Page 37 of Her Kensington
“Then come to bed. You need to get some sleep.”
I allow him to pull me from the bathroom and I crawl under the sheets when he pulls them back before resting my head on his chest, the events of the previous day still running rampant in my head.
“Who were you texting?” Harrison suddenly asks.
There was no way I could switch off and fall asleep when he did earlier, so once I knew he was asleep I slipped out of bed, grabbed a pad and a pencil from my bag and started sketching. I needed something to help clear my mind. When my phone went off, I was surprised to see Mom’s name staring back at me. Swiping the screen, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw her words.
Mom: I hope everything’s okay. I’m here if you need me. Whatever the time, you just call x
I had no idea if calling her earlier was the right thing to do, but I’m now so glad I did.
“My mom.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I needed to talk to her after…” I trail off.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are. But you repeating it doesn’t really help. You still lied to me.”
“I know…I just…ugh. I don’t know what else to say. I didn’t do it to hurt you. I was just trying to do the right thing. But—”
“You fucked it up. I know. I’m just going to need a little time to get used to the idea.”
“I can do that,” he says. His arms pulling me tighter to him as his lips press into my hair.
* * *
“Let’s get out of here,”Harrison says the second I step foot out of the bathroom the next morning.
“Oh…uh, yeah sure,” I stutter. I’m not sure if I’m ready to leave the safety of this room yet and be thrust into everything I tried to run away from yesterday, but I guess there’s no time like the present to properly meet my newly acquired step-kids. My insides quiver with nerves. How can I be a stepmom at twenty-one?
After drying my hair, I gather the small amount of stuff I brought with me as I attempt to keep my anxiety from bubbling to the surface.
“They’re going to love you. Stop worrying,” Harrison says when we’re pulling down our street. The journey this far has been in silence. I think he’s giving me the time he promised, but this feels like anything but him giving me time. I’m about to meet the two reasons for all this drama.
I’d love to say I share his confidence, but I’m struggling slightly. I keep trying to put myself in their shoes. How could they possibly like me? I’m better suited to being their sister than their stepmom.
I follow Harrison into the house that had started to feel like a home. But as I walk down the hallway towards the kitchen, I can’t help but feel like everything’s changed.
“Good morning,” he sings as he rounds the corner.
“Dad,” I hear two excited voices say before the sounds of chairs being pushed back.
“Hey, kiddos.”
Walking in behind him, my heart swells when I take in the scene in front of me. Harrison’s got his arm around each child’s shoulders as he smiles down at them, his love shining brightly in his eyes.
“Alfie, Cass, I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet.”
My stomach drops as everyone’s stare turns to me. My heart races and my temperature soars.
“This is Summer, my wife.”
It’s like time slows down as Alfie’s lips curl up in a smile so like his dad’s it makes my heart ache, while Cassie’s frown clouds her beautiful face, her eyes getting harder with every second that passes. Oh boy, looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me.
“Hi, Summer. It’s nice to meet you,” Alfie says politely. His posh British accent melts my heart more than his dark eyes and cheeky smile already have.
