Breaking Me Slowly

Eight

I wake up the following morning feeling like I’m on cloud nine. The sun breaks through the curtains, lighting up the entire room. I grab one of the many pillows littering the bed and cover my face to block the sun. I’m trying to hold onto any extra moments of bliss.

I allow myself a few extra moments of just that before removing the pillow and sitting up. A quick two-minute stretch, then I’m out of bed. I head downstairs, hoping Grayson was already awake. Instead of Grayson, I find Isabel and Jensen. Laughing.

“Morning,” Jensen manages to say between fits of laughter.

Isabel clutches her stomach. She tries to say good morning but can only manage a smile and a nod of acknowledgement.  

“Good morning, guys.” I give them a quizzical look. “Are you even breathing?” They laugh hysterically. I wait for them to calm down before asking them what that was about.

“We were just remembering a funny story when me and my family went to visit the Delgado’s a few years back,” Jensen explains.

Isabel points a thumb at Jensen. “He fell into one of the fountains back home,” she says. “Quite a sight.” I chuckle at the image of Jensen tumbling into a water fountain.

I grab a mug from one of the cupboards and pour myself a cup of coffee. I lean back against the counter, bringing the coffee to my lips.

“Whoa, look at that rock!” Jensen shouts.

I look at my left hand, feeling a blush creep upon my cheeks. “Oh, yeah,” I mumble, taking a sip of coffee. My gaze flickers to Isabel and I swear I see a look of envy on her face, but it’s gone in a flash.

“He made it official.”

I take another sip and nod. “That, he did.”

As if on cue, Grayson strides into the kitchen. He sees me and smiles. He doesn’t hesitate to kiss the side of my head and mumble a good morning in my ear. He turns to everyone else and gives them a simple “morning”.

“Are we not good enough to get a full greeting?” Jensen asks as if he’s appalled. Grayson gives him a look. “What, I’m just curious.”

“Please tell me breakfast is almost ready,” Vern says, walking into the kitchen. Everyone looks at her. “What?”

Jensen smirks. “Eden’s out running errands. Looks like you’ll have to cook yourself breakfast.”  

“Ha, ha.” She gives him the finger. “Cereal it is.” She shuffles through the cupboards.

“What’s in the air? Everyone is acting so mean this morning,” Jensen complains.

“I don’t think it’s anything in the air,” Isabel clarifies with a smirk.

He narrows his eyes at her. “Whose side are you on?”

She shakes her head. “Not picking sides.”

My gaze kept flickering back and forth between the two as they talked. They seemed to really enjoy each other’s company. And all I could think about was Sydney.

“What the plan for today?” Vern asks, settling into a dining chair. She looks at Grayson expectantly.

“Right,” he says. “The ‘rents are hanging out today so it’s basically a free day.”

“A whole free day?” Jensen questions.

“That’s what I said.”

“How long do I have to get ready?” Vern inquires.

Grayson looks at his watch. “About an hour and a half.”

“And where are we going?”

“The art museum.”

“Museum,” Jensen whines.

Vern turns to Jensen. “What, your little brain can’t handle it?” she mocks using her best impression of a baby’s voice.

He glares at her. “My brain is just fine.”

She gives him a haughty grin. “If you say so…”

Grayson and I were following—a good distance—behind Jensen and Isabel who were talking and walking together when Vern throws an arm around the both of us.

“So, this is fun,” she says with a sarcastic tone.

“Isabel likes art,” Grayson replies.

“What about the rest of us?”

“What about you?”

She scoffs. “You didn’t think to ask if we enjoyed this sort of thing?”

He shrugs. “I figured you would survive through it once you found out about desert afterwards.”

One of her brow’s peaks. “I’m listening.”

He chuckles and walks ahead. Vern keeps her arm locked around my neck. Her gaze lands on me.

“Don’t look at me,” I say. “I had no idea about desert.”

She narrows her eyes for a moment. Then, she smiles. “Grayson doesn’t tell anyone, anything.” We come to a stop at a painting. “A bit gruesome, don’t ya think?”

I’m at a loss for words. All I can do is nod and stare at the painting ahead of me. it was an angel standing on top of beast he had just killed. The angel was wearing a sadistic smile. And if I remembered correctly, the angel was supposed to represent good but something about this particular angel didn’t feel good.

Isabel’s shriek of laughter pulls me away from the painting. I look over to see her hand resting on Grayson’s arm as she tries to suppress her laughter. She quickly removes it when she notices that everyone in the exhibit is looking at her.

“Did you see that?” Vern asks, leaning in closer.

“Isabel laugh?” I question.

“No, her hand. On Grayson’s arm.”

“Oh. That.”

“Yes, that,” she fumes. “If I were you, I’d tell her to keep her paws off.”

I gave her a look. “Was that a joke?”

Vern rolls her eyes. “You get what I’m trying to say.”

“Yeah, I don’t think Violence is the answer.”

“I think in this case, it is.”

“She just touched him. I’m not going to start a fight over something so small and stupid.”

Vern crosses her arms, glaring at Isabel from across the room. “That’s how it starts. Little gestures and then before you know it”—she snaps her fingers— “she’s got him.”

“I think you’re over exaggerating.”

“Just wait and see.”

Vern and I make our way back to the rest of the group. Grayson links his hand in mine as we walk down one of the halls on the way to the next exhibit.

“Having fun?” he asks me.

“I am,” I say with a smile. “I’m even more excited for dessert.” He chuckles. “There is dessert, right?”

He nods. “Ice cream.”

“You know the way to my heart.”

Sydney’s face flashes through my mind.

Grayson notices. “What’s wrong?” he asks, looking around the room in a slight panic. “Are you getting a vision?”

I shake my head. “I’m just thinking about Syd.”

“I know it’s hard, but it’s for the best.”

“Is it?” The question slips out. I can’t decipher the look on his face. “I didn’t mean— I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. You’re entitled to your own opinion.”

Grayson and I didn’t say very much to each other after that.

Getting ice cream went smoother. Grayson and I still didn’t say much to each other but that was alright since I was sandwiched between him and Vern, who was talking my ear off.

It did bother me when Isabel took the seat on Grayson’s other side. I tried not to think too much into it. Isabel didn’t touch Grayson for the rest of the day.

The drive home was much better. All I could think about was taking a nap before dinner, but as soon as we stepped into the house, a dreadful feeling settled over me. We make our way down the hall to the sitting room.

Grayson grew rigid as we approached the room. He had caught an unfamiliar scent. I stood up straight, prepared for whatever or whoever was in the room.

“Kids, you’re back!” Rebecca exclaims upon our entrance. And then I noticed the person sitting in between her and Nydia on the couch. “We have a surprise guest tonight.”

It’s Madeline.

Her gaze settles on me the longest. “Good evening,” she says with an easy smile.

I was really getting tired of surprises.