7. Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-Annabella-
I was utterly bored. My exploration of the house had wrapped up in less than thirty minutes. I was never one for museums filled with paintings. One glance at the artwork, and I was ready to move on. This house was no different.
After a study of a few things, I found myself craving something more engaging. That’s when I stumbled upon the pool and thought, might as well.
Grabbing a book, I tossed both the towel and the edition onto a nearby chair before slipping into the cool water, a welcome relief from the blazing sun.
Leaning against the edge, I contemplated how this activity was supposed to be more stimulating than wandering through the house aimlessly. But I needed to occupy myself somehow.
I started swimming leisurely, trying to distract myself from the nagging boredom. Was this how my life would be now? It made me reflect on how I used to spend my time back home.
I sighed and dove underwater, resurfacing with a sense of renewal. Just then, my phone rang, lying on the chair nearby. I hesitated, then ignored the call. It rang again, persistently, forcing me to reluctantly answer it.
“What?” I asked.
“Is that the way to greet your sister?” Jennifer, my sister, inquired.
“Not in the mood to talk.”
“Is the marriage already going that badly? I thought you two would enjoy being stuck together.”
“And what gave you that idea?” I questioned.
My sister chuckled on the other end, and I shook my head.
“Haven’t you gotten what you wanted?” I retorted.
“I have.”
“Why call then?” I asked.
“Just wanted to make sure you had actually arrived,” she told me.
“Did you think I had taken the first ticket out of there?” I shot back.
“Why not? Kace is a cripple now, and all he had were looks.”
“I really don’t like that word,” I snarled.
“What? Cripple?”
“Yeah, that one. First of all, he is not completely paralyzed, and even if he was, what would that matter?” I challenged.
“You’re married to him, so I guess you can’t complain,” she said.
“I signed the papers knowing about his condition, and you know what? He is actually quite a nice person to converse with.”
I was lying a bit because he had pissed me off, but my sister didn’t need to know that part.
“Oh, really?”
“Really!” I retorted.
“Then maybe I did you a favor,” she teased.
“Hardly,” I snapped.
“I did say something good might come out of it,” she reminded me.
“You wanted me gone. Zac wanted me gone. Our PARENTS wanted me gone. I’m gone. Why call?” I asked.
“Just looking out for my baby sister,” she taunted.
“No, you’re gloating,” I spat.
“I do not know what you mean, ” she feigned ignorance, and I rolled my eyes.
“Can I just work on my marriage in peace?”
“Dad and Mom want us all to have dinner together next week.”
I groaned and sat down, covering my eyes with my hand and hating my life. I had never hated it before, but I had never felt as unwanted and lost as I did in that moment.
“I don’t think Kace is up for that,” I admitted.
“Did you ask him?” she inquired.
“No.”
“Maybe ask him?” she suggested.
“No!” I snapped.
“Why not?”
“Because I already know he will say no,” I told her.
“How? You just arrived yesterday,” she pointed out.
“Yes, and I have already learned he likes his privacy. We aren’t coming to our parents’ house to eat dinner. He wants to be at home,” I informed her.
“Good, then we will come to you.”
“No, you won’t!” I hissed.
“See you soon, sis!” she teased.
“Jennifer! Jennifer!” I yelled, but the call had already ended. I rolled my eyes and leaned my head back, looking up at the sky. “Why do you hate me?”
I knew yelling at some invisible, probably non-existent God wouldn’t help me, but I needed to vent my frustration at someone, and God was closest.
I couldn’t believe what my sister had just done. Why couldn’t we just be left in peace? But I knew I would never learn the answer to that, and I had to tell Kace what was going on.
I took the towel, wrapping it around myself, and then I walked into the house again, not happy about the news I had to deliver. I knocked on the door leading into his room, and Kace told me to come in.
I walked into his bedroom-office and found him by the desk again, focusing on his computer. I moved closer, and that was when his eyes finally landed on me.
But when they did, I noticed his strange reaction, but I didn’t comment on it.
“Yes?” he asked.
“We are going to have some guests,” I informed him.
“Guests?” he echoed.
“Yup…”
“Who did we invite?”
“My family, and we did not invite them,” I stated.