Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 94313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“We got time to figure all that out,” Otto murmured.
“If you’ve got all your stuff back,” I said softly, grasping at straws. “Can’t you just bring me back home? I won’t use the phone.”
I was tired and uncomfortable and I needed some familiarity around me to try and work things out in my head. The cabin wasn’t my first choice in a home, but it was my home and I felt a little desperate to get back there to my fireplace and my plaid couch and the wood I still needed to split and the wonderfully consistent meal schedule. Once I was there, I could hopefully make sense of what was happening.
Otto’s eyes darkened as he scowled. “You’re not goin’ back there.”
“But you guys said that everything was taken care of—”
“You’re not steppin’ foot back in that place, Esther,” he snapped, his hands dropping away from my face. “It was fuckin’ wired to blow.”
My cheeks felt cold once his hands were gone.
“Why are you angry at me?” I asked, the strain of the morning finally showing in my voice. I’d been pleasant and accommodating and everything I’d been raised to be, especially in regard to men. I’d answered their questions and helped them and let Otto drag me into town. I’d kept my voice even and my tone easy.
But this was infuriating.
“That cabin doesn’t have electricity,” Otto barked, his voice growing louder.
“Lots of people don’t have electricity,” I pointed out, widening my eyes at him. “You get used to it.”
“Like hell you do.”
“That’s where I live, Otto. It’s my home!” He stood up and I followed him, jumping to my feet. I hadn’t raised my voice, but I could feel it quivering with disbelief and anger. “You don’t get to just—”
“I sure as fuck do.”
“Don’t talk to me like that,” I hissed, glancing over at the men who were watching us from across the room.
“You’re not goin’ back to that piece of shit cabin, Esther,” he said flatly, glaring at me. “End of story.”
“No, not end of story,” I argued.
I was frustrated and angry and so overwhelmed, but a small part inside of me reveled in the fact that I was sticking up for myself. It felt good. Another part, one I wouldn’t even acknowledge, was so relieved that I wouldn’t be going back to that place in the woods, that I could’ve cried.
“You like shittin’ in a hole in the ground?” he roared, flinging aside the chair between us. “That fun for you?”
My cheeks burned in embarrassment and that small bubble of good disappeared but I refused to look at our audience again.
“Do you like making other people feel bad about themselves?” I said quietly, my eyes burning. “That fun for you?”
“Esther,” he murmured apologetically, his shoulders immediately slumping in regret.
“It might not be the best place to live,” I admitted quietly. “But I made do. I made it work. I made a home for myself.”
“I know you did,” he replied, nodding. “I saw that.”
All of a sudden I felt so incredibly tired. I dropped back down into my seat.
“I’ve got a place,” he said, crouching down in front of me so we were eye to eye. “It’s not anythin’ fancy, yeah? But it’s better than where you were. You can stay with me.”
“I can’t live with you.” The idea of it was so outside the realm of reality that I shouldn’t have been surprised after the morning I’d had, but it still shocked me. “I barely know you.”
“We’re havin’ a baby.”
I opened my mouth to ask what that had to do with anything when I was distracted by a couple of women, loudly and unapologetically coming in the front door like they owned the place.
“Shit,” Otto mumbled under his breath.
“Otto,” the younger woman said breezily as she strode toward us. “Introduce me, honey.”
“Mom,” he replied cautiously, rising to his full height. “What are you doin’ here?”
“Your dad called me, obviously,” she said, smiling down at me. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hello,” I murmured.
She was amazing. Her makeup was flawless, black liner coming to sharp points at the corners of her eyes, and her hair was a vivid purple that somehow didn’t seem too young for her. She was wearing a baggy hoodie with some kind of skull emblem and a pair of wide-legged jeans, but somehow didn’t look sloppy. What was most striking about her was the way she held herself, head up, eyes blazing in a dare to anyone who messed with her. I’d never seen anyone like her—not close up, at least.
“Mom, this is Esther,” Otto said with a sigh. “Esther, my mom, Heather.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said politely, getting to my feet.
“Oh,” she sighed, her eyes lighting up as she reached out a hand, almost touching my belly, but not quite. “Congratulations.”
My nose stung at the heartfelt word. It was the first time someone other than me had looked at my belly and felt joy at the sight. I hadn’t even realized that the lack had bothered me, I’d just expected the condemnation.