Don't Hide From Me, Please? |✔

Chapter 10| White Dress

I bake the cookies, pies, and whatever dessert anyone wants. I don't cook not one bit but I do bake. I'm an expert baker. I love the smell of baking cookies. This year I'm baking peanut butter cookies with Hershey kisses, oatmeal raisin cookies, and my most infamous chocolate chip cookies. That's only the cookies. It's Thanksgiving! Mom, Aaron, and I love Thanksgiving because how often do you get a day, where you can eat everything and anything you want? Once a year, duh. 

We go all out even though it's just the three of us. Eat and clean. Then eat leftovers while watching a movie. This year we have the Peterson's over. It's just Zayn and his mom. Of course, he was an only child. He gets everything! Mom and Valery place the food on the table as I pull out the last batch of cookies. The pies are already finished I just had to finish up the cookies.

Zayn and Aaron are outside jumping on the trampoline. I don't know but I'm brother has changed. He smiles a more. He still gets nightmares but I know that'll end soon again. "Hey! Dinners done!" I holler loudly. The boys look at me and they roll off the trampoline. Aaron smiles ready to eat. Zayn holds the door for me to go in. "You sound like my mom." He mutters under his breath.

 I punch him in the chest. He groans feeling the air come out of his lungs. I laugh walking over to the dinner table. Mom bows her head grabbing Valery's hand. Everyone holds hands and we look down. Mom begins her pray. I'm not a religious person. I don't have a religion. I believe there is a God but I don't know what they could look like because we have no proof. We have no proof that God has the all might power.

If rather not get into the subject. I dislike talking about religion. I get angry and I yell. The same thing goes with politics. "Amen." Mom says and we repeat her. We begin to eat our delicious feast. So, good. I love it. We only get one day put of the whole to binge eat until we throw up. So, I'm going to eat until I pass out. Aurora is at her mom’s beach house for the Thanksgiving break. She’s been telling me all about it.

We all shove the delicious food down our throats. We are eating like it’s our last meal. Zayn is sitting in front of me having pleasure engulf his attractive race. I take a big drink of red wine. Mom only lets me drink wine on Thanksgiving.   “Everyone must be hungry, no one is talking.” Mom says with a slight smile. Zayn smiles his goofy smile with his mouth full of food. I spit the wine out laughing my face turning red in return.

All my spit with wine splashes onto Zayn. My eyes widen. Zayn’s eyes fill with shock and unsure how to react to what just happened. Everyone falls silent. I begin laughing again. Mom, Aaron, and Valery start to laugh with me. My stomach begins to ache but I love the feeling. Zayn stares at me as his cheeks glow a light pink. I calm down giving him a flashy smile. I stand up walking over to the dish towel.

I throw the towel and Zayn catches it. The home phones begin to ring. I run into the living room grabbing it off the coffee table.

“Hello?” I ask.

“Hi, my name is Dane the officer who worked on you and your brother’s case five years ago.” Dane replies.

“Oh hello. What can I help you for?” I ask glancing at Mom.

“Your mother just killed Brandon Grant.” He says with a hoarse tone.

My heart stops mid beat. My throat closes and a lump forms. I slowly hang up the phone. “Honey, who was that?” Mom asks. I turn to her having a blank terrified look on my face. “Mom just killed Brandon in prison.” I barely make my voice audible. Aaron’s eyes widen and Mom stands up. Zayn and his mom share a confused glance. Thanksgiving just ended for everyone.

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We finished our meal in awkward silence. No more laughing. No more smiles. Just no more. I couldn’t look up from my plate. I know what comes next. Mom takes Valery into the other room along with the phone. I’m not sure if I want to go.  Zayn kindly helps me with the dishes. After we finish I climb the stairs to my room. I hear Zayn following behind me. Mom and Valery were still in the other room. She was probably explaining everything.