Loving Ashlynn (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 30 - End of The Road (Kalenah Conrad POV) Pt.3

Chapter 30 – End of The Road (Kalenah Conrad POV) Pt.3

Over the years if there was one thing I could accurately say, it was that my children were each fiercely loyal to one another. Sure they fought but if Ansel and I stepped in, and questioned what was going on? Well the kids never just blurted out what was wrong. They did not throw the other under the bus. Instead they'd look at one another, as though poking one another.

Who would crack first?

Who would rat out whom?

Right before me, it was happening again, this time with Thaddeus and Brennan. My boys stared at one another, Thaddeus partially glaring while Brennan looked like a dear in headlights.

"Well someone speak up!" Ansel demanded. Brennan is the first to look away and turn towards us. My eyes flicker to Thaddeus, when he sags in his spot a bit.

Simmering beneath his calm façade was his built up anger – only apparent in his gaze. He could fix everything else to remain neutral but his eyes said all that was needed.

Swallowing Brennan, inhales quickly, his chest expands and he opens his mouth, "Can we uhm," defeated he sighs, "can we talk in private?"

"What you want to change what the story of what happened?" Thaddeus said angrily, "You cannot even," he doesn't finish instead Thaddeus comes and stands next to Brennan, two feet between them.

"Taylor told Harleigh that she isn't a part of this family, that yeah you guys adopted her, took her in, but she's not blood."

I look from Brennan to Thaddeus, and my eyes flickers to the stairs where Harleigh ran from the room like it was on fire. "What?" Ansel asks again, as though he had heard incorrectly.

Thaddeus shakes his head, "Yeah, Taylor said that Brennan could talk Samson into giving her a chance but Harleigh couldn't because she isn't really a part of this family," my eyes widen in – in shock.

Mind completely blown.

"Taylor? Why – how could she say such a thing?"

Crossing his arms against his chest, Thaddeus nods once, his face molded into a hard expression.

"Why though?"

Thaddeus snorts, and for a moment I do note that despite Thaddeus blurting out what had caused the riff between them now, that Brennan did not appear to be at ease.

"Taylor is... since after Silas died, I've been saying that something is wrong with her. Mom she – I only put up with her because Harleigh liked her, but she's so fake." Thaddeus's disgust of Taylor has never been so transparent.

"All Harleigh said was that Brennan should back off, leave Samson alone instead of trying to push Taylor onto him when he has no interest in her. That she wouldn't pester Samson," the anger and fire are now overthrown by the pain in Thaddeus' voice.