Grayson Smith | ✔️

Chapter Twenty Three. The Heart Is A Hungry Wolf.

Edited.

Song for this chapter: Vancouver Sleep Clinic-Someone to stay.

I can't believe I just said that. What in the world was I possibly thinking? This is going to turn around and bite me on the ass, and Elizabeth will be the one biting. I don't know why I even said that. But, I had to think about Gabriela first, not myself.

This is probably the only time I will ever agree with Elizabeth, she was right when she said Gabriela needed a Mother in her life. I couldn't take that away from her, I would do everything it would take to be that Mother she needed but I knew deep down I couldn't be everything she needed. I was her sister, not her Mother.

''Rule number one'' I started, putting up my index finger, ''I want seventy five percent of all the money your making. Not just for myself, but for Jackson and Gabriela also. We need that money for food, the bill debt and new clothes''.

She nodded her head, her eyes filled with hope and still shown some glint of regret. That was something I hoped to see in her eyes for four more years.

''Rule two'' I began, ''You are not allowed around Gabriela until you are fully sober for at least two months. You are not allowed in the same room as her, you are not allowed talk to her and you definitely are not allowed to touch her'' I warned. My voice stern and strict to show her I was very serious about these rules.

''Rule three'' I sighed, ''I will not call you Mother, Gabriela does not have to either. That will be her choice to make. If she wants to, she will call you Elizabeth. You can not force her upon calling you something you don't deserve to be entitled''.

She took in a breath, her eyes concentrated on the wooden table in front of us almost like she was contemplating all of this. She looked back up at me, her eyes showing a glimmer of relief. ''Deal'' She said, her voice was hard to decipher. I couldn't tell if she were nervous or sad or relived. It was probably a jumble of all three.

''It wasn't something to be negotiated, those are the rules you have to follow, it wasn't a deal'' I sighed at her.

''Thank you, Libby'' She breathed out, I furrowed my brows at her, my forehead creased.

She didn't think I was doing this for her did she? No, no, no.

''I wasn't doing this for you. Believe me if I was thinking about myself, you wouldn't even be allowed to step foot into this house, you would be behind bars. I'm thinking about Gabriela, she needs a Mother. So don't you think I am doing this for...you. Because you would be the last person I would save if this house started to burn on fire, hell I might even leave you here'' I snapped, she flinched at my words and gulped loudly.

She looked down at her feet and nodded her head, not saying a single word. ''I think I better get going, work starts in twenty minutes'' She murmured, she pushed herself off the counter she was leaning against and briskly made her way beside me.

For the first time in a long time, she didn't smell like alcohol. It was refreshing to have her old scent back, but also brought so many bad memories back I wanted to erase from my mind, forever.

''I need you here tomorrow at five, Gabriela won't be here until eight. If you really want to step up to the plate again, you're going to have to prove it to me first. You haven't stayed here properly in roughly four years so you need some cleaning to catch up on'' I directed, my voice strict showing no sign of love. Because she took my love from her years ago and threw it into a blender on full blast.

''I'll be here'' She answered, her voice weak. ''And Libby'' She began as she turned around from the door, to face me.

I quirked my brow up at her as to say 'what', ''I'm sorry for everything I've done to you'' She finished, giving me a sad frown. I swallowed nothing in my throat and nodded my head before she left out the kitchen door.