I nod. “Yeah, but I’ve never done as I’m told.” I push past her and into the hallway. Looking around the ceiling, and sure enough, there are cobwebs and dust.
My mother saunters by me. “She’s not here.”
I bristle at that. “Then where is she?” I grit out.
My mother sits by the fireplace in the living room and picks up her glass of red wine, and although it’s daytime, her curtains are closed. It feels claustrophobic.
She examines the glass of wine before taking a gulp. “Buying her wedding dress, or more so Rupert, is. She’s due back soon, but don’t think she’s changed her mind.”
I study her face, but she doesn’t meet my gaze, and that’s when I notice—the lines of exhaustion or poor health. Morgana Wallcroft once had it all, but now she’s been left with nothing and no one because she used people up and spat them back out.
Myself included.
Her eyes flick to mine, as if she can hear my thoughts, and she nods towards the chair opposite her. “Don’t stand around, you’re making the place untidy.”
I slowly walk to the chair and sit; it’s worn over time, and so I sink into it a little. My mother still doesn’t meet my eyes. It’s probably why I find myself asking.
“Why do you hate me so much?”
She scoffs and rolls her eyes, which is very unlike Morgana. “I do nothateyou, Hayleigh. You’re my daughter.”
I shrug. “And? What does that mean exactly?”
She waves her hand back and forth. “It means that I don’t hate you. I don’t particularly like you either, but I don’t hate you.”
Now I roll my eyes. “Jeez, thanks so much.”
Another gulp of wine slides down her throat, and she smacks her lips before saying. “I never bonded with you, I don’t know why, because you were my first, but there was…something about you.” I bite the inside of my cheek as she carries on. “It was probably because my father preferred you so much. The apple of his eye, he’d call you. I wasneverthe apple of his eye.” Her eyes cut to mine, and that’s where she lets me see the raw pain in them.
My voice is small. “I was a child. I needed my mother.”
Morgana sniffles and places her wine glass on the side before putting her hands on her knees. She stands. “Yes, well, unfortunately, that’s not an option because Idespiseeverything about you and if you think I’m going to let you take Thea and this opportunity away from me, you have another thing coming.” She walks towards the living room door before stopping and lookingover her shoulder. “You’re welcome to wait here until she comes back. I’m going for a nap.”
Sitting here with my thoughts whirling around in my head won’t do me any good; I refuse to let her get to me. I find myself getting up and heading back to my car, back to safety. From here, I can keep an eye out for Thea coming back home.
I take my phone out of my bag and dial Emmy’s number, and breathe a sigh of relief when she answers.
“Is it bad?” Emmy’s voice sounds through the speakers of my car.
I huff out a laugh. “You could say that. She’s fucking awful to me, Em. I half wish I had never come.”
“Sweetie, you’re not there for her, you’re there for Thea. Where is she?”
I pick at the lint on my sleeve. “She’s getting her wedding dress with her fiancé. Hopefully she’ll be back soon.”
Emmy doesn’t speak right away, but when she does, her voice is quiet. “Hayleigh, if she’s buying a wedding dress, that kind of seems like shewantsto get married.”
I gulp, feeling nauseous at the thought of that being my line of thinking. “I know, but I have to try at least and let her know everything. If she decides she still wants to stay, at least I’ve tried.”
“You sound tired.”
I smile. “You’re such a mum…but I’m okay. I love you.”
She laughs. “I hope I’ll be a good mum, I love you too.”
“You’re perfect for the job. Speak to you tomorrow.” I end the call and look out at the dreary sky.
It’s getting darker now, and there’s still no sign of Thea.
