Capable Of Murder...But Not Love

CHAPTER 10

"So what happened?" were the first words that came out of my mother's mouth not even two seconds after I stepped foot into the house.

"Sorry Steph. But you know I can't discuss the case. Lawyer-client confidentiality." Robert replies nonchalantly walking in behind me.

At the sound of the front door slamming shut- almost immediately I could hear the sound of Arabella's infectious squeals and rapidly approaching footsteps.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Robert crouch down-to the floor. His arms opened wide as the smile on his face seemed to grow bigger and bigger as the footsteps grew closer.

"DADDY!" Arabella screamed running into his arms-burying her head into his neck.

"Hey pickle." Robert says lovingly, leaning his head back slightly to give her a proper kiss on her forehead before standing at his full height once more.

Looking between the two, I stared down at Arabella as she clung onto Robert's leg with a smile that never once left her face.

And as I watched the two of them together-I felt my heart burn as I thought about my own childhood.

I could only recall Patrick hugging me once. And that was only because we were at a photoshoot and the photographer for the town's local newspaper wanted a "perfect" picture showcasing 'The Goodmans as Woodpines perfect family'...or so the title of the article had read.

"Robert." I heard my mother call out from behind me, and in the hopes of giving myself something to think about other than Patrick, I swiftly turn towards her, "Robert-please." she whined, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout.

Seeing this, I stood there in shock, completely frozen in place. In all of my seventeen years of life never have I seen my mother pout...like an actual child. It was quite weird and unnerving to say the least.

Turning my shocked gaze to Robert, I watch as he merely rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt before turning his gaze to my pouting mother. I watched intensely as he gave her an affectionate smile before playfully rolling his eyes and hanging his blazer carelessly on the coatrack by the front door.

I stare between the two of them in both suspicion and amusement. It was obvious to a blind person that these two had something going on. They could try to hide or downplay whatever it is they have going on but I'm not an idiot.

My concept and understanding towards all things related to love and affection may be fucked up but that didn't qualify me to be some braindead idiot. Something was obviously going on between the two of them. To what extent, I didn't know...but I planned too.

"You'll be fine." he said walking past mother, throwing a giggling Arabella over his shoulder before walking down the long hallway towards the back of the house.

"Jerk!" mother called after him, a smile in her voice.

"Love ya too." he called back-not missing a beat.

Taking the opportunity while mother's back was turned I quietly made my way towards the stairs.

Tiptoeing, I was almost at the top of the stairs and could just hear my bed calling out to me as a wave of tiredness took over my entire body. Even after sleeping for three days-to which I was practically comatose, my body still hadn't fully adjusted to the time zone difference yet.

I was half way up the staircase when I stepped on a creaky step. Closing my eyes, I wished that the obnoxious squeak fell on deaf ears, but that wish was short lived by the sound of my mother's voice filling my ears.

"Cree. Where are you doing?" she questions.

Turning around, I hitched my thumb behind me-silently hoping that she would understood what I was trying to say.