AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s still there as I walk into the living/dining room where they’re having breakfast. Veronica is wearing a pair of my mom’s plaid pajamas, meaning she must’ve stayed over. She hasn’t done that in ages. Probably not since the first time I was home after being rescued.
“Sit,” my dad says. “I made pancakes.”
“Oh, great, I’m starving,” I say and smile widely as I take my seat by Veronica.
She and my mom have identical looks on their faces—a tightness around the eyes and mouth that tells me they really want to ask me questions about yesterday. I hope they don’t.
My dad places three pancakes on my plate and I pour maple syrup all over them then dig in.
“I put chocolate chips into the batter,” he says. “The way you like it.”
“I do,” I say with my mouth full.
They’re all almost done with their own breakfasts, but we eat in silence together for a couple of minutes.
The tension rises and rises, originating from my mom and my sister and all the things they clearly want to talk about, but can’t bring themselves to utter. My family has the hardest time talking about difficult things. Which is very unfortunate since misfortune plagues us.
“About yesterday…” I say and pause to finish the bite I have in my mouth. Surprisingly, none of them jump at the opening with things they want to say.
“I needed the time away… from everything,” I say. “But I should’ve called.”
Mom nods. “We all want to give you the space you need.”
The look on Veronica’s face suggests she’s not entirely on board with this statement. But she’s not saying anything, so maybe I’m wrong.
“I’ve just been cooped up in this house for so long… and stuck in my own head… I just need to… “
I’m not sure where I’m going with this, since I’m not about to tell them that Ruin agreed to teach me how to defend myself. Or that I shot a gun yesterday with the aim of one day shooting a man if he tries to do me harm. They’d never understand.
“You need to do your own thing,” Dad concludes for me. “We understand that.”
I nod and eat some more of my pancakes.
“How many cats did you manage to trap yesterday?” I ask Veronica who seems surprised by the question.
“I don’t know,” she says. “We left after you did.”
“Pity,” I say and stuff the last piece of pancake into my mouth. “Do you think I made too big a fool of myself to go and see them?”
“I… I don’t know… probably not,” Veronica says. “But where were you all day?”
I grab my phone off the table. I just got a couple of texts and I really hope one of them is from Ruin. But I won’t check until I’m alone.
“I’m going to Happy Paws. I’ll try to explain to them what happened yesterday,” I say and stand up. “It’s best to do that in person.”
My mom and dad are nodding, while Veronica still looks shocked.
“I’ll try to be home for dinner, but if I can’t make it, I’ll call.” I kiss my dad’s cheek, give my mom a quick hug and wave to Veronica.
I’m pretty sure I heard mom tell Veronica to leave me be as I exited the living room. Just in case my sister won’t heed that and comes after me with questions I’m not ready to answer, I just quickly grab my car keys and purse from the guesthouse then leave by the garden gate.
The texts were from Ruin.
I got some time now.
I’ll pick you up.
I text back that I’m already in my car and we agree to meet at the gas station just outside of town. I can leave my car there and then we can spend the whole day together again. Without any questions to answer at the end of it.
