The Cherry Blossom Tree

Cherry Chapter Sixteen

 "Dinner?"

I paused in the middle of turning a page in my new book, Dracula. I'd ordered half a dozen Penguin classics online, and they'd arrived just after I'd left for school Friday morning. So far I'd devoured Inferno by Dante, and was far enough into Dracula that I didn't want to put it down for anything short of the house catching fire.

Though, Mom's announcement had cut through my concentration, my fictional world giving way to reality with a snap like a rubber band. Of course, Mom was now busy scolding Annabel for not rinsing her dishes.

"Mom," I half shouted from my comfy spot on the couch. "Did you just say dinner at the Scotts?"

"- a hundred times, the only dishwashers around here are us. So help everyone out and rinse your goddamn dishes or you'll be doing them for the next month," Mom was saying, and I heard a symphony of clunks that suggested she was cleaning up after Annabel herself despite the tongue lashing she'd just given.

"Mom!" I was positively screaming now, alarm beginning to work its way into my chest. Snapping the book closed, I shoved my horn rimmed glasses further up my nose and leaped off the couch, making a mad dash for the kitchen just as Annabel was coming out of it.

We collided in the doorway, and for a split second my only concern was not damaging my precious brand new book that was mashed between us. Making the save, I practically shoved Annabel out of my path to get at my mother, who was indeed washing up in the sink.

"Mom," I repeated for the thousandth time, and lo and behold, she finally looked my way.

"What is it, honey?"

I barely resisted the urge to reach out and shake her. Was she deaf? I'd asked twice already. "Mom, seriously. Focus. Did you just say we're going to dinner at Mr. and Mrs. Scott's?"

"I swear to God, you and Annabel both have wax in your ears. I'm contemplating smacking you both upside the head to see if that dislodges it."

"I'm not hard of hearing," Annabel argued, having propped herself up against the doorjamb to listen to our conversation. "I'm just lazy, and I've become an expert at tuning our your nagging, Vivien."

"Well, at least you're honest," I scoffed, but my attention was still on Mom as she sighed in exasperation.

"Yes, Kaitlynn, for the third and final time, we are going out for dinner tonight. So be ready to go at five. I want to arrive early and see if there's anything I can do to help Celeste out. She's hosting a welcome to Fort Sangrey party in our honour, and has invited what sounds like half the town."

I blanched at her words, my stomach threatening to drop out from under me. Only half listening to Mom rant about acceptable attire to Annabel who was currently sporting a pair of leather hot pants and a lace crop top, I hastily made my way back to my bedroom, abandoning my book on an end table in the hall.

My phone lay where I'd left it on the bed and I dived for it, immediately checking for messages. Bypassing the missed calls and handful of very specific threats from Kenneth, I quickly scanned a text from London, and then bit my lip as a combination of nerves and dread assaulted me hard. There was nothing from Gryphon. Not a single text or missed call. He hadn't made contact since we'd parted ways Friday afternoon.

What did that mean? How normal was it to kiss someone and then not hear a peep from them since? I didn't have much to compare it to - well, okay, outside of a Hollywood romantic comedy, I had absolutely nothing to compare it to, and that was starting to freak me out just the tiniest bit. Or a lot.