Page 12 of The Other Princess

“Let’s go back to that first night the social worker brought you to their home. Didn’t you say that your dad is the one who stood up for you against Lucy?”

“Sure, but once Lucy was in my corner, I guess my dad decided I didn’t need him there. Honestly, it was fine until after my first visit to the clubhouse. After that, he just kind of stepped back from me and I don’t know…” I drifted off for a minute, considering it was the first time I’d ever been able to put my finger on the moment when my dad decided he actually didn’t want to care about me. “I guess he saw that his brothers weren’t going to accept me like they had his other children, and he felt like that made it okay for him to feel the way he did since I was coming between him and Lucy in some way.”

“What about your sister? You almost never mention Anna in all of this, except when you talk about why you’re called ‘the other princess’.”

“I smile when I think of Anna, because she’s always been such a sweet little girl. It’s impossible not to love her. Anna is the princess everyone dubbed her. She’s pretty, but somewhat clueless about everything going on around her, I think. No one else’s drama ever really touches her, because she only sees through her rose-colored princess glasses. She’s been shielded and guarded from everything so much I honestly don’t think she’s ever noticed a problem.”

“Don’t you guys have your own sister relationship though? You’re not that far off in age.”

“No. We keep it casual, speak in passing, but we’re basically strangers who grew up in the same house.”

“Why?”

“She has all of their love. Our family, the club, everyone loves her unconditionally.”

“So you’re jealous of her?”

“No!” I struggled to get that single word out fast enough. “I stay away to protect her so that if she choses to like me and want me around as her big sister the others don’t hate her for it. My sister deserves the world. If keeping her mostly out of my life ensures she keeps that world in her palm, then that’s the least I can give her.”

“Ever,” Cindy hesitated a moment before continuing, but I could hear the sad note in her voice as she said my name. “I really think you need to speak to your family about coming in. I think that maybe you’ve been sad and disappointed by people for so long that you don’t fully grasp how everyone actually feels about you.”

I glanced down at my phone then to see that our time was up about 15 minutes ago. “Times up, Doc. I’ll ask Lucy about it, but I’d rather leave the others out of it right now.”

“Okay, Ever. At least that will be a step forward. Why don’t we go ahead and schedule an appointment for next week?”

“Sure,” I agreed, but when I left the building I never stopped to make that appointment with the front desk. Instead, I decided that I was done with therapy. It couldn’t help me any further. I had gone there to talk about my mixed feelings about Deck and all Dr. Cindy Thompson wanted was to talk about the past – the way back past – when everyone started hating me. The past that couldn’t be changed, so why bother to reexamine it when what I had really needed help understanding was in my present? I’d just have to find another way.

Chapter 6

~ Ever ~

Another text pinged my phone, and I nearly ignore the noise again except Kane glared over at me from across the station wall. “If you’re not going to answer anyone why bother keeping it turned on? Are you trying to annoy the rest of us while continuing to piss off whoever is trying so desperately to get a hold of you?”

Shame flooded my cheeks with burning warmth that I knew probably registered bright red on my face. “Sorry,” I mumbled as I silenced my cell, and took a moment to glance over the texts that had been coming in at alarming rate. There was one from an unknown number; I ignored it. Then there were five from my brother, Toby. I also ignored those. The one from my stepmother I couldn’t skip so easily.

Momma-Luce: I didn’t want this for you, sweet girl.

Me: I know. Sorry, I’ll call later.

Mamma-Luce: Are you going to ignore your brother forever? You know he loves you, and he’s truly sorry for everything. He tried making it up to you back then. I know everyone hurt you, but are you truly going to hate the rest of your family forever?

Well that was a harsh blow. It’s not that I hated my brother, or the rest of my family. I just didn’t trust them any longer, and that put barriers in place that made it easier to just stay away than risk letting down those walls and possibly making the mistake of trusting one of them again. I couldn’t go through it a second time. The first nearly killed me in the most real way possible.

Me: I’ll call him later. I’m working.

Momma-Luce: Ok

I huffed out a sigh of frustration as I turned my cell off, tossed it in a drawer, and proceeded to prep the station I had been slotted to work in. I had one whole client scheduled. He loved my artwork when Zeke had shown him what I’d come up with based on his client’s idea. The man had asked why I wouldn’t be doing the work, and when Zeke informed him I was only an apprentice and hadn’t done enough hours on real skin, he had scoffed at Zeke. “How’s she supposed to get hours on real skin if you don’t let her at it. I’ll be the guinea pig.” He had thrown a wink my way too, and Zeke reluctantly agreed while shaking his head.

To say I was nervous was an understatement. If I screwed this up not only my non-existent reputation was at stake, but that of the shop as well. At least, that’s how I saw it. I knew Zeke felt differently, and even made a special waiver for the client to sign before he’d allow this to happen. While I was setting up Kane had finished with his client and sent them on their way.

“You ready for this?” Kane asking the question simply added to my jumbled nerves.

“I’m a bit nervous. I don’t want to screw it up.”

“Then don’t,” he offered simply.

“Sage advice,” I laughed out.

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