Stone of Destiny(9)

I started down the stairs just in time to hear Jeff and Ethan’s mother, Joanne, talking to Gram.

“Thank you for inviting us, dinner smells wonderful. I wish you would have let me bring something.”

Gram made a sound of exasperation and I could see her waving her hand at Joanne. “I’m just glad you could come last minute. Elizabeth will be so glad to see you.”

Not only was Ethan’s brother engaged to my cousin, but his mother was also my mother’s lifelong best friend. In Stoneville everyone knew everyone.

Joanne saw me over my grandmother’s shoulder and her face lit up. After she hugged me, she held me by the tops of my arms and met my eyes. “How are you, sweetie?”

“I’m doing great, keeping busy,” I said, eyes roaming into the living room to see who else was here.

“He’s not here,” Joanne whispered in my ear. “He wouldn’t tell me why, just that he couldn’t come tonight.”

I pulled back my shoulders and plastered on a smile. Trying not to sound too disappointed, I made small talk as we entered the living room. My grandparents and aunt and uncle all listened as Nicole told the story of Jeff proposing. Again. Jeff sat on the couch next to my mother, rolling his eyes and pointing his thumb at Nicole affectionately when he saw me.

After everyone was done eating, I jumped up and hurried into the kitchen to start on the dishes.

As I filled the sink with soapy water, Nicole came in and leaned against the counter next to me. I smiled half-heartedly without meeting her eyes.

“Have you been avoiding me?” She asked, reaching in front of me to shut off the water.

“Of course not. I don’t know why you would even say that.” But I still couldn’t look at her.

“Whatever is going on between you and Ethan, don’t let it come between us.” She sighed. “He won’t talk to me or even Jeff about it. You don’t have to tell me what happened, but don’t shut me out, okay?”

I gripped the edge of the counter and finally met her gaze. Her eyes were so sad my heart sank.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, touching her arm. She nodded, and her lower lip trembled a little.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just hard to be around Ethan right now. But it’s even harder seeing that he’s not here and thinking it’s because of me.”

Nicole sniffed and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry this is hard for you. I really miss you.”

“I miss you too,” I said. It was true. Nicole had been the only friend I’d ever really had. She’d always tried to include me in her plans, even when we were little girls, but I’d always been happier when it was just me and her.

“Are you coming to the engagement party?” she asked.

I cringed inside, but kept my voice light as I ruffled her blonde hair. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”



The school bus pulls up in front of the house. Three little girls pile out of the open doors. The first one, the one with a blonde bob, is Nicole. She is pulling on a taller girl’s hand. The tall girl, Tina Donnelly, looks over her shoulder at the last girl and smiles, her two front teeth missing. The third girl with the light brown braids is me. I return her smile, but look away shyly. Aunt Jessie is sitting on my front porch with my mom, waiting for us. They look so much alike, except Aunt Jessie is smiling and waving at us and my mother is staring at her hands in her lap.

I bite my lip and hesitate at the bottom of the stairs. This is the first time I’ve had a friend from school over. Nicole is so excited to have another girl to play tea party with and I don’t want to ruin this for her because I’m nervous.

They follow me up to my bedroom where I proudly show them my white table and chairs with a perfectly displayed rose tea set.

We play and laugh and I become more comfortable with Tina. She’s so nice and she really likes my toys.

Nicole announces that we need to get snacks for our tea party and I follow them down to the kitchen, caught up in the flurry of little girl giggles.

Aunt Jessie sits next to my mother on the couch and when we come bustling into the kitchen, my mother’s eyes dart over to where the three of us stand. She jumps up off the couch and starts rubbing her hands over her face and shaking her head. I freeze when she begins mumbling about a castle and Liam and needing to get inside the door. Most of what she says doesn’t make sense at all. I look over at Tina, her eyes wide and chewing her bottom lip.

It wasn’t even light out when I woke up. I’d tossed and turned, remembering the first and last playdate I’d ever had. Aunt Jessie had sent us back up to my room so she could calm my mother down. Tina wouldn’t talk to me or Nicole, she just kept saying she wanted to go home.