I'm a Good Person (Book 4)

Chapter 2

Laura had done as her mother asked, writing a letter to Robert asking that he cease writing her and saying she would no longer be replying even if he did. However, the letter she had written for her mother's benefit was not the letter she stuffed into an envelope, addressed and left the house to place in the mailbox. But just as she approached the end of the walk, she came across the mailman.

"Something for me to take," he asked as he approached? Laura nodded, "I'll trade you," the man said. He put a stack of letters and catalogs in her hand and she handed him hers.

"Thank you," Laura replied.

As Laura turned toward the door she happened to glance at the mail and saw a letter from Robert, or rather from his aunt Evelyn. She slipped it into her pocket and brought the rest of the mail inside. Laura was careful not to appear to eager to return to her room on the off chance her mother happened to be watching, which she very much doubted, but given how interested Catherine had become in her every move, Laura just couldn't be certain.

It was only when Laura heard her mother's voice coming from the other room that she dared hurry up the stairs. As soon as the door closed behind her, she ripped the letter open, hopeful Robert had decided to visit after all. It took only two lines for her heart to lighten. He was coming. Laura had felt guilty about pushing him, about wanting to see him again so badly, but returning to her regular life had been such a difficult transition. She felt he was the only one who had a chance of understanding.

She skimmed the rest of the short letter and felt a rush of excitement. He would be here today, Laura glanced at the clock. within hours! He would write again when he arrived, when he came up with a plan. Laura decided it would be safer not to keep this letter just in case Catherine didn't believe she had actually sent the correct letter.

Sure enough, no sooner had the letter been crumpled up and thrown into her trash can than her mother came into the room.

"I saw the mail arrived. I take it you took care of that other matter?"

Laura nodded.

"Very good. Your aunt and uncle are coming for dinner tonight. Dress appropriately and I expect you to be on your best behavior, do you understand? I won't have you embarrassing me in front of Gladys."

"Of course not," Laura replied.

Catherine seemed satisfied with her reply and tone, "they'll be here at seven," she added, then took her leave.

It was then that Laura let out of a sigh of disgust as she flopped onto her bed. There were few things she disliked more than spending time with her mother and being around her Aunt Gladys was one of them. It was that much worse when she had to endure both of them at the same time. Though they were different in just about every conceivable way, they did agree on one point and that was that, no matter what Laura was doing, wearing, reading or learning, she was always doing it wrong.

The evening would inevitably be full of lectures and conversations about her, though acting as if she weren't and if she attempted to defend herself or disagree, it would be disastrous. She was expected to be there, to listen in silence and to absorb all she was being told without comment, unless superficially asked for one. But even then her replies were supposed to be grateful that her aunt had taken time out of her busy fault finding schedule to put her right.

Laura could hardly wait the five hours until dinner. It was certainly going to be a test of her new independent streak, but she had every intention of doing her best to keep herself in line. If she had any hopes of finding a way to see Robert while he was here, she had to be sure she didn't do anything to outwardly antagonize her mother anymore than she already had.