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“I understand.” She crosses her arm underneath her breasts.
The door creaks as I push it open and step in. I’ve only been inside once, and it was years ago when Deanna brought me over when her parents weren’t home. It was dark that night so I couldn’t make out the details of the room. Also, we spent most of our time that night in her bed.
The spacious living room is empty. The walls are covered with stuffed animals and trophies from past hunts. The air smells fresh, like baked goods, and I wonder if one of the farmhands is baking. It makes my stomach growl, and I remember I haven’t eaten. A bar in the room’s corner with bottles of alcohol draws my gaze.
“Where’s Ruby?” Ellen’s voice tears my eyes away from the bar.
She’s just come out of one of the rooms, dressed in a denim jacket and jeans. Jacob follows behind her, dressed similarly. They have their hats in their hands, and I conclude they’ve just finished riding horses.
“School.” I shrug and take a seat on a couch. “It’s a school day.”
Jacob’s eyes fly to Layla, standing uncomfortably by the couch. He frowns, then heads to the bar to pour himself a drink. I avoid staring at him.
Ellen’s leathery face tightens. “You said you were bringing her over, that’s the only reason we—"
“You want her to skip school? Don’t you know how important this stage of schooling is for kids?” I cross my legs and lean into the couch.
Ellen scoffs, and her annoyance pleases me. Jacob carries his glass and sits across me. He takes a sip and coughs a couple of times. An ample space atop the fireplace draws my attention. The paint looks fresher in a square shape, almost like a painting or something has been removed.
Did they remove their family portrait?
“What are you doing here, then?” Ellen opens her hand as her shoulders tense. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I don’t want to be here, either.” I sit forward. “But I thought it was best you heard this from me instead of the tabloids.”
Ellen glances at Layla and then back at me. She returns her gaze to Layla and then frowns. “I recognize you.”
Layla clears her throat. “Mrs. Fisher, I’m—"
“Layla, you’ve come around here a couple of times.” Ellen nods like she’s solved a puzzle. Her gaze drops to Layla’s hand, and then she glances at mine. “Wait, don’t tell me… Wait, what is this?”
Jacob takes another sip of his drink without saying a word. He watches us with quiet contempt. I decide to rip off the proverbial band-aid and come out with it.
“I wanted you to meet Layla.” I take a deep breath. “She’s my fiancée.”
“What?!” Jacob coughs out, speaking for the first time that morning.
“You’ve wasted no time, have you?” Ellen spits out the words, her hand gripping her hat like she wishes it was my neck. “Soiling my daughter’s memory with this—” She looks at Layla like she’s grime under her shoe, “—this nobody.”
“Watch your tone, Ellen.” I stand, pointing a finger at her. Layla takes a step back as I move in front of her. “I don’t have to be here. I’m only here as a courtesy and Layla… She’s not a part of what went wrong with us. So, you watch how you speak to her.”
“Yeah?” Ellen smiles bitterly, her lips curling with unhidden anger. “You want to ruin this one like you did to Deanna? Like you want to ruin Ruby? Have you no respect for the dead? You parade this nobody around, dishonoring the memory of our daughter!”
I take a step forward. “Now, Ellen—"
“Respect goes both ways, doesn’t it?” Layla’s quiet voice causes a thunderous silence.
Jacob stands, and Ellen gasps as if she can’t believe Layla would defend me. Honestly, I can’t believe it, too. It’s the last thing I expected.
“What did you just say?” Jacob sets his glass on the table. “What the hell did you just—”
“I said Respect goes both ways.” Layla slips her hand into mine. “Tristan lost his wife just as you lost your daughter. So, why are you acting like only you guys lost someone?”
Ellen glances at Jacob, who looks as shocked as his face could reflect. The room seems to vibrate with tension, the stuffed animals on the wall casting their silent judgment from their mounted perches.
“Now, look here, girl, if you think you can come in here and—”
“I brought Layla here so you could meet her.” I cut Jacob off. “Not to argue. I don’t care what you think, and frankly, I’m only here out of respect for Deanna.”
