Chapter 149
1173words
One didn't have to be a soothsayer, to know that my mother was displeased with grandfather. Of course, she treated Ember terribly and expected everyone else to treat her that way.
Jokes on her, because it just so happened that grandfather happened to adore Ember.
We lost them to whatever conversation they were having, and I turned away deciding that I had done enough.
"Paris!" my mother called out to me when I got outside and I sighed. The woman had a hard time leaving well enough alone,
"Yes, mother?" I asked when I turned around and she was there behind me, Kate by her side, and I narrowed my eyes at them,
"What's your problem?" she questioned and I looked at her blankly,
"I was unaware that I had a problem, mother. Where is this coming from?"
"oh, don't play smart with me. You know exactly where I'm coming from. You brought that girl into this house and made a mockery of me by letting her work on that stable. If that wasn't enough, you took her into our home and allowed me to be shunned by my grandfather. How dare you do such a thing, Paris? And here you are, acting like your behavior is the most normal thing in the world. Have you ever considered how your behavior makes me feel? How does it make Kate look?"
I looked at Kate before looking back at my mother,
"and you would like to tell me how I'm making Kate feel I suppose?" I asked coldly and she narrowed her gaze at me,
"you're making a mockery of her, and making a mockery of me as well. In our own homes."
"you're the ones who have chosen to feel this way, because the last time I checked, I wasn't responsible for any of your emotions. I didn't draw out any of you from your rooms to come witness Ember's arrival. You chose. "
"So you think it's okay for that woman to come and go as she pleases? This isn't her home, Paris. And if you weren't so hell-bent on making the actual owners of this home feel useless, you would never have brought her here."
"she fixed the damned stables. what wrong has she done? "
"Alright, let's leave off how much I don't like her and my displeasure with having her here. What about Kate? Don't you think having that woman here is a bit too much for her? If people knew what Kate constantly had to deal with, she would be a laughing stock. Or do you not care how your choices make her feel?"
"to be very honest, mother. I'm not responsible for how Kate decides to feel about Ember fixing a leaking roof." I said and felt the onset of a headache,
"How could you? Given just how selfish you are."
I sighed and shook my head, "I can't do this. I really can't do this right now. You're a whole lot mother. A whole bloody lot." I said and began to turn away,
"get that woman out of here!" she shouted, and I simply raised my hand to wave her off. I didn't have the energy to deal with her any longer.
I stalked off toward the stables Ember had just fixed, with my phone vibrating in my pocket. I would have ignored it if the call wasn't so damn persuasive so that I finally had to pick up my phone in irritation,
"Jean?" I asked in confusion when I saw the caller ID and picked up the call,
"What's your problem, Jean?" I questioned
"where the hell are you?" he asked, answering my question with a question
"at home I guess. Why?"
"Come to the gates, your security won't let me through."
"you're at my gate. "I noted, standing from where I had sat, "Crazy."
"yeah. Crazy. Now, please come deliver me out of your overzealous security man."
"on my way," I said and started walking toward the gate and found him leaning against his car,
"took you long enough," he said and rose, strode toward me, and walked past me when I let him through,
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked and he shrugged,
"I was free, and decided it was a good time to come check out all of Kate's shenanigans," he said and I nodded, and had to wonder if he knew that Ember was around here. I doubted he did because if he was aware, Ember's whereabouts would have been his first interest. I was sure of that.
"Well, I suppose you might want to start with the forests. There was a time when I saw her seriously focused on it. She claimed to be lost in thoughts. But I guess there might be more." I said and led him to the forest,
"Is she home?"
"Who?" I asked,
"Kate. Who else would I be asking about? She's the one we're talking about."
"Yeah, she is. Do you want an audience?"
He shook his head, "it isn't necessary at the moment." he said and we paused when we got to the edge of the forest.
"This part leads to the abandoned cabin, doesn't it?" he asked, turning to me and I nodded,
"Do you think it's related? The cabin, Kate is focused on it, and all of that?"
"the honest truth? I don't know. With Kate, sometimes, things are very blurry."
"could this have something to do with your bond?"
"Our bond? I doubt that. I think she can be spiteful and petty. But to have actual evil in her? I find that somewhat hard to conceive for some reason."
"It's not a for some reason thing, Paris. It's the stupid bond. It's blurring your damn vision. That's the reason why even when all of the evidence points to the fact that Kate might be doing something wrong, you won't believe it. But I don't have a bond with her. I can see clearly. And I know that woman has got to be up to something."
"You don't come to my homestead and insult me, Jean." I gritted out and he narrowed his eyes at me,
"I haven't said anything that isn't true. Fix your lens."
"Be careful," I said through gritted teeth and he looked at me in exasperation,
"It's no wonder Ember keeps running from you. I see the way she gets sad over your relationship. And I know for sure that she would have gone back to you in a heartbeat if you actually gave her something to go back to. But, you're too focused on Kate to give her something substantial. And you know what? In some ways, I'm grateful that you mess things up, often."
"Now you've done it!" I snapped and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"Paris! What the hell are you doing?" Ember called, out of the blue, and both Jean turned in shock to look at her. Obviously, Jean's shock was much different from mine.
