The Four

Chapter 9

"Can you stop pacing? You're giving me a headache." Addilyn mumbled from where she lay on the couch as her eyes followed Melanie walking back and forth in front of her.

    Melanie didn't even miss a step when her friend spoke up, instead she was still too busy making a list in her head about all the things she had to talk about with her parents over lunch.

    It was tradition for her to go out with her parents the first of every month to just check in and talk about her life. She thought it was pointless for her father to join considering she worked with him on the daily. But her mother Thalia thought it was important to maintain a healthy relationship and the only way to do that was to have lunch all together once a month.

    "Melly!" Addilyn called again when the woman didn't stop moving.

    Her shout finally caught the other woman's attention. "Yes?" She tilted her head to the side a little.

    "You're mumbling again." Addilyn sat up a little, "It's getting a little creepy, no offense."

    Melanie nodded as she sat down on the coffee table that was next to her. She gently tried to smooth out the skirt of her dress to calm her down.

    Addilyn sighed softly as she sat up from the couch grabbing her friends hands, holding them tightly on her own, "Everything will be okay, I promise."

    "Mom is still pissed I spent Claras birthday without her and that was weeks ago in August! It's September now, she should be over it! It's not like Clara is coming back any time soon!" She ranted as she gripped onto Addilyn's hands like she was her lifeline.

    Addilyn tried not to look like she was in pain when her friend's grip tightened and put a smile on her face, "It's not your responsibility to take care of your mom. She's a grown woman."

    "Who has found a new love in martinis." Melanie gave her a sarcastic smile as she stood up again.

    Growing up, Thalia Thorson was the kindest woman there was. She took care of her daughters and even gave Addilyn her own room in the house. But when Clara hit high school, Thalia took it as a sign to just give up parenting her and Melanie. It became worse once the girls had left for college. She drank more and more to try and fill the void of her daughters. Victor was of course no help to her. In fact the man practically abandoned his wife for his company. Thalia was a lost cause in Melanie's mind and there was nothing she could do about it.

    Addilyn was silent for a moment after Melanie had made her comment. She had looked up to the other woman since she was young and hated who Victor had forced her to become.

Addilyn's own parents never fully cared about her which was why she spent so many hours with the Thorson family since her own family was neglectful and full of anger. When Addilyn was about to start middle school her older brother had died due to a house fire in his dorm. Her older brother Charlie was the pride and joy of her family and losing him sent her parents into a downward spiral.

There seemed to be a new fight almost every hour between her parents. She never knew peace when she was in their home. The other family was like a safe haven for her. It brought laughter and happiness into her life. But when she got home that was stripped away from her and she had nothing. Throughout middle school and high school the less time she spent at her own house. By the time she was a junior she had practically moved out and lived with Melanie and her family.

The funny thing was, her parents never even noticed. When Addilyn was a junior in high school she found plans for them to move to Maryland without her. Instead of confronting them about it she just allowed them to continue with their plans. At that moment it was the worst pain she had ever experienced. Her parents were planning on fleeing the moment they didn't have to care for her anymore, as if they were caring for her in the first place. They were selfish and neglectful for her entire life and this was the final straw that fully proved the fact.