She Ain't From Around Here

19 | daddy issues

I COULD SEE THE resemblance.

Tom had cropped ebony hair with streaks of grey in it. He dark green eyes paired with a well-trimmed beard.
And even though he was sitting down, I could tell he was tall.

He and Clint we're making my height of 5'10 seem like a dwarf.

"Nice to meet you, too." I smiled at him.

Clint sat opposite to me and beside him was his mother, followed by Tom and Rosie.

Doris arrived from the kitchen and placed a plate of roasted chicken at the center of the table.

She took a seat beside me and when she then acknowledged my presence, she got startled.

"Oh, Elaine." She said, placing her hands on her chest. "I didn't think you'd come."

I gave a tight-lipped smile and we began picking food from the variety of dishes on the table.

"So," Tom began. "Elaine, how are you liking Creakwood?"

I swallowed down a glass of fruit juice. "It's good, I guess. Tons of greenery." I rambled, not knowing how to answer.

"Elaine is a model," Rosie added, in pride.

I forgot she was here.

"Oh, I know, sweetheart. You told me remember?"

He said, his smile suddenly wavered when he looked up at me; like he knew something about me that he didn't like.

A sharp pain hit my chest and I instinctively looked down at my laps gazing at my manicured nails with fake interest.

Guess he heard what had happened.

My grandmother must have noticed the sudden tension in the room so she excused herself with an almost convincing chuckle. "I was baking some cupcakes for Rosie, want some Rosie?"

Rosie, oblivious to the awkward air around us, perked up at the mention of cupcakes. "Yeah!"
The girl walked with Doris to the kitchen and then Catherine followed, saying. "I'll be right back."

She kissed Tom on the cheek before she rushed with my grandmother to the kitchen.

"Is that why your family sent you here?" He asked once they had all left.

But I remained quiet at his question.

"Dad," Clint said, his voice dangerously low in warning.

He rose his hands in surrender. "Just curious, sorry."

I pursed my lips and clenched my fists till they were pale. "It's fine."

I fought back the memories of when the pictures came out and the look of disappointment from my father's eyes.

I was used to that look, over the years. But on that day, it hit differently. It affected me more than all of those he frequently gave and it made me feel like a good-for-nothing woman.

I never did anything right in my father's eyes. I was a successful model but did he approve of it?

No.

He wanted me to follow in his footsteps and major in business in college.

But I was terrible in all the school subjects. Every single one. Including English.

However, my sister was following in his footsteps and I understood the reason why he preferred her to me; she was the perfect daughter.

Good grades? Check.
Good attitude? Check.
Not a party animal? Check.
Reads books? Check, check, check.