I’ve been so stupid.
The little stone carved coaster on the side table has a picture of an owl on a branch, but it’s upside down so I turn it so the owl is facing the chair. Then I line the edge of my phone up to the edge of the table. A little less chaos never hurt anyone.
Even my mom gave up on him. I’ve never seen warmth between my parents, mom made her own life under his roof so long ago that I don’t remember any different. Part of me thought it’s because of the twenty-year age gap working against them, and I was special because I was his daughter.
I’ll never be anything more than a game piece to be protected or discarded, depending on my value to the company.
The tear that rolls down my cheek surprises me, I rarely let my father get to me like this. The only person who has ever been in my corner comes to mind, and I feel incredibly homesick. I grab my phone and send a text to Thal.
You’re right.
My phone is about to die and I don’t have a way to charge it,
I’ll call you as soon as I get home in a few days.
The little bubbles light up immediately, and I get a response within seconds.
I’m sorry, honey. I love you.
A few seconds later, the screen on my phone goes black, and I set it back on the table. It’s time I set my life free of the jail I’ve locked myself in, to enjoy the changing colors of my life. I drop my face to my hands and let the tears fall.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ELLY
VOICES ANDlighthearted laughing down the hall pull me from my melancholy and I wipe away the evidence of tears. Following the smell of bacon, I turn the corner to the kitchen to find Sloane and Hallie working on breakfast. Hallie is at the stovetop cooking and Sloane at the island cutting up vegetables. Marley is setting out plates and arranging food on the center island.
I try to be quiet as I walk into the middle of their conversation, “…it doesn’t have to be a tiered cake, just something pretty and wedding-ey will be fine with me.” Sloane says with her head down and her focus on slicing avocados.
“I know the perfect single-layer, I did the same thing for my cousin’s wedding, and she loved it.” Hallie is scooping bacon from the frying pan onto a paper towel lined plate.
She looks young, twenty-two, maybe, and her long, thick auburn hair is pulled into a French braid that hangs to her mid back. Her frame is small, almost malnourished and kind of bony, but she’s still taller than me.
Everyone’s taller than me.
Marley looks up as I step in and her already bright smile gets bigger. “Good morning, Elly. How did you sleep?”
Hallie and Sloane look in my direction and they both smile at me, not fake smiles, genuine smiles like the ones they would give family. So, this is what it feels like? The warm cocoon of trust and acceptance I have only ever seen from the outside.
I smile back at them before I say, “Good, except for the cold, but Breanna’s bed is very comfortable and cozy." Leaning against the other side of the island, across from Sloane, I push my hair behind my ear. "Can I help with anything?”
She looks up with a smile and her green eyes meet mine, “I don’t think so, we’re almost done. We’re not eating breakfast in the dining room with the power out, everyone will just come through and pick what they want as they head out.”
“Head out? In this?” I point at the window to the ice-covered landscape, but when I try to lift my eyebrows, pain shoots across my forehead and I squeeze my eye shut.
Marley sets down the toast she is buttering and turns to the cabinet. Sloane briefly looks over her shoulder at Marley to see what she’s doing before she says, “Yep, the horses don’t take care of themselves. It’s just like any other day for the guys.”
Marley sets a small packet of something next to a glass of orange juice in front of me. “What’s this?” I pick up the packet that looks like it would come in a noodle package.
Marley picks up another piece of toast and starts to butter it. “It’s pain reliever, like aspirin, just wash the powder down with the orange juice.” She lifts her butter knife to point at mymouth as she talks.
I push the powder back across the counter to her. “I’m allergic to most pain medications,” I laugh and say, “I’m allergic to almost everything, there were lots of minor emergency visits when I was a child. But thank you, I appreciate you looking out for me.”
“Aww, how do you deal with headaches and minor things like that?” Sloane asks as she tosses the avocado peels and seeds in the trash. The worry line between her eyebrows is deep and her green eyes are full of concern.
I wave my hand in front of my face like it’s no big deal. “I learned to deal with pain when I was a kid and developed a high pain threshold.”
Marley stops what she’s doing, and her eyes get big, “That’s how you walked so far in that horrible weather yesterday!”
