Flames and Starlight

55🌘

Laura

I closed the door a little too hard. In the other room, I heard Belle begin to cry.

Alison groaned and got up. "I just got her to bed."

"I'll take care of her," Derek said and stood up. "You two need to talk." He left the room before we could say anything.

I crossed my arms over my chest and got right to the point. "Why were Ryan and Caroline here today?"

"Since when do you call them by their first names?"

"Since they disowned us and told us we weren't their children. Why were they here?" I asked again.

She glanced away for a moment before meeting my eyes again. "I invited them."

The news was like a slap to the face. "Why?"

"I wanted them to see Belle."

"Seriously, after they kicked you out for being pregnant?"

"They're her grandparents."

"They gave up those rights when they kicked you out."

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "What do you want me to do, Laura? Unlike you, I don't want to be mad at them forever."

I stiffened. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously. They're our parents, our only parents. Life's too short to hold onto grudges and cut people out of our lives. You of all people know that."

"Yeah, I do know that. Why do you think I started talking to you and Derek again? I would be willing to talk to our parents if they actually made an effort to make things right. They did not call us once after Caius attacked us or when Grandma died. They don't care about us. And after what they did, they need to be the ones to reach out and apologize. And when I saw them today, they sure as hell didn't look like they wanted to. We don't owe them anything."

A strange expression passed over her face and she suddenly couldn't meet my eyes anymore.

"What is it?" I demanded, a sinking feeling growing in my stomach.

"It's nothing," she said, but I knew she was lying.

"Tell me," I demanded.

She took a deep breath. "Please don't be mad."

"It's a little late for that, Ali."

An infuriatingly long silence passed between us. I felt like strangling her as frustration caused steam to blow out of my ears.

"They called Derek and me after Caius's attack."

If I thought her inviting them over was a slap in the face, then this little piece of news was a full-on kick in the stomach.

"They. . .did?" They called Ali and Derek, but they didn't call me?

"We didn't want to tell you 'cause we didn't want you to be upset," she said hastily.

"Did they even ask to speak to me or anything?"

She looked down. "They asked if you were okay. . ."

"But they didn't want to talk to me."

"No. . ."

I shook my head and turned away. "Of course."

Derek chose that moment to walk back in. I could still hear Belle crying in the next room. "Ali, she won't go back to sleep."

Alison groaned and rushed into her room.