𝐀 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝

Chapter Fourteen

Thanksgiving wasn't a holiday I enjoyed. It was usually described as a time for people to come together and catch up with family they hadn't seen in a while over dinner. A happy time.

Thanksgiving at my home was different. It was an opportunity to show everyone how good and generous my parents were. To invite influential people over for dinner and talk business while I would top off my wine every five minutes just to get through the evening.

I longed for dinner like a real family. Where we would just be together and appreciate each other, share stories over a nice meal that didn't include Dad's company or one of my mother's luncheons.

So, when I stood in the parking lot with my bag packed for the weekend, I was considering hiding in my room and hoping my parents wouldn't come looking for me.

A loud sigh sounded from beside me, and I turned to Felicity. "What's wrong?"

She hoisted her bag higher up her shoulder before answering. "It's Penny. I miss her. And I'm worried about her."

I nodded, though more to myself. It was something I had thought about a lot over the last two weeks. There was still no sign of the redhead, and as time went by, the chances that she would return alive were getting slimmer and slimmer.

Yet, we didn't find her body either, so she might have still been alive. And that gave me hope.

"It's going to be okay," I said as I pulled Felicity against my chest.

She let out a breath, resting her head on my shoulder. "I think this is the first time in years that I'm not looking forward to Thanksgiving."

I watched a sleek, black car drive into the parking lot, my stomach dropping as I thought about the coming evening. I turned to Felicity and held her at arm's length, making sure she was paying attention.

"The minute you need anything, you call me, right?"

She nodded, smiling weakly. "Same goes for you."

Taking a deep breath, I let her go and walked toward the car that was waiting for me. A tall man stepped out and I recognized him as my Dad's assistant. A pang of disappointment went through me at the sight and I had to admit to myself that I was looking forward to seeing my parents.

Sure, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter weren't my favorite times of the year, but they were still my parents. I loved them.

I guess I should've expected this though.

I had done everything in the last couple of years to get their attention. To make them proud. They hadn't been home a lot when I was younger, and I didn't have any siblings, so I learned early on how to be independent and alone, but that didn't mean I didn't want their approval.

It had been the reason I had signed up for the tutoring at first, but maybe now I had a different motive.

"Hi, Ellis, I thought my parents were picking me up?" I tried to sound indifferent, but Felicity shot me a last, pitiful look before I stepped in the car.

"Your father's meeting is taking a little longer than anticipated," Ellis replied as he sat down behind the wheel.

I nodded to myself and threw my bag on the empty backseat before I fastened my seatbelt.

The drive home was about two hours and we spent it in silence. I listened to the sounds of the engine and looked out of the window as we moved, resting my head back and closing my eyes every once in a while.

Ellis and I didn't have much to talk about anyway, especially since I knew that everything that I said would get back to my father. But it was a little awkward nonetheless.