Page 64 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

Take direction.

Service with a smile.

As I follow Mrs. G. back into the living room where she retrieves her purse, kisses each of her children on their heads, then gives me a pat on the shoulder.

“You’ll do just fine, Meryska. If you need anything, you can knock on Everett’s door. Anna Leigh can show you where his office is if the need arises.”

Do not disturbsigns immediately begin going off in my head.

I won’t bother Mr. G. no matter what happens. I’ll prove to the Gastrells that I’m more than capable of taking care of the little family they’ve built.

And most of all, I’ll prove to myself that I’m not the throwaway I’ve felt like my entire life.

Chapter

Six

Glancing over at the grandfather clock against the wall, I realize it’s almost time for lunch. Mrs. G. has already been gone for a few hours, Anna Leigh and Maynard have been engrossed in their game of Candy Land, and no sign of Mr. G. even being in the house has happened yet.

“Ew! I hate licorice!” Maynard exclaims loudly when he ends up moving his piece toward Licorice Castle.

“I’m going to fix lunch for you guys. Anything in particular you’re hungry for?” I ask as I get to my feet.

Anna Leigh shakes her head and her brother shrugs. I actually like that they’ve been so complacent so far—it makes for a nice, easy way to make some cash.

Once the eldest of the Gastrell children picks up the dice in her hands and begins to shake them, I shake my head and walk out of the room.

Maybe one day when I’m old enough and have finally made something of myself, I’ll be able to have a family of my own and a nice little house too.

Nothing like this one because fuck knows what kind of cash they have to be raking in to live in a neighborhood like this, but something that’s cozy and all mine.

As I walk toward the kitchen I look down at the hem of my shorts and pull away a small piece of threading that I didn’t realize had been coming loose until I felt it tickling my thigh.

I wish I could say I wasn’t embarrassed since I know that Miss Jean bought these for me brand-new, but it still manages to add to the inadequacy I feel being here.

It’ll pass,I promise myself as I step into the kitchen and glance around. As I walk over to the island and run a finger over the squeaky, clean surface, I can’t help but wonder what it feels like to wake up every day in a place like this. To have the world at one’s fingertips for the taking, a refrigerator full of food, and to never have to worry about what tomorrow will bring.

I pull out one of the stools and sit down, drumming my fancy, dark red fingernails along the top of the island. I have no idea what to make these children and I’m sure that unlike the ones at the shelter, a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches probably won’t suffice.

“What was your name again?”

I almost jump out of my skin at the sound of the voice, and glance over my shoulder with a startled expression on my face.

Everett—Mr. G.—is standing in the archway of the kitchen looking at me with that stoic expression in his eyes.

“Um, Meryska,” I mumble as I feel my cheeks becoming hot. I don’t understand how he can’t remember my name, but he seems to enjoy making me squirm over something as simple as this.

“That’s right,” he confirms indifferently as he walks into the room and over toward the fridge. “Not sure how I could have forgotten that” he mutters under his breath as he pulls out a glass Tupperware bowl full of what looks like leftovers.

“So, what are you doing here alone?” he continues as he walks over toward the counter, pulls back the saran wrap, then retrieves a plate from the cabinet over the sink.

“I was gonna fix the kids some lunch,” I reply quietly.

“And how’s that going?”

I told my hands on the island top and lower my eyes toward my Calista-inspired nails, then take a deep breath.

Be yourself.

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