“I know what I ordered,” she hissed, shoving the plate to the side. “Send it back! Tell Garland to make it the way I like it!”
Katherine shook her head and peered at the rude behavior of the elitist debutante that was her mother. The disgusting display of privilege instantly ruined her appetite. Katherine placed her fork next to the plate and slid her chair back. She was ready to flee the table when her Aunt Evelyn entered the room.
“Katie Bug!” her aunt squealed with glee, running around the table with open arms.
Katherine stood. With an open mouth, she allowed herself to be swallowed in her aunt’s arms. She was genuinely shocked by Evelyn’s presence. She hadn’t seen her in a few years.
Evelyn released her and took a step back to look her up and down. “Look at you, Katie Bug! You are absolutely stunning.”
“Thanks, Aunt Evelyn. You’re looking great too. It’s good to see you. What are you doing here?”
“Evelyn has fallen on hard times,” her mother volunteered. Her tone was smug, with a hint of satisfaction, as if she was happy about her sister’s misfortune. Yet, what hard times could her aunt be having? She enjoyed the same family fortune as Katherine’s mom. Evelyn’s inheritance ensured that she would never have to work a day in her life. She must have been running from a man. “She’ll be our guest for a bit.”
Under normal circumstances, a visit from her aunt would have been great. Sadly, normal was not the circumstance. Her Aunt Evelyn was a widow with a six-year-old daughter, and their home was no place for little girls.
Katherine looked past her aunt. “Where’s Maddie?”
Evelyn responded with a big smile. “She’s still asleep. It was a long drive from Atlanta.”
“Drive?” Katherine questioned suspiciously.
Evelyn grinned. “I love road trips. I enjoy the scenery.”
Katherine dropped down into her chair and rubbed her temples. “How long will you be staying?”
Evelyn shrugged. “I’m not sure. For a while, I guess.”
Katherine looked over at her grinning dad, who was pretending to be interested in whatever business call he was on. She stared at the phone cord and imagined wrapping it around his neck until he was no more. If her mother’s sour attitude hadn’t spoiled her appetite, her aunt and her young cousin’s presence had. The thought of a little girl in their house made Katherine sick to her stomach.
Chapter Six
KATHERINE
Katherine’s dad pulled out a chair for Maddie and patted the seat.
“No, Maddie, come and sit by me,” Katherine insisted. “I’ll show you how to put on lip gloss.”
Maddie giggled and skipped around the table. Katherine looked up at her dad and caught him glaring at her with angry eyes when the child took the seat next to her. She raised a brow and took her seat without a care in the world for his displeasure.
Katherine grabbed Maddie’s napkin from her plate and placed it in her lap. She reached in her purse and pulled out a lip gloss with a pink tint. “How about this?” Katherine asked with a smile.
“Yes!” Maddie exclaimed.
Her hazel eyes sparkled with excitement as Katherine smeared the gloss on her lips. “There you go. Beautiful.”
“Thanks, Katie.”
“Oh, boy,” Evelyn said through a breath. “She’s already growing up too fast.”
“Nonsense,” her father interjected. “Being a lady is an art. Teach her early.”
Katherine frowned and looked up at him. Her face had to have shown her abhorrence.
“You disgust me,” she mouthed to her father.
He quickly looked away and turned to her mother. “I’m in the mood for the lamb. How about you?”
“I’m thinking I’ll have the lobster.”
