𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡| 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗋𝖺𝖽 𝖿𝗂𝗌𝗁𝖾𝗋

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

( 𝗂'𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗒𝗈𝗎 )

MARGARET WALKED THROUGH THE doors, saying a quick Hi to Susannah, Belly and Laurel who were all in the kitchen. She was about to leave the kitchen when she was pulled into conversation.

"Right, Margaret" Susannah said. Margaret looked over her shoulder and walked to the counter, standing next to a dripping wet Belly. "Belly looks nothing like your dad"

"She's right" Margaret said with a nod, shaking one of the chips from the blue bowl on the countertop. "I look more like dad" Margaret pointed out.

Belly scoffed, not believing her words. "No way, you look just like mom" She said as Belly gestured to Laurel who was putting things away.

"No, trust me" Margaret said with a shake of her head. "I look just like him"

She hated how much she resembled John. At first, she loved it, being a daddy's girl, all she wanted was to be with her dad, and then being told she looks a lot like him was a compliment like no other. But when the secrets started and then the divorce, Margaret began to resent her features. Always stared in the mirror and wondered how she ended up loving the way she looked, to now not wanting to look more than three seconds in a mirror. Maybe it's why she enjoyed make up so much.

"She really does" Laurel replied and Margaret gave her a bittersweet smile.

Margaret cleared her throat as she looked at everyone else. "I'll be up in my room" Margaret said as she gently tapped the counter and was about to leave.

"Wait" Laurel stoped her. "You should call your father and tell him we got in safely"

"Why me?" Margaret asked with furrowed brows. Her and her father talk, sometimes. It was usually awkward and usually with her siblings, but even then, they mostly talked to him and Margaret just listened.

Belly and Steven still don't know that Margaret knew everything since the beginning. All they knew was that Laurel found out that John cheated and then filed for divorce. They both assumed that she found out with them, but no. Laurel and John came to an agreement that Belly and Steven would never know that Margaret knew and that John asked her to keep it a secret.

Laurel sighed. She knew it was hard for Margret to speak to John, she knew that if it were up to her, Margaret wouldn't even go to the planned visits the kids had with John.

"Because I asked you" Laurel told her.

Margaret was still confused. "Why?"

"He wants to talk to you" Margaret went silent as she sighed. Of course he does. He always did. John couldn't get alone with Margaret and talk to her without Belly and Steven. John wanted to talk to Margaret alone and talk about everything and say everything he's ever wanted to say to her since the divorce. But he couldn't. As if a speech could change the severed relationship they had. "You know he misses you while you're gone"

"Yeah, but, we'll see him at the end of the summer" Margaret pointed out as Belly looked between Margaret and Laurel.

"No, he'll be here for the Fourth" Laurel replied to her as she closed the cabinet door.

Belly perked up at this newfound information. "Wait, he's coming here?" Belly asked as she looked at Laurel.

"Of course" Laurel told her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "He always comes up for the Fourth"

"He didn't come last year!" Belly exclaimed and Laurel sighed as she went to stand next to Susannah.

"Because we had just gotten divorced" Laurel replied before taking in a deep breath. "But we're good now"