A Hunger to Share ( Book Two )

chapter 8

Ada

Jack was the one who noticed her first. His content face twisted into one of resentment, and cold rage. He let go of Nora's hand, put his coffee mug down, and stood up.

Nora looked up too, then put out her cigarette, and did the same, but at least she didn't look like she wanted to kill Ada on the spot. She looked surprised.

Or maybe Ada was reading her wrong. Maybe she wanted her dead as much as Jack.

Ada couldn't blame either of them, not after everything she'd done. She expected Jack to run towards her and punch her in the face or something, but he just stood on the front steps, Nora beside him, and stared at her with those cold, hazel eyes of his.

If looks could kill Ada would be incinerated by now. She wished one of them would say something. This was becoming too awkward.

A part of Ada wished she hadn't come back. This house still held too many bitter memories. She hadn't forgotten what her Father had done to her or how Maggie had died, but she was tired of running.

Ada missed her family, but she wasn't sure if they felt the same. As much as she wanted to stay, if they told her to go, she would leave. She didn't want to be a burden, to stay somewhere she didn't belong.

Ada stopped walking when she reached the steps, unsure of how to break the ice. She cleared her throat, then cleared it one more time. Nothing came out. She was drenched in cold sweat, and wanted so badly to crawl in a hole, and stay there forever.

Ada was reminded of the time she'd kissed her first girlfriend back in highschool. But her current situation was much, much worse. Ada wasn't just nervous. She felt guilty, and ashamed, so much that she was being crushed beneath the unberable weight of it.

"What are you doing here?" Nora finaly spoke, her voice cold, eyes indifferent.

Ada wetted her lips. "I...I don't want to run anymore."

Nora frowned, arms crossed in front of her. "Why not?"

"I'm tired... I miss you Nora, and Mom, even Dad. I just...I just wanna come back home... If you let me."

"I see." Nora descended the steps, and stood in front of her sister.

Ada looked at Nora's hands, waiting for a slap, or a punch, but Nora surprised her with a tight hug. "If you leave again, I'll kill you myself." She whispered into her hair.

"I won't." Ada promised, and hugged har back, hiding her face in the crook of her older sister's neck.

"Mom's in the library." Nora told her after she drew back.

"I ll go to her after I talk to Jack."

"Ok." Nora gave her a confused look.

"Alone, if you don't mind."

"Right." She smiled hesitantly at Ada and walked back up the steps, exchanging a look with Jack.

He nodded, and looked at Ada, leaning against the stone wall of the manor. "I didn't think you'd ever come back."

"Me neither." Ada confessed.

"What do you want?"

"To apologize..."

"You can't fix what you did to my brother with an apology."