Dawning (Dysmorphia Series #3)

Understanding

Florence put on her nightgown like she was in a trance and then checked her phone trying to bring some normality back into her life, she heard the door close and her parents giving polite goodbyes to their guests.

She braced herself for her parents reaction to her supposed brushing off of someone she was meant to have invited to her house but it didn't come.

Instead her Mother tentatively knocked the door and came to sit at the corner of her bed.

"Florence, I understand why you went upstairs and so did your Father, Cole confessed to us that you didn't exactly invite them but told us he'd been desperate to see us all, you see he has some extremely exciting news"

Be ready Florence, be ready for whatever is about to come because its going to bad, she had to mentally coach herself, it seemed like time had stopped, her Mother's lips were moving but no sound came out of them.

"He's moving to Spain next year! He has an apprenticeship at a software engineer firm, that's who Krystal was, she got him the job as a favour being an old friend, so isn't that exciting?"

Her Mother trailed off as if she had noticed a lack of enthusiasm on her daughter's part.

But Florence was breathing out deep sighs of relief, she'd thought Cole had announced an engagement to the awful Krystal or even a wedding date, and the thought of that made her want to be sick which was completely irrational as she had no control over his life.

"Yes its really very exciting, I'm happy for him especially after all he's faced..."

She could hear the insincerity in her own voice even as she spoke the words.

"Florence I need to tell you something"

Her Mother's grey eyes had turned serious and she had one arm on Florence's shoulder.

"I like Andrew honey, really I do but don't think we don't see things because we do, you're our daughter and the expression you wear on your face every time Cole walks into the room pulls on my heartstrings, you look so devastatingly sad but hopeful at the same time. You might not think I know what went down at Oakwood with... with Chase and let me tell you right now that breaking off an engagement at this point would be far less painful than waiting it out, Andrew deserves more, you deserve more and it will all just be a whole lot more convenient if you just confront your true feelings at this moment instead of faffing around"

"And what would you do Mum, if you were confronted with a choice between a life of security that you could perfectly picture instead of a reckless choice that could end in disaster, what would you do?"

Her Mother looked highly uncomfortable.

"It's not for me to decide your life Flo sweetheart, but I know your heart is good and true no matter how many times it's been broken, but your right, Andrew does mean security and a life all planned out for you but is that what you really want?"

And there lay the problem, she had no idea what she wanted.

No, that was a lie, she did know what she wanted, she wanted to be happy, to continue writing and build a life that she loved, the only problem was that she didn't know who she loved or what any of her feelings meant whether they were lingering or true.