A Sacred Place

Chapter 7 - Comming Clean

Emma's P.O.V

The tension was thick in the air as I glanced around at my family's faces. Sera had her head down, anger and regret washing off her. Mother looked pained and worried but Glen... He looked scary. His once warm brown eyes were dark almost black as he scowled focusing on the road. Why they were so upset I did not know, maybe Sera's anger had upset everyone? No, mother and Sera fought all the time and never were like this after.

"What's wrong?"

My voice broke the tension as both Sera and mum looked at me, Glen did not take his eyes off the road.

"Sera... maybe it's time to..."

Mother's voice was soft but pleading. I looked at my sister expectantly, she never kept anything from me.

"No"

Sera almost barked anger seething from her. Quickly she looked back down at her hands and I knew she was hiding something. I was taken aback for a moment as the realization of a secret hit me.

"What are you hiding?"

I tried my best to mask the hurt I felt. Why would she not trust me? My tone shook slightly giving me away. Sera gazed at me, her anger softened. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it obviously changing her mind.

"What is it?"

I asked again, anger, as I had never felt, filled me. I clenched my teeth and maintained eye contact. Sera's eyes widened at my tone, surprised as much as I was at my anger.

"We will talk about this later girls"

Glen chimed in his tone stern and alert. I wanted to know now but I would wait. There was nowhere she could run off to. Honestly, I was really hurt that she was keeping something from me. We arrived at a hotel, all of us opened the car doors at once. Sera slammed her side close quickly and walked forward, seeing the look of relief on her face angered me more. She had thought that was the end of it. I had always told her the truth, even when I knew it would be kinder not to. We promised each other as kids that we would never keep anything secret like mother's, secrets were essentially kind lies and would always lead to pain. I looked towards mother as she opened the boot to collect our bags,

"Mother, what is it?"

A part of me knew she would not tell me but I hoped she would. She looked at me with a soft smile,

"Little one come help me with the bags, Sera will tell you in time",

I helped begrudgingly as Sera and Glen went inside the hotel to check-in. Looking at the quant building my anger faded for a moment, it was larger than our home as it sat 4 stories high however was not nearly as high as the other buildings I had seen on our way here. I loved the look of all the darkened windows, some floors having small decks with chairs and one had pot plants. I imagined what life would be like living in a building like this. Having all sorts of people coming and going, all the noise, music, and adventures. As much as I appreciated having a home and the beauty of the forest I would be lying if I didn't admit how ecstatic I was leaving. My favorite times growing up were when we would go into town, meeting all the different types of people, and learning about their lives was like reading to me. It was both amazing and thrilling. I couldn't imagine how fantastic it would be to live someplace like this hotel. As mum and I entered the front doors I gasped at the sights, it was a large foyer, a flowing red carpet lead from the door to the front counter, with many lounges and pot plants along it. I could see the elevator that would take us to the other floors to the left side of the desk and a sign on the right read 'pool this way'. I hoped I would get the chance to swim in it, I wondered if it would be like the pond back home.