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“Are you sure? We need this,” the woman answers.
“Don’t worry. Everything is in order. We’re moving up the timeline, and soon, it’ll be done. We’ll have our life back.” I frown when my ears pick up their conversation. What are they talking about?
“She’ll comply?”
“Of course,” Frederic says back confidently, and it feeds my curiosity more. So I push open the kitchen door slowly. A beautiful older woman with blonde hair in a stylish updo holds my brother’s shoulders. She’s dressed in a silver dress that hits below her knees and matches her heels.
“Mum?” She spins around quickly, her eyes filled with panic before her face transforms into a joyful expression, her vibrant smile covering her face.
“Evangeline,” Mum says enthusiastically, opening her arms, and I walk forward, welcoming her soft hug. I breathe in her familiar scent, and I instantly realise just how much I’ve missed her.
“Oh, my love,” she whispers, kissing my hair softly. “You’re a beauty.”
“Thank you,” I say, letting go of her before taking a few steps back.
“What are you doing here?” I wonder.
“Visiting my family. I can’t very well have my daughter going through marriage preparations by herself.” My smile falls when her support of Frederic’s plan is clear in her voice and her words, so I simply nod my head. I swallow the pain quickly while another part of my heart crumbles to pieces.
“We have to go or we’ll be late,” Frederic says with his eyes on his watch, but the nagging voice in the back of my mind screams at me that something is off with the two of them. I can’t shake the feeling or the warning signs that are lighting up like fire alarms.
Mum grabs my hand and shines her perfect smile my way before she leads me out of the kitchen. Her hand is soft and comfortable, but my suspicious eyes don’t dare to leave hers.
***
Mum and Frederic have been huddled in a corner, whispering like two old friends sharing memories. Sometimes Mum smiles before she turns all serious and focused, and she says something to my brother, who responds with the same invested stare on his face.
What the hell is going on?
I haven’t been able to look away from them as they too scan the party and its guests, like they’re trying to figure out who to approach first. It’s a strange situation because Mum has barely given me any consideration; her undivided attention has been focused on my brother.
“I hope you like it. My mother picked it out.” I turn my head to the side, realising Thomas is still holding my hand like I’m a porcelain doll. My eyes flicker to the large diamond engagement ring he pushed onto my left ring finger. It’s over the top and nothing I dreamt of owning one day.
There’s nothing beautiful about it. I like elegant and simple things, but not this flashy and ostentatious one. This ring is covered with diamonds, and it will steal everyone 's attention when they see it. They’ll instantly know that I’m engaged.
“It’s gorgeous,” I lie with a lump in my throat. An engagement ring should be offered out of love. Love adds to its value, to its meaning, but this diamond ring lacks love and joy. It’s ugly because it means nothing; it’s simply tying me to a man I don’t know and don’t like.
My eyes snap to my family once again. They’re still deep in conversation. Neither of them has realised Thomas gave me a ring. They haven’t held my hand or whispered everything is going to be all right. My mum hasn’t even caressed my hair or whispered that she loved me.
Nothing.
They only have eyes for each other and I’m left to fend for myself and hold myself upright. I fight against the tears when loneliness hits me, pointing out that I’m suffering through this all alone.
Am I not the one saving my family?
I’m tempted to call Topper and to demand that he shows up. He has been visiting me daily now. He stays over for supper, and we talk about anything and everything, except my future. We have emptied more bottles of wine than all my drinking years combined. It’s sad. Pathetic. But Topper will always be there to hold my hand when things get tough.
The other man in my life went radio silent the day Frederic dragged me away from lunch. It has been weeks now without a text, a phone call or even one of his notes with that bird on it.
Nothing. I woke up early these past few days, and I hoped I would catch him leaving for work. I was scared of seeing Chester kick out one of his one-night stands, but nothing like that has happened either.
It’s like he dropped off the face of the earth without a note or a call. One day, I had even wished that he would help a woman into her taxi. I wanted to see him more than anything, even though I knew such a thing would hurt.
I’ve thought about showing up at his door and ringing the bell until he opens it, but when I worked up the courage to do it, Frederic walked from around the corner, staring at me as if he knew what I was up to. So, with my head hanging low, I fled to my bedroom to stare out my window.
“Let’s toast,” Thomas says enthusiastically to his family, and I suppress the groan stuck in my throat.
My eyes snap to my family, and even now, they don’t have eyes for Thomas, who is about to dive into a speech.
