Page 99 of Loving the Sinner
Elli grew up in a palace compared to me, and it makes me wonder how I can give her a future she deserves.
“Hey,” Elli says quietly, pulling me from my wandering thoughts. “Where did you go just now?”
“Oh, just thinking about how differently we grew up. You were raised in the equivalent of a palace compared to my living situations. It’s just interesting, you know?” I shrug.
Elli goes to reply, but her mom shouts that dinner is ready. Elli gives me an apologetic look and a kiss on the cheek. “Let’s go eat. We’ll talk about this later, okay?”
I nod, and walk down the stairs and to the dining area, where Kent is seated at the head of the table. Spencer is to Kent’s right, the twins next to him, Izzy is opposite Spencer, and she motions for me to take the middle seat next to her, and Elli takes the next seat, leaving the other end of the table open for Louise.
Louise sets down a ceramic dish of steaming mashed potatoes and takes her seat, and then everyone bows their head and Kent says a prayer.
They pass each dish to the right, starting with Kent and working around the table so Izzy is the last to get food.
“This looks really great, Mrs. Monson.” I say looking at the spread of some type of thin, fried chicken, potatoes, gravy, green beans, a salad, and rolls.
“Thank you. It’s a German dish, schnitzel.” She says curtly.
We dish our food and eat it in relative silence, which is hard for me because usually family dinners with Jess and Luke or my friends are loud and full of chatter and laughter.
Izzy, bless her sweet, chattery soul, fills the awkward silence by giving us a plot summary of the musical she’s in this year. I’ve never heard ofThe Drowsy Chaperone,but it sounds like an interesting musical. I guess Izzy isn’t a lead in this one, but she’s a crucial background character who gets to dance a lot, which she seems happy with.
The conversation shifts to Spencer leaving, and he grunts one word answers at Elli every time she asks him something. I watch her try to physically shrink every time she speaks, and I hate it. She’s nothing like the confident woman I’ve seen her blossom into over these last few months, and it’s making me want to flip this fucking table.
“Elli, Kent, come with me to the garage for dessert.” Louise says curtly with a pointed look at her husband.
Elli gives my thigh a squeeze under the table, along with a small, sad smile, but obediently rises and follows her parents to the garage.
“So, Wes, are you excited for your tour?” Izzy asks, turning her attention to me.
“Yeah, I’m really excited. I’m hoping to get a record deal out of it.”
“You’re going on tour? Like as a rockstar?” Gideon asks, looking a little dumbfounded. This is the first time he’s spoken since I’ve been here.
I chuckle, “Kind of. I don’t play rock music, though.”
“That’s cool!” Gideon says, nudging Issac who nods his head in agreement.
Spencer scoffs and rolls his eyes, pushing his green beans around his plate.
I choose to ignore that.
“Elli must be excited to finally get to travel. I know she’s been wanting to see a bunch of different places.” Izzy interjects.
“Yeah, she seems excited. I’m glad she’s able to come with me. I just hope she doesn’t get sick of me since we’ll be sharing a space for eight months.”
Izzy beams, “I can guarantee she won’t be sick of you.”
“Thanks, Iz.” I playfully ruffle her hair and she glares at me, but it holds no weight so we both just burst out laughing.
Spencer scoffs, again, and I look over to see him giving me a look so cold I’m surprised I’m not frozen.
“Would you like to say something, Spencer?” I ask calmly. I don’t want to have to fight Elli’s brother today.
“Elli’s lost her mind, is all. She’s not living her life the way we were taught. Going on a tour, sharing a bed with a man who’s not her husband? That’s a one way ticket to the Telestial Kingdom.”
“Spencer.” Izzy warns, but I place a hand on her shoulder to convey that I’ve got this.
“It’s okay Izzy. Let him get it out so it’s not eating away at him.”
