Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 59

Anywhere she went, she turned heads, and here was no exception. Seth saw how the few customers stared at her, especially the young man seated in the booth with his girlfriend. Without even trying, his sister drew admiration.

He lowered his gaze to the floor by her feet, jaw muscles clenching.

"Hi Carly," he whispered. He hadn't wanted to speak, but things would be so much worse if he didn't acknowledge her. She hated being ignored more than anything else.

"Seth Alexander," her smug voice made him flinch. "Do you know how much trouble I went through to find you?"

He kept silent, shoulders hunching as if making himself smaller would allow him to escape her sight. It didn't work. It never did. She always seemed to find him no matter what he did.

How did she know where he moved? How did she know where he worked?

"Well?" She demanded, suddenly harsh, one hand going to her hip. He caught the motion in his peripherals, and realized she was losing her patience. Then again, she never had much to start with.

"No," he softly answered, eyes still downcast.

"Of course you didn't." She sighed loud enough for the entire diner to hear. "You don't know anything. It's a miracle that you even manage to get yourself dressed each morning, although that—" she gestured vaguely in his direction, "could hardly be considered proper dress."

He could feel the heat rushing back into his face. Why did she have to do this here, in front of everyone? The diner was silent, its customers no doubt watching the show. And Tripp—Severance didn't dare look at his boss. He could only guess at what the man thought of her.

Or maybe Tripp was regretting hiring Seth. Everyone listened to Carly when she spoke about him. They all believed her, no matter how many lies she spouted. Why would Tripp be any different?

It didn't really matter.

Either way, Carly was only here because of him. She wouldn't have walked in and started causing a scene if he weren't here. Guilt clawed at him, and despite his shame, he raised his gaze from the floor.

"Carly," he began, his voice so soft it was barely more than a whisper. "I don't think-"

"Ha!" Her bark of laughter cut him off. "We've already established that, baby brother. Tell me what else is new. Like..." She tapped a perfectly manicured finger against her chin, a perfect mockery of someone thinking. "Oh, I don't know. How about you start with why you refuse to come home."

What? Was she joking?

His jaw clenched, and for a second, he wanted to snarl in her face. He left because he couldn't take it anymore. Because of her. Because of how his parents encouraged her. Because they didn't care.

The corner of her ruby red lips tilted upwards, a smug, arrogant little smirk. She raised her chin slightly, looking down her nose at him with glittering, knowing eyes. I'm superior in every way, her expression told him. And you—you're just a stupid little boy.

His meager resistance crumbled beneath that look. There was no way to stand up to her. Not when she'd always win. That was a hard lesson he learned early in life.

"Why are you here?" He quietly asked, trying to keep the despair from showing on his face.

"Because this has gone on long enough," she said sternly. "You can't really think this little trick you pulled would last, did you? Do you even know how upset Mother was? You broke her heart. I'm bringing you home."

Seth shook his head. His guts writhed and he thought he was going to be sick again. He pressed a hand against his belly, as if he could somehow hold down the nausea. Panic fluttered within like nervous butterflies.

This couldn't be happening. He couldn't go back. Not after Fenn had done so much to help him escape.

Tears filled his eyes.

She noticed, as she always did. Triumph radiated from her, but that wasn't enough. She had to twist the knife even further.

"Did you know we held a funeral for Uncle Fenn yesterday? Of course you didn't, since you refused to talk to us. Did you even know he died? There was nothing left of him. A horrible accident, they say. There wasn't even a single ash left." She folded her arms, a hard, cruel curve to her lips. "And you didn't even show your face. Everyone was shocked, knowing how much the poor man cared for you. How ungrateful, they said. You should have heard all the things they were saying. It was very cruel of you, you know that? After all that man did for you."

Seth's face had gone pale. He opened his mouth to tell her that he hadn't even known, that Lydia was the one who had bothered to reach out to him. Yet the only sound that issued was a broken little whoosh of air. He trembled, silence roaring so loud in his ears while an ugly, horrible ball of grief and pain bloomed in his chest.

The world grew fuzzy on him, darkening around the corners. Breathing hurt. Blinking hurt. Existing hurt.

Then Tripp's hands clamped down on his shoulders, firmly rooting Seth to the ground before he could crumble away.

"That's enough," Tripp said calmly from behind him. "You may leave."

She laughed, a short high pitched chortle of disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"I'm not sure that I did," she sniffed. "I was talking to my brother, not you."

"Jake," Tripp called, though his voice barely rose in volume.

Not even a second later, the kitchen door opened and Jake's large form came through. Seth didn't see it as he was facing his sister, but he heard the door squeak and the creak of the tile beneath Jake's weight.

"If you would please escort this girl out, that would be wonderful." Tripp put slight emphasis on this girl. It gave the sense of some subtle insult, although his tone remained perfectly polite.

Carly's eyes widened as she took in the behemoth that was the diner's main cook. "You're kidding me," she said faintly, unease creeping into her expression.

"I am most definitely not," Tripp told her, cool yet polite. "You are not welcome here, and if you should step foot inside my diner again, you will be dealt with."

Before Tripp had even finished speaking, Jake began to walk around the counter. His approach made Carly flinch and she stepped back.

"Seth," she exclaimed, her gaze flying to him. She blinked eyes that were suddenly big and teary, her plump red lips pouting just a touch. "Stop this silliness! You're not going to let them throw me out, are you?"

He didn't respond to her plea. Instead, he watched mutely as those big watery eyes instantly morphed into sheer rage, then fear as Jake approached her. Seeing that she was getting no help from anyone, she huffed and spun on a heel.

"I'll be telling Mother about this," she snarled, then shoved The Grubbery's door open with unnecessary force. She stomped outside. With a rattle of the glass pane, the door shut behind her.

A breath that Seth didn't realize he'd been holding came out in a shaky whoosh. There was no feeling of relief at her departure, but a sick sense of dread. Now that she'd found him, she was going to come back.

And her threats were never idle.