Bloodline [h.s.]

forty.*

BRIDGET GALLAGHER

"The black one, definitely black." Cara sang as my stylist zipped the dress. The fragrance of custom couture filled my bedroom and doubled her serotonin levels.

"Diane, what do you think?" The stylist called for my mom.

I turned away from the mirror to face my mom in the threshold, who was over the moon find Cara and I back to fittings and event planning. My hands smoothed the thick material constricting the healing ribs beneath it, suffocating me just a little less than my family has in these last two weeks.

"This is the one. After the alterations, it is fabulous. Imagine how perfect you will look with two more inches off your waist." She beamed and continued down the hall, leaving her backhanded compliment to simmer. She didn't mean the dress.

"Bitch." Cara mouthed as I bit the inside of my cheek.

"Alright, Cara, yours is perfect. You are good to go. Bridget, I'm going to take in one more inch mid waist and just before it comes out at the bottom. It should be ready for you a day or so before Cara's party at the very latest. You will be able to wear heels by then right?" I nodded, and squeezed her hand to thank her.

"Great! Off with the gowns quickly please, I'm late for my next client." She waited as Cara unzipped me and I undid her dress.

Aiden's voice tranced through the hallway outside my bedroom as he greeted my mom with kindness she didn't deserve from him. She let him know we were here, being extra polite since the last time she saw him she accused him of assaulting me.

"Is it true that your mum apologised to Jacob?" Cara gaped in a whisper as I nodded. She understood the rarity of my parents acknowledging something done wrong. "Oh my god, you need your voice back. I won't believe you until I hear how this happened."

I shimmied out of the dress and handed it over to her as she sprinted to her next appointment. Aiden's footsteps got closer as Cara just finished getting her clothes on while I stumbled on my bad ankle trying put my pants on.

"Bee, are you ready to g— Oh, shit sorry." Aiden stammered as he walked in on Cara and me getting dressed.

"Nothing you haven't seen before, Jacob, relax." Cara teased, taking advantage of my voiceless predicament. My cool palm clashed with the embarrassment burning in my cheeks before I put my shirt on as fast as possible.

"Now, that we are all clothed," she persisted at my expense, "Have you got a suit ready?"

"For?" He asked, clueless.

"My birthday party, slash, the Payco fundraiser." She said, scolding him as if he should already know. "Bridget didn't tell you?"

"Believe it or not, she hasn't said much about anything lately. I don't if you noticed." He dulled her excitement with sarcasm. I elbowed his side, urging him to be nicer.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled at his banter, "I have go finish up some work before the weekend. Call me when you're talking, Bridget."

Aiden and I left a few minutes after. He took my bag from my hands. A spark of serenity tingled in my chest when the car finally left the property. I hadn't even realised I had sighed with relief until his hand gripped my thigh.

He let me breathe on the ride home, not asking why I haven't even attempted to speak yet. Each time I had opened my mouth to try on my own, nothing came out. Maybe it was fear of the awful sting in my throat. Maybe it was fear of the what I would say if it didn't hurt. The return of my voice would open the floodgates holding back the sea of questions over what he has been hiding the past two weeks.