Midnight Serenade

Chapter 23

In the morning, Cameron came to get me for breakfast. Part of me wanted to stay hiding in my room. I was becoming very tired of always being new to everything. I'd gotten comfortable with the Peterson's breakfast routine, and now I was starting from square one with Aunt Nora and Uncle Marshall's routine. Unfortunately, my growling stomach wouldn't allow me to skip eating, so I made my way downstairs.

My aunt, uncle, and Cameron greeted me pleasantly. Ashley's mouth said "hi" but her eyes said "I hate you".

Averting my gaze from the hostility, I said a general "good morning" to everyone as I sat down. If not for Ashley, it would have actually been okay. Uncle Marshall read something on a tablet, and Aunt Nora asked questions that got me and Cameron talking.

Ashley mostly glared at her food. I guess it was nice that I didn't have to deal with her saying anything, but I also felt like I couldn't speak freely. Sawyer was such a massive part of my life now, it was hard to talk about anything recent without mentioning him. If I did though, my cousin would glare at me instead of the food.

I really hoped that Cameron was right about her getting passed this eventually. As much as I was trying not to let her attitude bother me, I couldn't help being a little hurt. She was the closest thing I'd ever have to a biological sister, and she hated me.

After everyone was done eating, my aunt and uncle shooed my cousins away and let me know they wanted to talk to me. I couldn't have done anything to get into trouble yet, but I was nervous anyway.

"Tony called this morning," Uncle Marshall began. "There's been some news."

Nervous for a whole new reason, I swallowed thickly.

"Natalie would like to see you."

Anger surged through me and I was ready to say I never wanted to see her again, but something stopped me.

"We wouldn't even have told you about it, but she was a huge part of your life," Aunt Nora said. "So you should have the choice. Tony said that from what they can tell, she mostly seems innocent of actually taking you. They're holding her for now because there's still a lot of other things to sift through."

My eyes fell to the table. I didn't want to think about this. Natalie was a liar.

The doorbell rang and a minute later I sensed Sawyer come up behind me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I covered it with my own, unable to look away from the table.

"You don't have to do it," Uncle Marshall said. "But she did raise you, and you said you always felt she genuinely cared for you."

"Don't answer now," Aunt Nora said. "Think about it for a while, but whatever you decide is fine. It's completely up to you. You don't have to see her ever again if you don't want to."

Hearing that and knowing she truly meant it made me relax a little bit. I think I felt like I didn't really have a choice, even though everyone would say I did. Natalie was the only mother I ever knew. I felt like everyone would think I was a horrible person if I refused to see her again. But my aunt's words reassured me that they wouldn't.

I just had no idea what I wanted to do.

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For a week I vacillated over whether to see Natalie or not. As much as I appreciated everyone giving me the choice, part of me wanted to be told what I should do. But no one would. They wouldn't even give an opinion.

I was still so mad at her. Every time I thought about it, I thought of more things to be angry about. And honestly, I was hurt. At the very least, she lied to me my entire life about being my mother. If she'd told me sooner, maybe I'd have had more questions. Maybe I'd have gone looking for my real mother's family. Slight as the possibility might be, I could have had so much more time with Sawyer and my family if she'd only said something.