Painting Paper Hearts | ✔

Chapter 28- Fate's Design

*********

Please show your support by voting/comment/sharing this chapter.

*********

One of the concrete rules of the Darlington household was to dine together. So here we were, the whole family in the dining table, eating a feast of a breakfast. It was about eight in the morning, the sun was high on the sky, shining brightly to the corners of the mansion, waking my sleepy daze.

Since last night's conversation with Maegan, my thoughts were all over the place. Add the meeting with Marcus last night and our heated acts. It was almost impossible, but I managed to get a good three-hour sleep. It would suffice for today's activities.

Everybody was present in the long table as they talk about their plans or today—it was Canada Day. The adults decided to go together and watch the fireworks display at Harbourfront in their yacht, which was a few minutes away from the mansion while the twins decided to go to another gathering where they would meet their friends in an exclusive club in downtown.

Their voices filled with delight and apparent excitement as they discussed snippets of their plans while I silently stared down on my food; my appetite at an all-time low as I rolled the sausage against the expensive porcelain china plate.

My mood: totally not myself. I thought I was already on my period. Realization hit me once I felt a pang of pain on my boobs and a slight pain on my lower back. Yup. That could be the monthly flow knocking, ready to ruin my day with painful cramps.

"Are you okay, dear? You've been quiet all this time. Aren't you excited about today?" Connie spoke up from the other side of the table, her eyes filled with concern. I gave her a small smile, enough to portray that I was okay.

"I'm just feeling a bit tired from last night,"

"Maybe you should get some more sleep,"

I shook my head. "That's not necessary. Once I finish my coffee, I'll be good for the rest of the day."

My answer seemed to satisfy when she nodded her head and went back to finishing her breakfast, but then my eyes then swiftly swept to Maegan who was sitting directly in front of me. Our eyes did not meet but she seemed normal to me- she was her usual loud, excited self who seemed high on endorphins.

I sighed inwardly as I reminded myself to keep it together.

After what seemed to be forever, we finished breakfast and the couples retired to the backyard to get some natural sunlight along with Nana and mom. Nana had become very close to the rest of the Darlington's and that made me happy. At least she did not feel out of place around them.

Perhaps it was just I whom felt out of place around here.

Half of the day passed by quickly without any interference. While the whole family spent their day in the gazebo, reading and reminiscing about the past, I spent my time near the river mouth with a pen and sketching pad in my hands.

My denim pants were folded up to my shin as I swung my feet back and forth, creating a small ripple that disturbed the waters beneath my toes. The water was calm and warm. The sun was kind enough to blare the city its heat but thanks to the abundance of tall, thick trees around the manor, it shielded me from the sun's wrath.

I concentrated on my pad, my pencil deepening the shade of the iris of my subject's eye as I imagined the intensity in them. They were hypnotizing as they stared deep into my soul.