AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Like a knot that needs to be untied in my stomach. It’s all coiled up with tension. I don’t know. Maybe my mom is the one that holds the key to untying it. Sometimes I feel like there is a missing piece of my jigsaw puzzle out there, making it hard for me to see the complete picture of myself. I know you don’t know me very well but I hide my fuckery well, and I have bad days sometimes. I’ve become an expert at hiding it, though, by being stupid or pranking people at work. I do everything in my willpower to push those feelings down. I don’t even understand what I am saying, so how can you? Sorry.” I pull Violet’s hand away from my face. Trying not to show how uncomfortable I am, I give the palm of her hand a quick kiss. I fucking hate that look of pity she’s currently displaying. “I need a shower.”
Violet picks up Pom-pom off my chest. He opens his small mouth as she scoops him up and he lets out a whimpered yawn. I wish I were a dog. No worries, just sleeping, pooping, and food. What a glorious life.
“Are we going out for dinner?” I ask.
“I was going to order in for us.”
“Okay.” I need to kick myself out of the solemnity. “You pick, Petal. You know this city better than I do.”
Violet disagrees with me. “I’m not so sure. You’ve introduced me to places I have never been or heard of before all weekend. Maybe I should let you pick.”
I jump over the back of the sofa. “What about Sea & Soul?”
“Never heard of it.” She laughs.
“Look it up and we’ll order when I’m out of the shower.”
“Great idea.”
Violet’s curious voice calls out to me as my foot hits the first stair, “What was your mom’s name, Lincoln?”
I don’t look back. “Olivia. Olivia Grace Black. She kept my dad’s name.” I haven’t said her name out loud for a very long time.
“Pretty name.”
I grab on to the handrail and slowly make my way up the stairs, now feeling like the weight of the two floors above me is on my shoulders.
She was beautiful. I have a photo of her. As clear as day, every detail of that photo appears in my mind. Windblown blond wispy hair, wide smile, me in her arms, but her glazed green eyes tell a different story. They look empty. Unhappy.
I hope she found whatever it was she was looking for.
The thing to make her happy.
Because I certainly was not that thing.
Reaching Violet’s bedroom, a text comes through on my phone. I grab it off the bed.
Dad: Do you fancy having some visitors?
Me: What do you mean?
Dad: We’re coming to Santa Monica.
Me: Who?
Dad: All of us. Eva, your brothers, and sister. Eden, Hunter, and their three boys, Ella, Fraser, and little Mason. You up for that?
Me: Are you serious?
I would love to see them.
Dad: Yes! Fraser’s stepson doesn’t live too far away. It was his excuse to vacation there. We got chatting. One thing led to another, and we all booked.
Me: For real?
Dad: Yes. Flying out in four weeks and we’ll all fly back together two weeks later with you coming back with us.
Me: Who will look after the hotel?
