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“We’ll see you this evening,” Simon promises, pecking my lips one last time.
The house falls silent after Seth and his brothers leave. Despite being left alone, it doesn’t feel as bad as last evening.
I stare at the stuff they’ve brought for me.
Choosing to start with the stuff Heather sent me, I move toward a tall stack in the corner. Opening them one by one, I see that she’s packed all my art stuff in the boxes, leaving nothing behind. All my colors, brushes, and palettes have been neatly stored in them.
Even though Heather hasn’t pressed me for more details, she’s quietly sending me a message of her own. She wants me to get in touch with my inner core to heal my heart.
The sweet, old woman knows how much I love painting. Jake made me stop because he kept insisting it was a waste of time but Heather never forgot how much I wanted to grow up as an artist like my mom.
Closing my eyes, I think of my mother’s face.
A sliver of courage flows through me, reminding me of the person I used to be before meeting Jake. I’m unsure whether I’ll ever go back to being as carefree and cheerful as my old self, but I have to try.
Seth, Oliver, and Simon have declared me as their mate. Their trust in me gives me the strength to keep fighting. Something deep within me also urges me to get stronger. It’s the only way I’ll be able to avenge myself in the future.
32
Aurora
A soulful tune plays in the background, adding a soothing touch to the quiet environment surrounding me. My mind stays focused on the canvas before me as I add careful touches of paint to the pink and white apricot blossoms.
The morning flew by in the blink of an eye as I labored to furnish my room with all the stuff Seth, Oliver, and Simon brought me.
A lovely new bedsheet with large red hibiscus is now spread on the bed. My favorite cushions rest against the new pillows that Seth bought yesterday. All my stuffed toys are neatly lined up on the bedside table.
The addition of my old stuff brings a sense of familiarity to the space. The room is starting to look more and more like a nest now. It just needs the final touches like wallpapers and curtains.
Seth and his brothers made sure to stay in touch with me throughout the day even when they were caught up in meetings most of the time. When they couldn’t directly call or send longer texts, they sent me emojis.
Every little communication made me smile. Even though they weren’t around, they made sure I wasn’t feeling lonely.
This made me stay productive throughout the day, allowing me to clean the living room and put most of the things in my new room.
The frequent trips up and down the staircase were enough to make me ravenously hungry in the late afternoon. To my surprise, I ended up making myself a sandwich with tomato slices and cold cuts that I hunted from the fridge.
Combining the meal with a mug of hot, sweet coffee, made me feel so good, I took out my box of paint tubes and brushes and started painting.
This is the first time in ages that I’ve felt like myself.
Painting always put me in a trance, making me forget about everything around me. This was my pleasure and my drug since I was a child who lost her mother at the age of eight.
I wanted to grow up as a fine art specialist like my mom. It was only when I matured that I realized I enjoyed painting more than reading about its forms and history.
My mouth twists into a little frown as I stare at the shadow under the blossom’s petals. “This doesn’t look right,” I mumble, grabbing a piece of rag to quickly wipe out the fresh paint.
A tiny smudge is left behind, so I hurry to paint over it.
That’s when the door suddenly opens with a bang.
The paintbrush slips from my fingers. Heart thudding against my rib cage, I risk a glance toward the doorway.
Oliver is standing at the threshold, panting and gasping. His intense blue eyes have a wild look in them as he stares at me.
“Rory...thank fuck,” he breathes, rushing over to me.
Wrapping his arms around me, he pulls me into a tight hug. “Thank fuck,” he whispers. “Oh, I got so scared for a second back there.”
