Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
“He wasn’t,” I whisper so quietly, she doesn’t hear me.
“What did you say?”
I look up to her. “He wasn’t. He chose you every time and left me in doing so. He broke me over time. He did that,” I say to her.
“How funny is it that we both fell for the same man? And he picks you?”
“I’m sorry, if I could... I would want him to pick you.”
She looks down at her cell and smiles. “Believe it or not, despite all the craziness that surrounded us, I think I’m over him. Is that even possible? I mean, I’m angry at you both still, but maybe he was right, and I was wrong. Maybe he wasn’t meant for me after all? You know?” I shrug my shoulders. She looks back to her cell again. “I mean, one of the guys I work with is giving me butterflies. I’ve never had butterflies, Sass. Does he give you butterflies?”
I nod my head. “Every time he touches me.”
“Not with Stiles?”
“Never,” I reply truthfully.
“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy for me to get over. I probably won’t want to see you together for a very long time. But I’m okay with it. All right?”
Her words shock me. I thought she wanted me to come, to tell me how much she hated me. I’m glad it’s not that at all.
“Okay, thanks, Livia.”
She doesn’t offer me a smile. “He’s waiting for you, isn’t he?”
My hands run down my skirt again, unsure if I should say anything.
“He never waited for me. Maybe I should have looked at the signs to begin with.”
“Are you going to be okay?” I ask, looking at her lying in bed not moving.
“Yes, thank fuck. If I weren’t, I sure as shit would have killed him myself rather than weather this storm of ‘did he love me or not’,” She jokes. She isn’t joking though, I know her only too well.
“I’ve missed you, Liv.”
She smiles. “I’ve missed you, too, believe it or not.”
My name is called, and I know it’s my uncle.
“Go... tell them we’re good. They’ve been worried because they haven’t seen you lately.”
I stand and walk out of her room feeling different, lighter if that’s possible. Stepping down the stairs, I see her, standing at the bottom smiling up at me. My mother’s in the house. I don’t ever remember seeing her in there.
My uncle steps back to me and hugs me from the side. “You should be proud of this one, I know I am.”
I thank him as he walks away. Standing in an awkward stance, I wait for her to talk.
“I’m proud of you.”
“Are you?” I ask her, my head dropping to my side. “I’m broken, after all.”
“I shouldn’t have said that, it was drunk talk.” She was always afraid I’d be broken like her mother was. I’m broken, but in a different way from my grandmother, who eventually killed herself. “And you aren’t broken. Actually, you’re far from it.”
“You don’t know me, you can’t say that.” My head shakes. “Maybe you should try to know the real me. Not the one you want to see.”
Tears start in her eyes, and she looks to the ground. “Your father died when you were little, it killed me. That’s the reason I was like that. I don’t want that for you. This boy you love... is he really it for you?”
“You don’t need to know about Ryken. That’s our business, and we need to sort out ourselves.”
She nods her head. “I guess you’re right, but I still worry.”
“It’s a bit late for that, Mother. I’m an adult now and have been looking after myself for a long time.”
“That’s okay, but I want to try more. Maybe I can come in when you’re working, and maybe help, even clean if you need me. For free... just to try and get to know each other again?”
“Maybe.” I turn, looking back for my uncle. “I have to go. Please tell them I’ll be back this week. I have somewhere I need to be.” Her eyes open in shock, as I walk past her. She expected me to stay, but right now I want to be with Ryken. Because he’s my safe haven right now and it’s where I choose to be.
“I love you, Saskia,” Mother says.
I don’t acknowledge her words as I walk out and straight to his car. I get in and drive to my shop, hoping he’s still there when I return.
HE’S ON MY BED, THE television is up loud, and he’s eating lollies. I laugh when I walk in because whatever he’s watching has him hooked. He looks up when I slam the door to gain his attention, and he smirks at me then looks back to the television. “You don’t plan to be a doctor anytime soon, do you? Because they sure as shit like to fuck a lot in that supply closet.” I laugh when I see him watching Grey’s Anatomy. Then walk over and sit down next to him. He passes me the lollies, and I take them, eating one as I continue watch the show with him. His hand lays on my thigh as he caresses it back and forth.