Candid

Chapter 45

Hi Babes! (too soon?)

I hope you've all had a wonderful week so far, I hope to be posting back to my regular schedule of Wednesday and Saturday this week! This part of the story is hard to write because things are changing quickly.

Enjoy.

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I stared at my reflection in the mirror as I slowly blended in my foundation, letting the cool liquid glide across my face, keeping a sharp focus on any mistakes. Voices from outside my bedroom door stole my attention from me, the same sounds I had been hearing all morning.

"No, Soph, I don't understand what happened," my mother spoke, her voice gentle but not soft enough for me to hear through my door. She most likely thought that I was still asleep. "We got home for her birthday dinner and she was locked in her room, your father found glass shards from a vase, with red roses tangled, in the trash."

She'd been on the phone with Sophie for the last ten minutes. "Honey, I can gather that something happened but for her to close up like this? Your father had to threaten to break down the door just to get a response from her," she went silent for a second, "that's what I'm saying!"

My eyes wandered over to the single rose sticking out of a glass coke bottle and I swallowed, focusing back on my reflection.

"I am not calling Char, she's pregnant and has anxiety. That's a recipe for disaster, Honey," my mother continued. I thought about pointedly coughing to signal that I could hear every single word she was saying but this way I got to hear everything and keep track of which siblings knew about my dramatic spill last night. 

So far, Sophie was the go-to child for emergencies now that Charlotte was pregnant. I finished applying my mascara and slipped on my sneakers, my movements almost robotic.

"Do you think I should call Alexis? She might have some insight into this as a psychologist," My mother asked timidly. I could picture her chewing on the edge of her nail while asking.

Before Sophie or anyone could discuss more my mental health, I opened the door with a flourish. "Please don't do that," I said with a smile.

My mother stood across the hall, her mouth opened in shock and the phone forgotten in her hand. "Honey, you're awake," she said in a hopeful voice.

I nodded my head. "For the last hour." Her eyes widened slightly, knowing that I had heard every word from her conversation. "I have plans today, can we do a repeat of my birthday dinner tonight?" I asked without giving out any details on why, exactly, I was locked away in my bedroom.

Her mouth opened and closed. "Of-of course. Anything you want."

I gave her a close-lipped smile. "Thank you." I closed my door behind me and moved down the hallway. As I hit the stairs, I glanced over my shoulder at her. "Tell Sophie I said hi."

She looked at the phone in her hand and blinked slowly before darting at me. She mumbled a quick 'I'll call you later' and slipped the phone into her robe. "Do you want to talk about it, Honey? Sometimes getting the words out, helps you heal."

The smile on my face widened. "No thank you, mom, I'm okay."

She didn't look convinced. "Well, if you need anything or need to say anything, feel free, I'm always here."

I nodded once. "I appreciate that. I'll see you later."

I turned on my heel and made my descent down the stairs. Without turning back, I heard my mother walk back to her bedroom and shut the door with a short click. The shower started running by the time I got to the bottom.