Page 8 of Chasing Your Ghost

“I came here early to help you finish packing if need be,” Edith explained, her smile a withered thing.

“That was… nice.” Riley wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Her genetic donor had chosen the worst day to be extra helpful.

“I see your hair is still purple.” No ‘how are you?’. No ‘how are you holding up?’.

“It’s lavender,” Riley corrected her with narrowed hazel eyes. “And yes. Why wouldn’t it be?”

Edith’s eyes flared. “I didn’t… I wasn’t trying to offend you. I was only wondering if the dye was permanent.”

“Well, it is.” She lifted a mocking eyebrow. “Would you rather it was its natural blonde and matched yours?”

Edith shifted on her heeled feet. “I probably should have called first before showing up early,” she admitted.

“Probably.”

Edith averted her gaze, Riley’s bluntness clearly making her uncomfortable. She stilled rather abruptly, though, her nose wrinkling as though she smelled something bad. “Is there a reason you smell like a distillery?”

Riley gulped. She was screwed. So incredibly screwed.

Edith pursed her lips, her spine straightening as though she knew she now held the higher ground. “Answer the question, please. Is there a reason you smell like alcohol?”

Riley bit down on her lip to keep from saying something sarcastic—sarcasm was her defense mechanism, but she didn’t think it would help in this situation.

“I’m assuming you were drinking last night,” her egg donor said once it was clear Riley wouldn’t be talking.

Riley looked down at Edith’s heels, her lowered gaze enough of a confession.

“Is this something I should be worried about? Because I won’t allow this kind of behavior and bad influence around my daughter.”

Riley grit her teeth, but not because of Edith’s judgment. “You mean your other daughter?”

“What?”

“You won’t allow this kind of behavior around your other daughter.”

Edith blanched, back to looking flustered. “Of course, that’s what I meant.”

If Riley weren’t hungover, she wouldn’t have let it go so easily, but she was decidedly hungover, so she simply shook her head. “It was the first time I’ve ever done anything like that,” she explained in a clipped voice. “I was just…sad.” She cleared her throat and blinked back the moisture in her eyes, hating the vulnerability she was showing the woman.

Edith sighed, her shoulders drooping. “I know this is a difficult time for you,” she said. “But I will not have that sort of behavior in my house. Do you understand?”

Riley’s teeth snapped together. “I understand. It won’t happen again.”

Her egg donor nodded. “Alright.” She peered over Riley’s shoulder, an easy thing to do with the extra height her heels gave her. “Now, how much packing do you still need to do? I’d like to get back home as early as possible.”

Riley fought the urge to flare her nostrils. It was a nearly impossible feat, but she managed it. “I’m pretty much all set. I just need to shower and get dressed.”

“Fantastic. We’re all so excited you’re moving in.”

Riley hummed, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorframe.

Edith fidgeted with the strap of her handbag. “Are you going to invite me in?”

“Honestly? I wasn’t planning on it,” Riley admitted.

This was her and her father’s space, and she didn’t want it polluted by Edith’s unwelcome presence. She didn’t care that the woman looked seconds away from crying. This was not her place to invade.

“Oh. Okay. I’ll wait for you in the car.”

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