Wait what!!
Londyn noticed my surprised expression and exined further. The KRS Spring Flings were a big deal. Every year, one of the major 4 continents would host. The year we turned 16, the event was hosted in Kingston. As a present, my parents treated Olivie and her friends to an entire weekend of a luxury hotel, the entire three–day concert, and backstage passes. Of course, I wasn’t invited.
A nerve wrecking thought crept into my mind. If she did all of that for her cousin’s birthday; what would she be willing to do for her brother’s….Oh dear god! They were already talking about over 500
guests.
<i>“</i>So<i>, </i><i>Gracie</i><i>, </i><i>what </i><i>did </i><i>your </i><i>parent’s </i><i>say </i><i>when </i><i>you </i><i>told </i><i>them </i><i>you </i><i>were </i><i>marrying </i><i>Kai</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Londyn’s question snapped me back to reality. Suddenly, dark memories of the day I told them I epted House Christiansen’s proposal came flooding back. My father’s greedy overjoy, my mother’s disbelief, my sister’s envy, and the mocking from Jonathan and Brian. A sour taste seeped into my mouth. It took a moment for me to realize the room had fell quiet as Ka and Jackie gazed at me empathetically. I guess Jackie knew about the Rochesters….made sense…I’m sure Cameron told her.
“<i>What</i><i>??? </i><i>Did </i><i>I </i><i>say </i><i>something </i><i>wrong</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Before I could answer, Ka interjected.
“<i>No</i><i>, </i><i>no</i>…<i>Gracie’s </i><i>mom </i><i>passed </i><i>away </i><i>when </i><i>she </i><i>was </i><i>12.</i>”
Londyn’s eyes widen. She pped her hands over her mouth as her eyes began to water.
“Oh, <i>my </i><i>gosh</i><i>!!! </i><i>Gracie</i><i>! </i>I’m so <i>sorry</i><i>!!! </i><i>I </i><i>didn’t</i>…”
I immediately held up my hands. I knew Ka was trying to protect my truth about the Rochesters; but I didn’t want it to be at anyone’s expense.
<i>“</i><i>You </i><i>don’t </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>apologize </i><i>Londyn</i><i>. </i><i>What </i><i>Ka </i><i>said </i><i>is true</i><i>, </i>my <i>adoptive </i><i>mother </i><i>did </i><i>pass </i><i>away </i><i>when </i>I <i>was </i>12. <i>But </i><i>my </i><i>biological </i><i>parents </i><i>are </i><i>aware </i>and <i>happy </i><i>about </i><i>the </i><i>marriage</i>.”
Londyn had a confused look on her face. Knowing what questions would follow, I proceeded to tell her about my life and the Rochesters.
The room was silent after I finished my harrowing tale of my adoptive mother and my life after her
<b>11:13 </b><b>Thu</b>, <b>Sep </b>11
passing. Jackie shook her head quietly; tears flowing down her face. Londyn’s face was filled with tears and anger. Through a shaky voice<b>, </b>she spoke.
“<i>H</i>–<i>How</i>….<i>how </i><i>could </i><i>they</i><i>? </i><i>Who </i><i>does </i><i>that </i><i>to </i><i>their </i><i>own </i><i>daughter </i><i>and </i><i>sister</i><i>.</i><i>” </i><fn2edd> Original content can be found at find?novel</fn2edd>
Looking at me with conviction and guilt, Londyn walked over and embraced me into a tight hug.
<i>“</i><i>Could </i><i>you </i><i>all </i><i>excuse </i><i>us </i><i>for </i>a moment?<i>” </i>
Ka asked the waitresses and nail techs as she walked over to me and Londyn.
As the waitresses and nail techs stood to leave, Jackie jumped up.
“<i>Wait</i><i>!! </i><i>Before </i><i>you </i><i>all </i><i>leave</i><i>, </i><i>please </i><i>sign </i><i>these NDAs</i>. I’m <i>sorry </i><i>but </i><i>we </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>protect </i><i>our </i><i>privacy</i><i>, </i><i>we’d </i><i>appreciate </i><i>if </i><i>you all </i><i>kept </i><i>what </i><i>you </i><i>heard </i><i>indoors</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
What!!! When did she…as if reading my mind, Jackie exined.
<i>“</i><i>Cam </i><i>gave </i><i>them </i><i>to me </i><i>this </i><i>morning </i><i>to </i><i>be </i><i>cautious</i>. <i>He </i><i>said </i><i>he </i><i>wasn’t </i><i>sure </i><i>what </i><i>women </i><i>talked </i><i>about </i><i>on </i><i>spa </i><i>days</i><i>.</i>”
Sheughed aloud causing us all tough.
“<i>OMG</i><i>!!! </i><i>He’s </i><i>such </i><i>a </i><i>right</i><i>–</i><i>hand</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Ka giggled as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. I looked at all three of the women standing before me, in a short time, these women all became so important to me. They’d be my family, weing me with opened arms and no judgement. I loved them all. I needed them to know that. Sitting everyone down, I began to exin.
<i>“</i><i>Listen </i>to <i>me</i><i>…</i><i>I </i><i>want </i><i>you </i><i>all </i><i>to </i><i>know </i><i>something</i>. <i>I </i><i>love </i><i>you</i><i>! </i><i>In </i><i>just </i><i>a </i><i>short </i><i>time</i><i>, </i><i>you </i><i>have </i><i>all </i><i>done </i><i>more </i><i>for </i><i>me </i><i>than </i><i>my </i><i>family </i><i>could </i><i>have </i><i>ever </i><i>done </i><i>in </i><i>an </i><i>entire lifetime</i><i>.</i><b><i>” </i></b>
The irony was that was true…I lived two lifetimes with the Rochesters, and they still couldn’t hold a candle to my new family.
<i>“</i><i>I </i><i>told </i><i>you </i><i>all </i><i>this </i><i>story </i><i>not </i><i>because </i><i>I </i><i>want </i><i>your </i><i>pity</i><i>…</i><i>but </i><i>because </i><i>I </i><i>want </i><i>you </i><i>all </i>to <i>know </i><i>how </i><i>much </i><i>you </i>mean to <i>me</i><i>. </i><i>What </i><i>I </i><i>went </i><i>through</i><i>, </i><i>yes </i><i>it </i><i>was </i><i>terrible</i><i>. </i>BUT<i>…</i><i>it </i><i>also </i>led me <i>to </i>my <i>new </i><i>family </i><i>and </i><i>my </i><i>new </i><i>life</i><i>. </i><i>So</i>, for THAT<i>…</i>I’m <i>eternally </i><i>grateful</i><i>! </i><i>I </i><i>have </i><i>you </i><i>all</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
My voice cracked at thatst part. It was true…through all the pain and horrors, I’d found my way
here. If I had too, I’d do it all again just for this moment.
We all hugged and cried as we told each other we loved each other.
“I’m so d Kai found you!”
“We <i>love </i><i>you </i><i>too</i><i>!!</i>”
The girls‘ said in unison as they sobbed and hugged me tighter.
<i>“</i><i>Alright</i><i>, </i><i>alright</i><i>! </i><i>Enough </i>of <i>this </i><i>mushy </i><i>stuff</i>! <i>Back </i><i>to </i><i>girl’s </i><i>day</i><i>!!</i>”
We allughed and held our sses high at Ka’s toast. And just like that…Girl’s day was back in
motion!
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<b>11:13 </b><b>Thu</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>11
“Burn those who burned me!”
<b>Chapter </b><b>170 </b>