AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The guilt instantly swirls in my gut.
While she’s been nothing but kind to me, I know that getting off schedule bothers her. Whether or not she admits to it is a different story.
Small footsteps skitter down the long hallway leading into the kitchen, and Eloise lunges herself into my arms with Brian trailing behind her, adjusting the sleeves of his suit jacket.
Whatever date they had planned, it’snice.
That churning of guilt becomes a wild storm as I realize they must have a reservation, and here I am, conveniently forgetting my responsibilities and showing up fifteen minutes late.
“Ellie, you have to see my new trampoline.” Eloise smiles brightly from where she stands in front of me, her bronze skin glowing as she glances at Brian. “Can I show her, Daddy?”
“A trampoline?” I question, standing up to my full height and watching B move to the closet to grab her own coat. She pauses for a moment before pulling the garment off the hanger and shrugging it on. Her pale hand brushes the stray baby hairs away from her face as if she’s trying to smooth out her distress.
“It’s not what you think,” B says, starting at the buttons on the long peacoat. “Just one of those little exercise trampolines someone was getting rid of at the office. It’s currently decorating the center of our living room.”
Brian’s deep chuckle sounds through the entryway as he presses a kiss to his wife’s temple before wrapping Eloise into a warm hug. He stands up, turning to look at B, his full lips pressed into a firm line. When he speaks, I can tell he’s treading lightly. “Did you tell her?” he asks.
“Tell me what?” I’m looking between my aunt and her husband, listening to the sounds of Eloise’s little footsteps retreat down the hallway.
B huffs and rolls her eyes. “Brian’s parents bought us a little Christmas gift.” She finishes buttoning the top button on her coat, her brown eyes meeting mine. There’s an apology there, and I start to question what she could possibly have to say.
Brian cuts in before she can explain, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck nervously–hall light illuminating his dark skin with a gentle glow. “It’s not exactly little,” he corrects. “They bought us a cruise package.”
Confusion wraps around me as I look between them. “Oh, that’s great!” I say. And I mean it. A smile plays on my lips as I try to puzzle out why this seems to be bad news.
B sighs. “Yeah, well. We leave in two days.”
“Oh.” My smile falls, disappointment blending with the guilt to make an interesting cocktail in my stomach. “How long will–”
“I’m so sorry,” B says, dragging me in for a hug. She smells like oranges and spice, and I let the familiar scent envelop me. There’s a warmth to her hug, a reminder that while my mother’s death made her orderly and punctual, it never once made her cold. “They didn’t tell us, and I didn’t want to miss your birthday this year, but I figured Lennon could keep you company, anyway.”
I clear my throat. “Right.” I refuse to admit that Lennon is leaving too–meaning I will spend my birthday with Netflix and maybe a good bottle of wine. It’s not that I want to lie to B, I just don’t want her to worry about me. The woman has been worrying since the age of twenty-four. She’s put me first in a lot of ways, and now I’m finally watching her live the life she’d dreamed of.
I watched B sacrifice a lot for me growing up. The idea that I’m the same age that she was when I came to live with her still shocks me. B is determined and put everything on hold for me–her career, her love life–all of it had to wait until she figured everything out.
It was a heavy load to carry.
Not to mention the fact that my father was nowhere to be seen. I never knew him–had never met him, and the death of my mother didn’t change anything. He never came around.
It used to bother me, but I’ve since let go. It’s much easier that way.
“No worries!” I say as Eloise comes rushing to the door again. “I had plans, anyway.” Eloise’s little hand grabs mine, and shedrags me down the hall to the kitchen, leaving her parents in the dust. “You guys will have fun!” I call out.
I hear B’s gentlethanksjust as I’m accosted by the four-year-old trying to rip my arm out of its socket. For a tiny thing, she’s pretty strong.
I rub my shoulder when she crosses the kitchen to dig into the cabinet. “Mommy bought popcorn for our movie night,” she squeals and begins foraging in the large bin at the bottom of the pantry used for snacks. Once she finds what she’s looking for, she bolts upright, holding out the box.
“Movie theater butter,” I say, grabbing the popcorn from her hands. “My favorite. What movie were you thinking, little Ellie?”
“Anything but monsters,” Eloise declares, her face falling into a serious expression–like she’s about to tell me national secrets and expects me to listen with the utmost interest and discretion. “I had a story behind my eyes last night about those, and when I tried to get into Mommy and Daddy’s room, the door was just locked!” She huffs, stomping a foot on the ground. “They took a lot of time opening it, and I know they were awake. I could hear them playing around before I knocked. I don’t know what they were doing, but it must have been very fun.” Her face scrunches briefly before she exclaims, “And loud!”
A laugh escapes my lips as I slip my finger beneath the cardboard to open the box. I hold on to more laughter as I place the bag in the microwave.
So, maybe her earlier expression was correct. She certainly revealed secrets that B would considerhighly sensitive. Not that Eloise knows that. “No monsters,” I say. “I also want to see that new trampoline of yours.”
I’m on my third popsicle when I really start feeling sorry for myself.
The lights are off in the house. The soft sound of white noise drifts from upstairs as I watch another video from some reptile rescue in California. I should stop, though.
