Cinders

~89~ Victorian

Around 2 pm, Taylor comes up to mom and gives her a kiss. "You girls' want a little girly time? I thought I'd steal Liam for a bit and go bowling," he says, completely nonchalant.

Mom looks at him hard, and stares at him for a long minute. "Why are you lying to me?"

Taylor's eyes widen in surprise and he shifts from foot to foot.

He was totally convincing. What the hell?

"Are you actually a psychic, Ellie Jane?" He asks, trying not to show how flustered he is.

She nods her head. "I am, actually. I see the two of you going off, and having a great time, doing whatever it is you're really wanting to do—Nothing illegal, though, hear me?"

"Damn. Robbing that bank is out, Liam." He says, shaking his head and pretending to be annoyed.

Mom just shakes her head and laughs. "Get out of here, ya goofs. Have fun!"

"Yes ma'am." He says in a disgusting voice as he kisses her hard.

"Come on guys, didn't you get it out of your system last night?!? Let's go before my eyes burn out the rest of the way."

"Oh come on, seeing two people kiss is healthy, kid." Taylor says, shaking my shoulders.

"Ok, but seeing your mother in her bra, is not. I'm gonna need therapy for that. Can we go, please?"

"Yes, please get out of here—Sasha girl needs to be introduced to the best show ever..." mom says with a smile.

"You not only sing inappropriate songs to her, but now you're subjecting her to I Love Lucy? I'm not sure you're the best role model, Ellie Jane."

"I love that you just admitted that I Love Lucy is the best show ever... now get out or I'm going to ask you where you're actually going."

"Let's roll," Taylor says, grabbing my arm and pulling me out the door.

"Your mom is good—I thought I was pretty convincing," he says as we get in his car.

"You were—She's just a freak."

~*~

When we pull up to the house, my mouth drops open. This house is the most beautiful house I've ever seen.

"Woah," I say in shock.

"I know—I'm glad this one was her favorite, because it was mine too. I've had Lilah keeping her eyes out for the last two years. It went on the market three weeks ago, and it was killing me not to go see it," he says as he gets out of the car. Lilah pulls up then and waves at us.

She gets out of her car and gives Taylor a huge hug. "Hey big bro! I've missed you," she says, kissing his cheek.

"I literally saw you two weeks ago," he chuckles as he gives her a kiss.

"Well...still. How's that beautiful niece of mine? I need to kiss that face again." She says, looking over at me and giving me a hug.

"She's good," he says, smiling the way he always does when he talks about Sasha.

Lilah is beautiful. She's not beautiful in the same way that I think Megan is...She's softer. She looks kinda like Taylor, but she's got a fairer complexion. Taylor has dark hair and an impressive tan, where Lilah has strawberry blonde hair and sunburns easily.

"You ready to see the house?" She asks with a smile.

"I've been ready for two years...."

The path to the house is lined with stone—Gray stone, that makes you feel like you are in a cottage. The entire front yard has flowers, and bushes, and trees. It's magical.