Page 5 of A Love Like Pumpkin Spice
When all they do is shoot each other an annoyed glance, I can’t help it—I break into a hysterical giggle. Anger bubbles in my throat, and suddenly, I can’t find it in me to keep it inside.
“Of course you knew. God, this is next-level betrayal. Shakespearean. No, worse—reality TV level. Even the producers of the worst soap operas I’ve acted in would be like, ‘Hey, that’s a little much.’ Let me get this straight. You”—I point at my parents angrily—“knew that my fiancé, the man who got down on one knee and promised me forever, was sleeping with her.” I point at my sister, who rolls her eyes as if to say that all of this is just a big inconvenience to her. “The family’s sweet littleprincess, the sun that the rest of us are supposed to orbit around like obedient little planets. And you just… what? Crossed your fingers and hoped I’d be dumb enough to go through with the wedding so all of you could get your part of my hard-earned money?” You can hear my heart cracking, but I’m far from done, years of frustration and desperation wanting to break free.
“I can’t believe it. You even congratulated me. God, I can’t believe you’d stoop that low. Most families emotionally manipulate their daughters into bad marriages for, I don’t know, social status or a nice country club membership, but all of you went full-on con artists.” I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Now, for the record, don’t think you’re getting a penny from me. Not a dime. No more shopping sprees, no more vacations, not even a fucking quarter for parking. Which won’t be hard because I don’t intend to see any of you again after today. You want money? Go ask your precious daughter or future son-in-law. Oh, wait—they don’t have any! That’s the only reason you still tolerated me, right?”
I can’t be hurt anymore. As soon as I truly realized the extent of Marissa’s betrayal, I knew they couldn’t have been clueless. After all these years, I shouldn’t be surprised anymore.
I’m just done. So. Fucking. Done.
“Oh, please.” My mother rolls her eyes, her perfectly shaped eyebrows creasing, and meticulously lined lips thinning. “We knew you’d overreact and be dramatic. We didn’t want to deal with that. Now look at you, proving us right.” She waves her hand at the trash bags in a corner.
I take a deep breath, the words hurting more than I anticipated. “How could you? I know she’s your golden child—”
“Ah, there it is. Always playing the victim.” My father interruptsme.
“Surprise, in this case, I quite literally am,” I say coldly, shaking my head. “And you know what? I’m done. And when you're old and Marissa puts you in the cheapest care facility available, leaving you to rot without necessities and die alone while she spends your money, I hope you remember this evening and how you screwed me over. Maybe someday you’ll realize that you’ve lost the one daughter that actually gave a fuck about you. Because I assure you, the moment you are of no use to her anymore, she will cast you aside.”
“How dare you—”
“That’s enough,” Nora interrupts and steps between my parents and me. God bless her. Then she turns to her son, hands trembling and eyes shining with disappointment. “Is she right? Did you do that?”
Instead of an answer, he stares at the ground to hide his face, turning red with shame.
Her eyes land on me, and the sadness on her face almost makes me tear up, despite the anger still raging through my veins hotter than a wildfire.
“I’m so sorry, hun. We had no idea,” Nora rushes to assure me and funnily enough, she’s the only person in this room, along with Lauren, who I’m inclined to believe.
“Thank you for everything, Nora,” I tell her with a sad smile, the fight leaving me as I let her take my hand in hers. “I’m sorry it had to end this way, but please know that I am incredibly thankful for the way you accepted me into your family. I’ll miss you.”
She squeezes my hand, tears shimmering in her eyes. I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting to keep my own tears at bay.
“Don’t be a stranger,” she whispers, and that gets the first genuine smile out of me since I stumbled over Jay and Marissa.
“Thank you,” I assure her just as softly. Then I pull my hand out of her grasp and let Lauren link her arm with mine as she guides me out of the house.
“You did great,” she whispers and squeezes my upper arm. And as soon as the front door shuts behind us, I silently let the tears I held back fall.
This day was supposed to be one of the happiest of my life.
Instead, it became the day I lost everyone.
Okay, almost everyone.
Lauren maneuvers me into her passenger seat and drives off, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm reaching the end of a chapter.
Let’s hope it opens the door for a new, better one.
Chapter 1
Nic
“It’s going to be a fun new beginning,”
At least that's what I've been telling myself since I started the engine a few hours ago. I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, let out a deep sigh, and relax my shoulders. The last freeway exit is finally in sight.
“So. Much. Fun,” I reiterate through clenched teeth, the kind of smiley-grimace you force your face into when someone says “Everything happens for a reason” while your life is on fire. If I repeat it often enough, maybe it’ll start to feel real. Maybe I can gaslight myself into optimism. Either way, it’s cheaper than therapy.
