An Accidental Murder

Chapter 21

Before long, it had gotten pretty late so Ryan eventually went home and my mother and father went up to bed. I lingered downstairs cleaning up and relishing over once again being in solitude. This sucked...everything about this was miserable, I thought haphazardly throwing away garbage from across the kitchen and clanging dishes together as I loaded the dishwasher.

I spent the last few hours before going to bed pondering how I would avoid spending the entire day with my parents, but dreading the truth that there was no escape even if I pretended to be sick.

But, it didn't stop me from trying...

The next morning when I woke up, I could hear my parents cheerfully bantering back and forth with each other. I lingered in bed trying to gather the will that I needed to face them. Listening to them downstairs wasn't helping, because they sounded so happy and teen-like, almost as if they were new lovebirds and not a couple that had been married for almost twenty-five years. It hurt my heart a little bit because I felt like that should be me, but instead, I'd spent the last week of my life a miserable wreck, unable to laugh much about anything.

After about thirty minutes laying there in my bed, staring at the ceiling, I eventually conjured up the resolve to head downstairs into the living room where I curled up under a throw blanket in the corner of the couch.

"Hey baby girl," my dad said, entering the room in his plaid pajama pants. "How're you doing this morning? I didn't hear you come down."

"I'm okay," I told him quietly, "just feeling a little chilled. I think I may be getting sick or something."

He stood up and opened up the chest of wood we kept in the corner."It is a little brisk out there this morning. Let me start a fire for ya."

"No, dad, you don't have to do that. I'm fine just snuggling under a blanket."

"Ah, not to worry darling, your mother was complaining of being equally chilled I'm sure. I'll just pretend I'm making it for her if you really don't want to me to start one for you."

He walked back and forth to the fireplace and the padded soles of his feet pitter pattering on the tile made me smile a little.

"What about breakfast?" He asked, bending down in front of my face and placing his hand on my head. " You want me to make you some breakfast? I could do some eggs on toast or an omelet, whatever you want..."

"Sure dad, but only if you're cooking already. I really don't want to make you do anything extra. It's perfectly okay if you decide you just want to relax. I could make you something, if you want."

"Oh no," he chuckled, softly. "I've been away from my angel too much lately. I will gladly make you breakfast." He stood up to leave after asking if I'd like some tea or cappuccino as well which I happily obliged.

It made me feel terrible inside, knowing how nice he was being to me and how loving he was and how much hurt I would cause him if he ever found out the heinous thing his daughter was capable of doing...his precious Amber Reign. Oh daddy, I pouted to myself, a single tear escaping my eye. I'm so sorry for not being the daughter you raised me to be.

I was on the verge of breaking down, but when I heard my mother coming into the room, I quickly wiped my face dry and turned to face her. She looked at me with a concerned expression.

"Morning sunshine, you okay?"

"Yeah, mom," I sighed, curling up even more into the little crevice of the couch I'd made my temporary home.

"Well can I join you under your blanket?" she asked. It's freezing cold out here!"

"Of course," I told her, opening up the blanket so she could get in.

She joined me under the warmth of the throw and I leaned into her chest like an injured baby seeking comfort. She wrapped her arms around me the way she used to when I was a little girl and kissed the top of my head. "You're not my little angel anymore, Amber, but I love you more than anything," she said. "I miss you so much when we're away."

In that moment I chose not to speak for fear that the very contents of my soul would come spewing out of my mouth and I wouldn't be able to stop them. I wanted my mother to stay with me and hold onto me forever, but I anxiously anticipated my parents departure so that I could go on being miserable by myself. In my mind I imagined telling my parents about everything, but my visions of how that would go were never good and I obviously thought better of it.

Everything I had done in my life up to this point was done to make my parents proud. I had excelled at doing just that until this year. If my parents found out what I'd done, they would be devastated, probably disown me so they wouldn't have to claim their evil lineage.

All the things my parents had worked for to provide me with an incredible home, no mansion, and all of the luxuries life could afford, ballet, jazz, and tap classes, piano lessons, gymnastics, trips to Europe, France, Greece, Australia, Japan. They were well known almost everywhere we travelled to and they had prided themselves on their pristine reputation - all so their only heir could ruin it all in one night.