Page 128 of Shortcake
Meanwhile, literally nothing could have hurt more than this discovery. Despite all our issues and disagreements, it was always Harper and me against the world. To my knowledge she had never turned to her mother for help.
Until now.
Until she felt I had chosen Addy over her.
My stomach roiled.
I felt Addy’s touch on my arm, but it was like I wasn’t even in my body anymore. Like I was floating outside of it.
“I think the important thing is that at least Harper is talking to someone, right Conrad?”
“Yeah.” I didn’t exactly sound convincing. Spinning, I grabbed a water glass from the cabinet and filled it from the tap, guzzling it while staring out the window at the lake.
This house. This town. It was supposed to be our escape. It was supposed to be our new beginning.
But it suddenly felt like our undoing. Like a house of cards tumbling around us.
“Does she know?” I asked, my voice rough, like someone had taken a scrub brush down my throat.
“Does she know what?” Meghan asked.
“That you’re having a baby? That you’re apparently engaged?”
Meghan opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Harper’s footsteps pounding down the stairs?
“Mom!? Mom, is that you?”
From over Meghan’s shoulder, Harper ran toward us, wiping at her red, puffy eyes. A duffle bag slung over her shoulder hit the wall beside her as she clumsily rushed toward her mother. “I want to stay with you!” Harper cried. “And go home to England with you!”
Home.
To England.
The knife sank deeper, piercing my heart.
Meghan’s face twisted. “Oh, darling, I’m afraid that’s quite impossible. Surely, we could do one girl’s night in my hotel, but mummy needs some me-time. As for coming back to England—a visit! Yes, a visit!”
Amidst her yammering on, Meghan had turned around and was pacing my quaint kitchen, examining everything from the counters to the shelves to the curtains on the windows.
Meanwhile, Harper’s eyes fell to Meghan’s swollen belly. Shock blanched her pink cheeks and more tears—different tears filled her eyes as they looked, horrified, between Meghan, Addy, and me.
I guess that answered my question whether or not Meghan had told Harper.
“Mom?” Harper squeaked, interrupting Meghan’s freestyle train of thought. Her voice was so small that it made my heart ache. “You’re… you’re—”
“Oh, where is my head!” Meghan said, thumping the heel of her hand gently to her forehead. “Surprise!” She threw her hands up and rushed forward to hug Harper. “You’re going to be a big sister!”
Harper didn’t respond. Not even as Meghan stepped forward, encasing her in her arms, swinging her back and forth in an awkward, forced hug. Harper didn’t reciprocate. Didn’t wrap her arms around her mother. Hug her back. Or even smile.
Not that Meghan seemed to notice.
“Isn’t it exciting?” Meghan kept babbling, pulling back to thrust out her left hand, showcasing the massive diamond ring. “And I’mmarried! I can’t wait for you to meet Teddy. He’s such a doll. My parents finally approve of a man I love. Not always the case, isn’t that right, Conrad?”
She spun away from Harper, still not once looking into her daughter’s face. Not noticing the hollow, empty look in Harper’s eyes.
My heart twinged. I wished I could take this pain from her. Jump on the feelings like a grenade so she didn’t have to experience the explosion or even the shrapnel that I knew was piercing into her with every word Meghan said.
“Well, that explains the Louis Vuitton,” I sneered. “Your parents finally released your trust fund to you?”
