In our home, my dad had marked my height every year on the wall in the living room. The stairs and the roof creaked each night, but the sounds didn’t scare me. They were a reminder that I was home. My bedroom door had a few chips from the numerous times he’d tried to nail a name plaque in. I had a floorboard that was loose where I could hide all my treasures.
Upstairs we passed a room with music blaring. Marcus knocked on the door and opened it without waiting to be asked in. My father was never like that. He always waited to be asked in. He respected my privacy.
Two boys who looked slightly older than me sat on the floor playing video games.
"Devlin," Marcus called, and one of the boys looked over his shoulder, instantly standing and switching off the radio. He looked a lot like Marcus, and I could tell he was his son. "Come meet Tara," Marcus said sternly.
Devlin made his way over to us.
"Hey," he greeted, bobbing his head. "Nice to meet you," he stretched his hand out for a handshake. I took it nervously, unsure what to make of him. He didn't seem as cold as his father, but he wasn't a friend either. Not by a long shot.
The other boy joined us and smiled down at me, causing my face to burn. He was a head taller than me, his eyes the color of a green pond covered in moss. I placed a hand on my cheek to make sure I wasn’t on fire.
"Hi Tara," he said, stepping forward. "I'm Jude Finn." He had an accent, English, like Harry Potter.
“Jude lives next door, Tara. His dad and I are business partners,” Marcus explained.
"Great to meet you both," I said politely as Devlin cocked a brow.
"Well, I'll leave you boys to it then,” Marcus said with an arm around my shoulder as he led me out of the room. When I looked back, Devlin was already sitting in front of the television. Jude winked at me and grinned. I almost stopped breathing.
* * *
Six months later,I'd just about settled into my new routine. Life in the big house was different. Marcus and Sarah insisted on order. Children only spoke when spoken to. There were no conversations about how my day at school was or whether I was settling in. Sarah stopped cooking because she had a chef to do that now. It was difficult to adjust at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly. Marcus wasn't a fan of noise or movie nights, so I tended to be by myself a lot.
Marcus’ first wife, Devlin's mother, passed away when Devlin was five-years-old. I guess it's why Devlin was always lovely to me. He understood the loss of a parent better than most people did.
Marcus hadn't asked my mother to marry him yet, but Devlin thought that tonight might be the night for it.
They were throwing a dinner party. I was bought yet another over the top party dress that felt uncomfortable. Although I had a wardrobe of clothing most girls would dream about, none of it felt like me.
I'd been enrolled in a new snooty school, and to no surprise, I was the outcast. I didn't have any friends there and preferred to spend my breaks under a tree writing music or reading. I hadn't seen Jude at all since the day I moved here. It seemed like everyone was always busy. I missed my old friends and my past life, but I couldn't dwell on that.
I rushed downstairs to avoid being late. Sarah and Marcus were already standing at the front door, welcoming guests. I stood next to Devlin and smoothed the creases in my dress out.
“What do I say to them?” I whispered.
“Just hello will do, genius,” he whispered back, rolling his eyes.
"Hello dears," an elderly woman walked up to us, pinching our cheeks, my mother in tow. Devlin scowled, and I giggled.
“Good evening, Mrs. Richards,” Devlin greeted, taking her hand and placing a kiss on it. I had to cover my mouth to stifle a laugh. I’d remind him of it later.
"This must be your niece, Sarah. She is a lovely thing, isn't she? Pity about her parents." I looked at my mother whose face was as red as a tomato.
Niece? Is that what she introduced me as?
The woman squeezed my shoulder. “They’re with the angels now.”
Devlin turned to me, offering me an apologetic smile. My eyes burned, the tears threatening to fall, as I wished that I was anywhere but there. She'd told people that I was her niece. Was she ashamed of me?
The reality was a slap in the face.
My mother pulled me aside and told me that if I ruined this night for her and Marcus, there would be hell to pay, starting with boarding school. That actually sounded like a more desirable option for me. It was way better than being denied by my own mother.
After dinner, the happy family announced that my mother was pregnant and that they would be getting married as soon as possible. Everyone cheered, and I watched as she beamed at the crowd. They clinked their glasses, and laughter filled the impressively decorated main hall. I managed to slip out back and run out to the lake behind the house. I ran until my feet pounded on the dock, my heart racing. I came to a stop, tears slipping down my cheeks. The moon cast a reflection on the calm water, and I wondered if anyone would notice or miss me if I jumped in and drowned tonight.
“Woah there,” a hand wrapped around my arm, pulling me back. I angrily wiped the tears from my eyes and turned around to face Jude.
