2.0 The Chronicles of Us - Shame & Blame

Chapter nine

*♡  Ellie ♡*

Did I bring everything?

I shuffle through the grocery bag to make sure the berries didn't get smooched by the carton of milk. They seem fine. The baguette broke in half though. Well, I'm sure it will fulfill its purpose just fine. I walk up my parents' driveway. What's that? It looks like someone kicked over Mr. Happy the always smiling garden gnome. How rude. I put him upright again.

Once inside the house, I sense a presence. A vibe, if you will. Is Mom still home? She asked me to do the groceries because she had a church emergency, whatever that may be. 

"Mom?"

"It's me."

I shriek and drop my groceries. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

David watches me while I pick up the oranges and apples that rolled from the paper bag. "Your mother let me in on her way out. She said you'd be back from Murphy's Market soon."

Not cool, Mom.

She obviously meant no harm, but she should've called me instead of letting him surprise me like this. "Okay, so any reason you're here?"

He follows me into the kitchen when I walk past him. "You've been unreachable since you returned to Faroaks. It's disrespectful, to say the least."

Really?

I have no headspace for his grievances. As far as I'm concerned, we closed our book months ago. With my back to him, I keep busy putting away the groceries. "I have nothing to say to you."

He turns me around, gripping me a little too hard by the upper arm. "Well, I have something to say. Don't you think you owe me a decent conversation?"

Do I? How ever much I've grown to dislike him, I did break a promise. I sigh and say, "Fine, say what you must."

Uncharacteristically, he bows his head. "I've given my behavior a lot of thought and, in retrospect, I may have been a tad too possessive of you. It's just that I really needed you."

Understatement much? "It's okay, it doesn't matter anymore."

He smiles, self-assured. "Good, because I'm willing to take you back. That is, if you kept yourself pure."

I sincerely hope he's asking me if I washed myself behind the ears because anything else is completely out of line. "Excuse me?"

"Don't behave like a child, Elizabeth. You heard me."

The hairs on my neck spring up. "I heard you fine. I'm just wondering why you think I would share my bedroom stories with you."

His jaw tightens, spite in his eyes. "Are you saying that you let that degenerate lie with you the way a woman should only lie with her husband?"

My cheeks flush hot with memories of passion. Does he really think I stayed a virgin? What a ridiculous idea. As if Tex and I did Sudoku puzzles in bed and then bid each other good night with a peck on the cheek. Even if that were the case ... "That's none of your business."