The Orchid (Colby Brock)

Aunt Marie (Chapter 84.)

"Hi Mary" I sighed sliding into the chair at the coffee shop. I had tried my best to look presentable but it was 9am on a Friday and I'd slept 1 hour in the past 48 hours. It was a wonder that I was still functioning.

"Look at you, you look like you haven't slept for days." She said, she was right though. I did look like a zombie.

"Yeah you get this when you set meetings for 9am." I replied gesturing to my dead looking face. Mary rolled her eyes at me but she had a small smile on her face.

"Anyway the painting." She began to blabber in about the personality of the owner and how certain shades would suit.

"Okay I've got an idea." I said speaking up after Mary presented the information needed. "What about a girl with her back to the viewer in a field with long hay type thing."

Mary thought for a second before taking the last sip of her coffee.

"Sketch it up tonight and send it through to me." She began to pack all her things up. "I've got to run, I have a client I'm meeting with at 11."

She checked her watch quickly and left without our saying goodbye. Typical Mary.

"Well goodbye to you too." I said sarcastically while leaning back in my chair and taking a refreshing gulp of my coffee that I'd been craving since forever.

I was enjoying my cup of coffee when a realisation hit me.

"Shit! It's Colby's birthday party!" I whispered harshly to myself. That meant there would be loads of people and I'd have to get him a present.

We were in the middle of an argument and now I have to show up to his house with a birthday gift because I decided to be a bitch in a grocery store. Great.

I quickly whipped out my phone and began typing.

Please don't tell me this is your birthday party?

I would rather do stand up comedy in front of a live audience than go to his birthday party.

It sure is

He replied within seconds, I let out a groan.

I didn't mean what I said on the phone though

Ping! My phone went off again

Then why'd you say it?

It's hard to explain

Then you have to come it's my birthday wish 😉

I shut my phone off and huffed, a piece of hair flying up from my huff.

I'd go. But only for a minute to find Colby make up some excuse on why I can't be there give him a present so I wouldn't feel bad and then leave.

I could probably get Noah to call and pretend there is an emergency.

I grabbed all of my gear and left the cozy little coffee shop. I had two things I needed to get before going home to paint, some paints and a present. Thankfully I knew exactly where to get both of those things.

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I sat sloshing yellow and slightly orange paints onto the canvas. I sent Mary a photo of the sketch I had drawn up and she thought it would suit the home very well.

I was wearing my navy blue button up men's shirt that had paint all over it and pyjama shorts. My shirt was so long it covered my shorts, I didn't mind though.

I could feel my hair falling out of its messy bun so I stuck the paintbrush in my mouth, like men in movies bite a rose while dancing and re-tied it. Of course this resulted in a big splotch of orange in my hair. I didn't mind though I'd have a shower soon.

I stepped back to have a look at my painting making sure all my background shades were correct and looking smooth but chunky like I like them. I was about to start back painting again when the doorbell rang. I sighed.

Everytime.

I put my paintbrush in my jar of water and pushed down my sleeves making sure to cover everything that needs to be covered.

I made my way to the door, heaving it open. The people on the other side were the last people I was expecting.

"Aunt Marie?! Uncle Jack?!" I said my eyes open in shock. "W-what are you two doing here?"

"See Jack look at her, she's covered in paint. If she can't look after herself how is she supposed to look after Noah." Was the greeting I got in return, Aunt Marie walking straight into the house without saying hi or why she was here.

Uncle Jack looked at me with said eyes and walked in after my asserted Aunt. As he walked past me he patted me on the shoulder and gave me a small smile.

"I'm sorry poppet," a nickname he used to call me when we spent a lot of time in Texas. "I tried to tell her I really did."

"Wha-" I trailed off following my uncle into my own apartment, leaving the front door open.

Aunt Marie paced from my living room to the kitchen. She was looking through my cupboards which only deepened my frown even more. I was so confused I didn't know what was happening.

"When was the last time you did groceries." She snapped.

Blunt bitch was the best way to describe my Aunt Marie. Noah and I both knew she married our Uncle for the money, that is all she cared about really.

"Uhh yesterday." I replied. As I watched her continue to inspect my apartment. My brows were furrowed as I was confused as to why they were even in LA. Aunt Marie took one last look around the apartment.

"I came here to take Noah. This apartment isn't fit for a child to live in and you are clearly not stable enough to look after Noah." The sentence nearly killed me. My mouth dropped and I searched my brain to find the words to fit back.

"No Noah needs me, I need Noah." I exclaimed. "Plus I called you and told you he wants to stay here."

"It's not healthy for him." Aunt Marie said back watching the tears rolling down my cheeks her lips were purses into a thin line.

"No." I shook my head. "You've never cared and now you only care because there is money in it for you."

It made sense Aunt Marie only cared about money and there was money involved with mums death.

"Oh you know that's not true." She said quickly and harshly.

"Really then why didn't you come and get me when I walked in on Mum twice trying to commit?! Why didn't you protect Noah when Mum went into a downward spiral after Dad's death?!" I argued back.

The room went silent for a minute. My Uncle kept his eyes on the ground it was clear he had no say in this what so ever.

"Noah is leaving and coming back to Texas with us tonight. This is non negotiable." She said, before pulling out her phone to make a phone call.

I felt numb all over again. Was there any point anymore?

Okay first off

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The next chapter will be the last chapter before the sequel soo be prepared for that and as always

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