Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

Chapter 121 - Police, Toorak

Adeline -

I feel like I've just walked up three grand palace staircases to just get to the front door.

I press the button on the intercom as I impatiently wait, shaking and still crying.

'Who is it?' I hear her ask through the speaker.

'It's me, now unlock the door. I'm freezing and wet' I snap, as I look up at the surveillance cameras by the door and glare.

'Hmm, me, freezing and wet. Well which are you? Me or freezing and wet?' Ashleigh asks, playing games with me. I sigh.

'Just open the door' I say.

'Yes ma'am' Ashleigh says back feistily, as she turns the intercom off. It takes her about 5 minutes but I soon hear her heels tapping near the front door as she opens it.

'Sorry, Scarlett isn't here today' she says, as I step in and take my wet jacket off, shaking it around.

'Adeline, sweetie. This is brand new carpet.' She says, completely ignoring the fact that I'm crying and looking all wet and miserable.

'I need to use your bathroom' I say, as I push past her and run up the stairs, choosing the huge second story bathroom. Truly will never understand how Angila and Scarlett afforded this mini Buckingham Palace.

'You came all the way here to use my bathroom?' Ashleigh asks, as she follows me up. I throw myself against the door as it clicks shut, locking myself in and keeping her out.

I slide down to the floor leaning against the door as I start breaking down again. It's just all too much right now, it truly is. And my stomach is doing backflips and I feel like I might throw up or pass out.

'Adeline, what are you doing in there?' Ashleigh asks, having no care for my privacy as always. She knocks on the door, before getting on her hands and knees and peeking underneath it. She tries to snag the bottom of my tee shirt with her long, slender fingers. I must add they're well manicured too.

'Go away, Ashleigh' I say, as I draw my knees up to my chin and engage in another panic attack. They've been hitting me constantly lately and I can't breathe anymore.

'Go away? This is my house and you just got here! What's wrong? Is it Charlie? I'm grabbing my baseball bat!' Ashleigh yells dramatically, as she steps away from the door.

'What the hell is going on, babe? Man steps out for two minutes to take a phone call and comes back to you emptying out one of the utility rooms!' I hear Ed exclaim.

'Charlie made Adeline cry' Ashleigh says.

'Give me the baseball bat' Ed orders.

'He needs to learn that you do not make my best friends cry!' Ashleigh wails, as Ed apparently makes a grab for the bat because she starts screaming at him to give it back.

One of them thump against the bathroom door in a wrestle, scaring the hell out of me. I put my hands through my hair and start pulling as the room caves in around me, and then I loudly scream for all of the east to hear.

'Adeline?' I hear Ashleigh ask.

'What's happening? Is she okay?' Ed asks.

'Does she sound okay? Go and get a knife from the kitchen and I'll break in' Ashleigh says.

'Which kitchen?' Ed asks.

'ANY!' Ashleigh yells incredulously, as she makes an attempt to get me to surrender. Never.

'Adeline, are you okay?' She asks.

'Stay away from me!' I yell, as tears rush down my face.

'No Adeline, I need to see that you're okay. Please open the door' Ashleigh says.