Velvet Walls

Chap.8, Distraction.

After Breanah and I had both gotten ready for bed, we decided to watch a movie in one of the basement's living rooms. We're not even 30 minutes in, when I get a text from Eve.

"Are you busy?"

"No, why?"

"Can we call? Now?" 

A pit of worry forms in my stomach. It's late, what could be so urgent? The pit in my stomach grows when I realize St Louis is two hours ahead of us. It's even later there. Eve wouldn't ask me to call if it wasn't serious. 

Breanah notices my worried expression. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, I have to go call my sister." 

"It's fine, is everything okay?" 

"I hope so."

I walk down the hall to my room, shutting the door behind me. I call Eve, and she picks up immediately.

"...Viola?"

Immediately I'm filled with concern. It's obvious from the shakiness of her voice that she's been crying.

"What's wrong? What happened?" 

She sniffles, and I realize I probably don't even have to ask.

"They're fighting again, aren't they?"

"Mhm. I'm sorry I called you late. I just had to hear your voice. I couldn't stand to listen to the yelling anymore..." 

Her voice is quivering, like she's about to cry again. I quickly try and divert the topic from the subject of our parents.

"Hey, shh...that's okay. I'd be glad to be your distraction anytime. In fact, I've got a story for you."

I continue to distract her by telling her all about Breanah, and the tale of tonight's eventful Uno game. That seems to cheer her up enough to elicit a laugh. Eventually Eve hangs up and goes to bed. I should probably go back out to Breanah, I feel bad for ditching her. But I'm so livid I don't think I could face another person right now. He promised. He promised he wouldn't do this. I honestly don't know what's worse. That he broke the promise, or I was stupid enough to believe that he wouldn't. I seriously contemplate leaving on the first flight back home tomorrow morning. It's not a realistic thought, but I'm far too outraged for rational thinking right now. Maybe this was a mistake. I shouldn't have even come here to begin with. I take a deep breath.

Okay. It's okay. It was one time, right? One slip-up. Maybe he thought that Eve had gone to bed already. Yeah, that was probably it. After all, I did tell him to at least try and keep to fighting to when she wouldn't hear. He probably just didn't expect her to still be awake. That has to be it, right? Surely...surely, things won't go back to the way they were. Surely Eve will be fine, and she won't have to wish I was there to protect her. 

Eve will be fine.

I take one last deep breath, before going back out into the basement. Breanah's waiting for me on the couch, the movie's almost over.

"Sorry about that." 

"Is she alright?"

"Oh, yeah. She's alright. Our parents were just fighting, and she was scared." 

"Does...that happen often?"

I pause, Breanah and I had become pretty good friends. Well, really good friends after tonight. But she didn't know much about my life before moving here yet. 

I explain to her my family's situation, sparing her the details that I even I haven't come to terms with myself. By the end, she places a comforting hand on mine. Between her thick black curly hair thrown into a bun, and her matching silk pajama set, she reminds me of the cool aunt you go to when you need advice. You know, the kind you see in rom coms. I relax a little, her presence comforts me enough to get me to stop worrying about Eve.