He raised an eyebrow, and a hint of amusement lit his eyes. “You said you owed me, friend. I was just collecting the debt.”
“What?” The nerve! She slapped him hard, feeling the satisfying whack as her palm hit his face. Then she turned and stomped off.
“Give Prince Charming my regards,” he called after her. “And tell him that’s the last time I’m standing in for him!”
Chapter Three
The Horrid Stepsister
Elle awoke the next morning to the smell of burnt toast. She covered her head with the pillow and turned over. She slept another five minutes before the events of the previous night tumbled over her. She let out a groan and dragged herself out of bed.
After Rush’s kiss, things had gone from bad to worse. She’d ridden home with Sera and Josselyn, with Sera lecturing her nonstop about Rush. “I’ll not have one of my daughters being the scandal of the town,” she said. “That boy caused a spectacle. It’s a wonder if you’ll ever be able to show your face again. You need to be more careful about the company you keep. Talk around town is that he’s a druggie, and his mother’s some nightclub singer.”
She frowned. Rush a druggie? She seriously doubted that.
Sera went on and on until Elle had listened to all she could stomach. “Well, I wouldn’t have been with Rush in the first place if you hadn’t gone off and left me.”
Sera shook her head. Her expression became wounded. “Is that what you think? Do you really think we would just go off and leave you? Really, Elle, I’m disappointed. This is a new low, even for you.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. You tried to wake me, but I wouldn’t budge,” she muttered.
“Don’t get smart with me.”
Nothing she said was going to make a difference, so she just rolled her eyes and turned and stared out the window at the night that was as dark and empty as she felt.
Her mind went back to the present as she pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. She sat down in front of the mirror and began running a brush through her tangled hair. She hated how puffy her eyes were, proof that she’d slept poorly the night before. She leaned forward, critically examining the bags under her eyes, and then she jumped back with a start. The reflection had winked. She shook her head and stared at herself. “Not this again!” She looked straight at the mirror, daring her reflection to do something different. She stared so long that she began to laugh. How silly she must look, sitting here, glaring at her own reflection. It was a mirror. A silly mirror, nothing more.
Josselyn came into the room.
Elle scowled. “Don’t you ever knock?”
She plopped down on the bed. “Dear Elle, forever worshiping yourself in the mirror.” She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t you ever get tired of staring at yourself?”
Elle started to fire back an insult but thought better of it. “What do you want?” she said flatly.
“Oh nothing. Only to tell you that was quite the show you put on last night.” She clapped her hands. “Bravo.” She flashed a contemptuous smile. “Some outfit.”
Elle turned and met her gaze full on. Josselyn was a snake. It hurt to know that she could be so cruel. “I know what you did to my dresses.”
Josselyn’s lips formed a pout and she started picking at her fingernails. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Okay, whatever.” She stood. “I try to come in and check on you, and this is what I get.”
Elle raised an eyebrow. “You can cut the crap, Josselyn, it’s just you and me in the room.” She gave her a plaintive look. “Have things always been this awful between us? Not only are we stepsisters but also cousins when you consider that our mothers were sisters.”
Josselyn’s face fell a notch, but then she gathered it back up quickly. “You taught me everything I know, Sis.” Her voice was dripping in venom. “You may not remember who you are, but I certainly do.” She lifted her chin in the air. “You just remember that the next time you try to get all chummy.”
She locked eyes with her. “I’m sorry, Josselyn. For everything I did to you. You’re right, I don’t remember the person I was, but I’m trying to be different now.”
For a moment, Josselyn’s expression grew soft, but in the time it took to draw a breath, it went stone cold. “No, I won’t fall for that. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but it won’t work. If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that you can’t be trusted.”
“But—”
Josselyn cut her off. “I guess you’re with Rush now,” she said brightly, running a finger over the dresser. “Poor Edward, he’ll be devastated. Thank goodness he’ll have me around to pick up the pieces.” She frowned. “Must I always pick up the pieces after you, Elle?” She shook her head, making a clucking sound with her tongue. “Well, ta ta! Have to go.” She scampered out of the room and closed the door before Elle could reply.
Elle gritted her teeth and groaned in frustration. When that didn’t help, she threw the brush against the door. Had she really been that horrible, or was Josselyn toying with her? How had she managed to live in this house all of these years? No wonder she’d lost her memory and was imagining things. She looked in the mirror and scowled at her reflection. “What’re you looking at?” A part of her half-expected her reflection to react, but nothing. She shook her head, disgusted with herself for thinking such crazy thoughts. It was a mirror!
Her stomach growled, and she realized that she couldn’t sit in this room all day, staring at the mirror. Besides, her dad was home, and she wanted to spend some time with him. Her heart grew a little lighter at the thought.
She was rounding the corner of the kitchen when she saw her. She stopped. Sera was dumping an entire box of chocolate into the garbage. Then she picked up an envelope off the counter, tore it in half, and threw it away. Something … instinct … prompted Elle to step back so that she wouldn’t be seen. She waited until Sera left the kitchen before going to the garbage can. The chocolates looked expensive and were beautifully decorated. The box was a metallic brown with a wide pink ribbon. She had the fleeting thought that maybe Sera had received an unsolicited gift from a secret admirer but then laughed at the thought. What suitor in his right mind would admire Sera? She saw the two pieces of the envelope. The paper was milky white and embossed. Very expensive. She grabbed the pieces and then heard movement, so she stuffed them into the front pocket of her sweatshirt. She turned, relieved to see her dad standing at the counter rather than Sera.
“Good morning, sunshine.” He reached for a bowl.
“Morning, Dad.”
She went to him and gave him a hug. “It’s good to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back.” He handed her a bowl and pushed a box of cereal in her direction.
A moment later, they were seated across from each other, eating. Her heart dropped when he reached for the newspaper and began leafing through the pages. Couldn’t he see that she needed a minute of his time? She cleared her throat. “Um, Dad …”
He gave her a rushed smile and then looked back at the paper. “Yes?”
“I was thinking that maybe the two of us could spend some time together today. Maybe we could go have some lunch or go to the mall.”
He shook his head. “I would love to, honey, but I have a meeting at the office at 10:00.”
She made a face. “But it’s Sunday, and you just got home.”
He swallowed a bite of cereal and put his spoon down. “I know, but the McCormick group is coming in on Monday, and I’ve got to make sure the presentation is ready.”
She let out a sigh. “Fine.” She plunked her spoon into the bowl and pushed away from the table. She’d suddenly lost her appetite.
This time he looked—really looked at her. “Are you okay?” He motioned. “Sit down, and let’s talk about this.”
She forced a smile. “Yeah …” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “It’s just so hard, living here with
Sera and Josselyn.”
He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. It was hard to fathom that she couldn’t remember anything at all about her own father. Had he always been this distant and rushed? She studied him, trying to find something that they both had in common. His hair. She figured that in his younger years his blonde hair had been nearly the color of her own, but it was now faded and thinning on top, and his temples were streaked with gray. Still, he was an attractive man, in an intellectual sort of way. “Elle, we’ve been through this over and over.”
“We have? I’m sorry, I don’t remember …”
He reached for her hand. “I know, honey. I know you’ve been through a lot, but you need to give Sera a chance. If you could only see her the way I see her.”
“She’s mean to me, Dad.” She blinked back the tears. “Josselyn ruined my dresses and then they left me here last night.”
“Honey, Sera told me what happened.”
“Really?”
“Yes, they tried to wake you, but they couldn’t. Sera was afraid you took one of those sleeping pills Dr. Marcourt prescribed. Those things knock you out cold. Sera was only looking out for your best interest. She thought you needed the rest.”
She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. “What?” Her voice went hoarse with emotion. “You believe her?”
“Well, of course I believe her. She’s my wife.”
She could see the disappointment settling in his eyes, building a wall between them—a wall that was impossible to climb. Despite her best effort to stay the tears, one escaped and rolled down her cheek. “I’m not making this up, Dad.”
He took a deep breath and she could tell from the way his eyes shifted back and forth that she was making him nervous. He didn’t know what to say to her, so he glanced at his watch instead. “Look, we’ll have to talk about this later. I’ve got to go.” He leaned over the table and gave her a peck on the cheek. “I’ll be back after while. Chin up, princess.” He rushed out the door, and a moment later, she heard the garage door open.
She sat there numbly, staring at the soggy cereal. Absently, she took the spoon and stirred it around in the milk. Then she remembered the torn envelope. She pulled out the two pieces and frowned. The seal was still intact. Sera had ripped it and thrown it away without opening it. She removed the paper from each half and placed them side-by-side. The letter was written in a sprawling cursive that was hard to read. She looked at the beginning and gasped. The letter was written to her.
Elle,
We need to talk. Come to The Chocolate Fountain today at 1:00. If you don’t have a ride, you can take the bicycle in the garage. As you’re still lacking your memory, let me remind you that the shop is located at the corner of Brooks and Hamilton. Ride toward the center of town, going toward the courthouse. You can’t miss it. Oh, and a word to the wise: Don’t tell Sera you’re coming to see me.
See you soon, dear.
--A
Elle read the letter again, trying to remember if anyone mentioned a person named “A.” She chewed on her lip. Maybe it was a nickname. This mysterious, “A” had sent her the chocolate too. Knowing that Sera tried to destroy all evidence of the letter and the chocolate made her all the more curious. The sprawling handwriting was too feminine to have been written by a guy, and the language was old-fashioned. She’d called her “dear.” And had warned her not to tell Sera where she was going. She picked up the pieces and shoved them back into her sweatshirt. A thought struck her. How did “A” know there was a bike in the garage? Was there? There was only one way to find out. She turned on the light and gasped, for there across the garage, hanging on a rack was a coral-colored bike with a large white seat and matching white basket with daisies attached. Really? This was the bike she was supposed to take? It looked like an antique. A hysterical giggle bubbled in her throat. This was getting stranger by the minute.
She closed the garage door and walked back into the kitchen. Well, at least she would have something interesting to do today besides lie around and dread going back to school the following day. Edward had neither called nor texted, but she’d been receiving texts from Rae all morning, demanding to know how Elle could let Rush kiss her in front of the entire school. She put the bowl in the sink and looked over at Rush’s house. The blinds were closed. For a second, she wondered what he was up to today and then squelched the thought. All night long, she’d tossed and turned, thinking about that wretched kiss. In the light of day, she could see things more clearly. The fact of the matter was that she wasn’t really that ticked at him for kissing her. (After all, she’d thought about kissing him earlier.) It was how he kissed her—taking something that wasn’t his so he could prove a point. He’d done it to get even with her about Edward. The last thing she needed was to have to deal with this. The memory loss was hard enough, and now she would have the whole school breathing down her neck. She hugged her arms. Edward would probably never speak to her again and that was fine with her. He’d deserted her last night. She didn’t owe him a thing.
And Rush … she vowed then and there that she would stay as far away from him as she could get. Even as she thought the words, an unbidden sensation covered her, and she thought about how his lips had felt on hers. He was obviously an experienced kisser, but there was more. Something else was bothering her, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was. She was almost to her room when the realization came—for one small moment, there in his arms, his lips on hers, she’d experienced the one thing that she’d been craving—the one thing that had evaded her—the feeling of belonging. The feeling that somehow, despite everything around her, everything would be okay.
Chapter Four
Adele
Just as the note said, The Chocolate Fountain was located at the corner of Brooks and Hamilton. Hamilton was the main road going through town where clusters of shops and other businesses were located, and Brooks marked the start of an old residential neighborhood where all of the houses had been grand in their day with the artfully painted brick and wood siding, large windows, and wide porches. Of all the houses that Elle could see, The Chocolate Fountain was the grandest of them all with its salmon colored brick siding and massive porch with the intricate wooden handrails painted a gleaming white. No detail had been left undone. The gables and windows were trimmed in a cheery turquoise color, and she could see lace curtains on the large windows that wrapped around the ornate turret. The house reminded Elle of a decorated sugar cookie or one of those Painted Ladies in San Francisco. She stopped. Had she been to San Francisco? Funny how her brain was picking up on insignificant memories when she couldn’t remember any of the important things.
Elle walked up the steps, admiring the colorful pots of yellow and purple mums on the porch. It really was a show place. She opened the door and stepped inside to the vacant sitting area. The musky smell of chocolate was intoxicating. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the dozen or so ice-cream parlor tables and chairs that were artfully arranged. Various styles of plush chairs were spotted around the room. On the back wall, facing a large fireplace, was a more intimate seating area with a comfortable-looking couch and chairs. She looked up and was surprised to see a chandelier much like the one in her room except it was about three times larger and dripping in glittering jewels. The walls were painted the same pale pink shade that was in her room. She wrinkled her nose. Weird. She looked to the left. There in the adjacent room were the glass bakery cases, displaying various chocolates. Also, there were brownies, cookies, and delicate pastries. It was truly an awesome sight—a chocolate lover’s dream. Elle’s stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She walked up to the stately wooden counter and cash register. Was “A” going to meet her here? It was 1:10. Surely “A” remembered that she was coming. She looked past the counter to the open door behind it but couldn’t see anything.
“Hello! Is anyone there?”
No answer.
“Hello?”
“I’m comi
ng,” a voice called.
A middle-aged woman rounded the corner. When she saw Elle, recognition lit her face, and she smiled. “You made it,” she said warmly, peering over her sea foam blue spectacles.
Elle looked at her closely. This was “A?” She was about medium height and build, although it was hard to tell for sure because she was wearing a soft green dress that was so loose that it seemed to flow around her as she walked. She had shoulder-length hair the color of taffy, and it was curly and untamed. Her open smile with the deep dimples on either side was her best feature. She might’ve been pretty once but had an air of indifference about her that suggested she was too concerned about weightier matters than to worry with vanity. Before Elle realized what was happening the woman stepped around the counter and embraced her in a tight hug. A dainty floral smell enveloped her. A strange tingle akin to static electricity went through her body, and she could almost remember something. When the woman let go, the feeling fled.
“Do I know you?” Elle stammered, pushing her hair out of her face.
The woman studied her closely. “You don’t remember?”
She dropped her hands to her side. “No.” She looked away from the woman to the large cuckoo clock on the wall. There was something ominous about the way it ticked back and forth … back and forth. Her life was trickling away with every tick of the clock, and she couldn’t remember any of it.
The woman laughed and clasped her hands together. “Splendid!”
For a split second Elle thought she’d heard her incorrectly. “Did you just say splendid?”
She tucked a curl behind her ear. “Yes, Elle, I did.”
She made a face. “But I just told you that I can’t remember you.”
Banished: Book 1 of The Grimm Laws Page 5