Page 35 of Savage

“Wynter isn’t a risk taker, are you dear,” Daisy added as she lowered herself into her seat. She turned and shot me a grin before patting my arm. I knew she meant well but her words only added to Molly’s inference that I was boring and always went for the easy, safe option. In a way, she was right, but that didn’t make me a bad person, did it?

“You know what Marcus? I’ll have a bit of both thanks,” I stated, suddenly feeling confident.

Jaxon’s eyes met mine across the table, his lip curled at one side. He was amused by my decision.

Both he and Chris then picked up their forks and started to eat as Marcus filled my plate and got seated.

The atmosphere was strained, even though everyone attempted to fill the silence with manufactured yummy noises. Marcus then cleared his throat, saying how he was pleased that we were all together. He and Daisy then shared the news that their pregnancy had been a false positive. And a heavy silence fell into the room. I wanted to reach out and hug my mum, I knew she’d be upset but I couldn’t do it with an audience.

We listened intently as they explained about their trip to the doctor and what he had said. I caught Jaxon’s eye as Marcus spoke about it, taking my mother’s hand and holding it supportively. His expression was blank, he didn’t look relieved as I had expected. I gave my mum a sympathetic smile. She didn’t look upset. I imagined it was more of a disappointment. It wasn’t like they had lost a baby. It hadn’t been there to start with. I still felt another twinge of sadness for her.

A silence stretched after that news and I attempted to change the subject. “This is lovely Marcus,” I complimented him on purpose as no one else had done so. My words seemed to encourage others to do the same. I had yet to try the spicier side, it sat there on my plate staring up at me like a huge mistake.

“Yes, it’s delicious Daddy,” Molly cooed. Had she even tried it yet, she just appeared to be playing with it, pushing the meat around her plate. The fact that she called him daddy grated on my nerves.

After finishing off a mouthful of food, I turned slightly in my seat to address my stepsister, once removed in my opinion. “So, you don’t usually join us midmonth Molly. Where’s the fire?” I asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

Her eyes gleamed at me. “You know me. I’m all about surprises. Did you change your hair?”

“No, not since the last time you saw me anyway.”

“Oh, it looks shorter. Much nicer, I like it like that,” she added, blatantly ignoring the fact that I’d said it was the same. The twit, if anything it would be longer.

Molly always attempted her version of best behaviour in front of Daisy and Marcus and they usually fell for it. In front of the boys, she was her usual snotty self. My eyes narrowed as I noticed how her cashmere top pulled tightly over her huge chest. Next to Molly, I would probably be considered flat-chested. She was taller than me, and curvy in all the right places. A perfect hourglass. I wondered fleetingly if Jaxon thought she was pretty.

Hating myself for those thoughts, I glanced over at Christopher who shot me a knowing smile.

Remembering her comment about my hair, I replied. “It’s probably longer than the last time you were here.” My stepbrother Chris grinned into his plate and then helped himself to the pitcher of juice on the table.

“It’s very dark, isn’t it? It makes your skin look whiter. You’d look great with some highlights.”

After her comment, Marcus started to ask me about my article and how things had gone at the base. Chris, Jaxon, and Molly then started to talk to each other. Something about the movie Jaws and how they were showing it at the IMAX in Norwich.

With everyone chatting away noisily, it suddenly felt like a deranged version of The Waltons. I got distracted and spooned a mouthful of the hotter chilli into my mouth and that was it. BOOM! My mouth felt like lava. I would not spit it out, I would not! I managed to remain calm and lifted my glass of water to my lips, ignoring a trickle of sweat that ran between my shoulder blades and down my back. OMG, the stuff would probably take the enamel off my teeth. My eyes narrowed across the table as Jaxon shovelled what would have been the spicy version into his mouth like it was the mildest of dishes. Did the guy have an asbestos mouth or something? Nothing phased him. You’d occasionally catch him in the kitchen eating a raw chilli.

Thankfully, the water cooled down the fire in my mouth and I purposefully pushed the hotter food to the side of my plate. Jaxon noticed of course and rolled his eyes at me before going back to his stupid conversation.

As I spoke to both Marcus and Daisy about my time with the soldiers, I noticed how flustered my mother looked and I wondered if Molly’s appearance was planned. The girl must have wanted something, that could be the only reason for her unannounced appearance. The ‘something’ was usually money-related.

“You’re very pink Wynter,” Molly suddenly commented which brought my head up. She was right, my cheeks felt like they were on fire.

“Maybe you should have ignored Molly’s ribbing and gone with what you know,” Jaxon cut in with a smirk. I so wanted to jam my fork into the back of his hand. It sat there on the table just across from me; large and manly, with perfect fingernails. His shirtsleeves were pushed up, showing part of the muscles on his arms.

“Yes, Wyn. I was only kidding. I hope it doesn’t give you the shits.” I missed part of what she said, I was too busy removing my imaginary fork from the back of Jaxon’s hand. He must have seen where I was looking as he slid it from the table and placed the fork he held with the other on his plate.

“I’m sorry?” I almost stuttered.

“Let's hope not,” Jaxon put in as he watched me, a tiny tug at the corner of his mouth.

“Alright, enough both of you,” Marcus huffed.

As I continued to stare across the table, looking from one to the other, their meaning hit me. They were taunting me about the possibility of an upset stomach.

Jaxon mocked his father by shrugging his massive shoulders and then resting his elbows on the table. Bad manners which Marcus hated. I narrowed my eyes as his steepled fingers.

“Can we just eat and change the subject please?” Chris charged in, attempting to change the conversation and lighten the mood.

Pushing thoughts of the idea of Marcus’s chilli giving me the shits out of my head, I bit my lip, refusing to let them drive me to say something I shouldn’t. Especially in front of their father.

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