Chapter 20 #3
“It’s our turn.” She pointed to the cashier, who was waiting for us patiently.
“Oh, I’m so sorry about that.” Putting my phone away and forcing the message out of my mind, I hurried to lay out my purchases and focused on Hazel and our afternoon together. The message was probably nothing.
As we entered Seb’s house with a spare key, Hazel rushed in and ran for the kitchen, ready to bake straight away. She was always so full of energy; I wish she’d shared some with the rest of us.
We’d made these cookies so many times we both knew the recipe by heart, so she pre-heated the oven and got the bowls we’d need out and set everything on the counter before washing her hands and waiting for me.
“Look at you, all ready for action.” I smiled at her in all her vibrating excitement. “What do you think about making Daddy some of those gingerbread scrolls he tried to make on the weekend?”
“They were yucky.” Her face scrunched up at the thought.
“That’s because Daddy used the wrong ingredients. We have all the right ones here, and I think Daddy and Papa would really like the surprise, don’t you?”
“I like surprising Daddy. You promise they will taste good?” She waited for me to answer, her face so serious I had to bite my lip to keep in my laugh.
“Of course. You’ve had my gingerbread scrolls before on Christmas Eve,” I reminded her. She loved them.
“Okay, let’s surprise Daddy and Papa.” She nodded. “Then can we make Mommy’s cookies?”
“Of course, little bug.” I gave her a side hug before getting to work.
We worked well together and with surprisingly minimal mess for baking with an eight-year-old. She was very active in measuring the ingredients and rolling out the dough; she’d make a great apprentice one day.
Once the scroll dough was set aside to rise, we got to work on her mommy’s snickerdoodles.
They were like normal snickerdoodles except with a little nutmeg and chocolate buttons on top.
Lexi had been a sucker for all things chocolate, just like me, and added it to every recipe she could when we were growing up. Much to the disdain of our mother.
“Chef’s treats!” Hazel exclaimed as she snagged another chocolate button before I could stop her.
“That’s a few more than a treat, missy. There’ll be none left for the cookies if you eat them all.” But I couldn’t help but smile at her antics.
She leaned forward to whisper in my ear from her place on the step stool we used when she joined in cooking. “Papa always keeps an extra packet hidden from Daddy.”
The laugh that burst out of me was unexpected. “Of course, he does. Your Papa spoils you.” I nudged her shoulder as she giggled.
“I love Papa! He makes Daddy happy.” She beamed at me, her words warming my heart.
Neither Indy nor Seb was Hazel’s biological father, but they loved her fiercely and would protect her at all costs. I was so glad my parents never knew the truth, or I’m sure they would have done something vindictive and hateful just to hurt my sister.
They were both hateful people, but especially my mother.
If anything tarnished her perfect image, there was hell to pay.
Even though my sister was dead, I’m sure mother would do anything in her power to hurt Indy and Hazel just for existing.
They were both perceived flaws on her family tree.
It was better that she pretended they didn’t exist. I hoped like hell I would one day fade into obscurity in their eyes, too.
I feared Cain finding me, but I think, in some ways, I feared my mother more.
Cain was violence and hatred, I could deal and had dealt with that.
But my mother was vengeance and malice, and the fact that I had escaped would have made her incredibly mad.
I was out of her reach and dared to go against her, my husband, and the church.
If she found me, I had no idea what she’d do.
She wasn’t physically violent like my father or Cain, but she was vindictive and malevolent in ways far worse.
It was more like my father was her tool of physical punishment, but she was the whip, the knife, and the intent behind it all.
I pulled myself out of my dizzying thoughts, and refocused on Hazel and noticed her accumulating more chocolate chips.
“Hazel, that’s too much! You’ll get a stomachache, and your dads will get mad at me.” I pouted as she giggled.
“I was going to share them with you, see?” She moved her hand aside to show two small stacks of four chocolate buttons.
Tears welled in my eyes at this precious, caring child. She’d been through so much in her young life but was still so good. “Thank you, sweetheart. That was very nice of you. Let’s get these cookies in the oven so we can watch a movie while we wait.”
“Yes! We have to watch How to Train Your Dragon! It has real people and dragons! I love dragons.” She extracted herself from the step and bounced around the room.
Maybe she’d snuck more chocolate chips than I’d noticed.
Shaking my head, I set a timer for the cookies and followed the giggling ball of energy into the lounge room.