know.”
    “I wish I had waited longer.”
    “I know.” Mackenzie reached out and touched Erin’s forearm. It was only the faintest of touches, but it was a lot for someone as contained as Mackenzie.
    “And, even if you’re careful, birth control isn’t a hundred percent effective. Just remember how you were conceived.”
    “Mom,” Mackenzie broke in. “Please don’t remind me of that story again. Hearing it once was enough for a lifetime. We’ve talked about all of this before.