The smell of biscuits invaded my senses and I took in a deep breath before letting out a content smile.
Slipping away from my comforter, I made my way to my bathroom to brush my teeth.
Looking into the mirror, I noticed that my hair got wavy in my sleep and I let out a sigh.
I like it like this. It resembles my mom's wavy blonde hair.
But if I dared walked downstairs resembling my mother more than I already do, my father would put his scissors to good use.
Not wanting a haircut anytime soon, I gathered my long hair to one side and braided it to the side before making my way downstairs in my pajamas.
"Good morning." Jenifer smiled at me the second I stepped into the kitchen and my dad looked up from his laptop at me.
Katelyn was nowhere to be seen.
"Good morning." I offered before walking to the cabinet to grab the tea kettle but it wasn't in its usual spot.
I turned around to face Jenifer.
"Have you seen the tea-" I started but I stopped once I noticed it on the stove.
"Your dad told me you like tea." She smiled and I nodded.
"Thank you." I smiled before taking a seat at the island next to my dad.
"Honey, will you go wake up Kate? Breakfast is almost ready." Jenifer instructed and my father let out a sigh before standing up and walking out of the kitchen.
Jenifer placed a mug in front of me before placing a tea bag inside.
"Do you take sugar?" She asked and I shook my head no. She gave me a small nod before grabbing the tea kettle and pouring the hot water in.
There was a stretch of silence between us and I looked down at my tea before picking up the bag and dunking it in and out of the water.
"Thank you again for taking time out of your day to go to the mall today." She said and I looked up at her with a smile.
"It's not a problem at all." I said.
It's not like I really had a choice.
She gave me one more smile before opening the oven and taking out a tray that was covered with golden biscuits.
"I hope you like biscuits." She smiled and I frowned.
"I d-" I started but I didn't get to finish because Katelyn barged into the kitchen with excitement in her eyes.
"I smell biscuits." She said with a smile. I think this is the first time I've seen her smile towards her mother in a non-mocking kind of way.
"I made them fresh." Her mom smiled and my dad walked into the kitchen with a great grin on his face.
"Did I hear what I think I heard?" He asked and I frowned at him.
"Sit down and you'll find out." Jenifer smiled.
"Oh, mom you're the best." Katelyn grinned before taking a big whiff of the biscuits on the cooking sheet and letting out a content sigh.
Suddenly I felt out of place.
The way they're interacting with each other made me feel like I was invading their family time. Like, I'm just a guest.
"Rose, do you want some eggs?" Jenifer asked and I snapped out of my depressing inner thoughts and looked at her.
"Oh, no thank you, biscuit and butter is fine." I told her with a small nod.
Everyone filled their plate and got their beverages before we migrated to the dining room table.
And as we sat around the table and I watched my father interact with his future wife and daughter, I couldn't help the pang of hurt that I felt in my chest.
I am out of place.
[0]
After three hours at the mall with Jenifer and Katelyn, I came to a very clear conclusion.
I don't like Jenifer.
She is mean.
And the way she's mean is the worst type of mean. She acts like she is nice.
Example one: The three of us went inside the Pink store because Katelyn was complaining about needing a new jacket and a lovely African American salesclerk came to help us.
Instantly Jenifer requested for a new salesclerk and the second the girl walked away she turned to me and whispered.
"I try my best to not associate myself with them. Have to make sure that we walk out of here with our jewelry still on and our wallets still full."
I have never in my life wanted to hit a person more than I wanted to hit her.
My best friend is one of them.
Example two: When the guy at the food court gave Katelyn his number on the back of a napkin, Jenifer crumbled it up and told her daughter not to associate herself with white trash.
Katelyn had stormed off and I wanted to follow her.
Now, we're on our way out of the mall and I stopped dead in my track when I saw who was coming towards me.
Crap.
"Daisy." Liam grinned at me.
Oh no.
"Hi." I breathed out.
This was not happening. He's going to try and be funny and Jenifer and Katelyn are going to question me about him.
I had never planned for him to meet Katelyn and Jenifer. Because I don't want him to know anything about my personal life.
He's already been asking me too much questions due to my nervous breakdown a few weeks ago.
"I didn't think you actually go out and be social." He teased and fought the urge to roll my eyes.
"Liam, this is Katelyn and Jenifer Davis. They're visiting from out of town." I told him.
The less information I put out, the less question he'll ask.
"Please to meet you." He shook Jenifer's hand before turning to Katelyn and giving her one of his drop dead gorgeous smiles.
"Hi." He said.
"Well hello." Katelyn smiled and I cleared my throat.
"It's time to go." I told her.
"Actually, if you guy want to stay for a little longer you can. I'll just go back to the house and come by later to pick you up." Jenifer chimed in and my eyes widened.
Liam looked at me with a grin and I shook my head no quickly.
That is his mischief smile.
"Nope, we need to go." I replied and he chuckled.
"You can go, Liam can keep me company." Katelyn said and I watched as Liam gave her a playful grin.
"Let's go." Her mother ordered.
"Fine." She rolled her eyes.
"Hopefully I'll see you again Liam." She smiled at him and Liam returned her smile.
"I hope so." He replied and I all but grabbed Katelyn's arm to drag her away from him.
"See you later Daisy." Liam called after me but I ignored him.
"Wow, that boy was." Katelyn fanned herself as we made our way to the car.
"Why did he call you Daisy?" Jenifer asked as we stuffed our things in the trunk.
Because he's annoying.
"He thought my name was Daisy instead of Rose and the nickname kind of just got stuck." I shrugged as if it was no big deal. Even though that is the furthest thing from the truth.
I find it annoying that he won't tell me the real reason behind Daisy.
"Interesting." Jenifer replied with a smile.
Not really.
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When I was straightening my hair the next morning, there was a knock on my door.
"Come in." I replied before placing the flat iron down just as Katelyn walked in.
"The Valentine's Day Fairy came to visit you." She said with an eye roll as she held a red gift bag up.
"Your mom?" I asked already knowing the answer.
There is no way my dad would do something like this.
"Who the hell else is that extra?" she asked before handing me the gift bag.
"At least she likes you, the last step child she had, she sent him to military school." She said before sitting on my bed and my eyes widened.
"What?" I asked.
"Kidding, he went off to college." She smiled and I let out a sigh of relief while Katelyn laughed.
Wait, how many times has her mom remarry?
"Open your present, she wants me to catch your reaction when you open it." She nodded towards the bag in my lap.
I took off the tissue paper before letting out a gasp at the gift at the bottom.
It was a beautiful Kate Spade dress that I had seen at the mall yesterday. I had wanted to get it but I second guessed my ability to pull the look off.
It's a round collard, no sleeve, white dress that will probably come down a little over half way down my thighs. The only designs on the dress were black little hydrangeas embellished all around the waistline and it went all the way up to my bust.
I suppose I had eyed on it a little too long if Jenifer brought it for me.
"She must really want your approval." Katelyn snickered and I looked at her.
"I got a box of chocolate and you got Kate Spade." She said and I grimaced.
"I'm so sorry."
"Oh no, it's perfectly fine. My mom doesn't really believe in gifts. She believes in trades. She got you that dress because she wants something from you and my guess is she's probably going to get her way."
I didn't understand completely why Katelyn spoke so ill of her mother until yesterday. The woman is really something else. But I still felt uneasy whenever she says things like this.
"Jenifer is nice to me." I told her and she nodded.
"Yeah, that makes one of us." She said bitterly before standing up. Anger flickered in her eyes for a second and I watched as she took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly.
"Your dad said he wanted you downstairs in a little while. Jenifer has something to ask you." She said before walking towards the door.
"I'll be down in a minute." I nodded and she gave me thumbs up before walking out of the room.
Is it possible that Katelyn dislikes her mother? In a more than usual type of way. Because for a second there, there was hate in her eyes.
But then again, Katelyn is ridiculously dramatic.
Putting the idea of Katelyn really hating her mother aside, I placed my dress back in the bag and finished my hair.
As I'm making my way down the stairs, I can hear Jenifer and my dad in an argument.
"You had all day yesterday to ask her." My dad said and I frowned.
"I can't just ask an important question like that while we're at the mall Charlie." Jenifer shot back and stepped into the living room.
"Whatever you say, you're the one that has to plan things per her answer." Dad replied and Jenifer scoffed.
"Don't you th-" she started but stopped once she noticed me.
"Rose." She smiled and my dad turned around.
"Thank you for the dress." I smiled at her.
"Oh, that wasn't me, that was the Valentine's Day Fairy." She winked and I nodded.
Right.
"Well thank you to... it." I smiled and she came over to me and gave me a hug.
"Happy Valentine's Day." She said and for a second I froze but I returned the hug.
"You too." I answered before looking up at my dad who was glaring at me.
What did I do now?
I looked away from him and pulled away from Jenifer.
"Jen has something that she'd like to ask you." My dad said in a harsh tone.
No really, what did I do?
"Why don't we step outside." Jenifer offered and I gave her a nod.
We walked to the sliding door and stepped outside onto the deck and both sat down on a chair.
Even though it is the middle of winter, I was perfectly comfortable in my long-sleeved sweater and jeans.
"Did you have fun at the mall yesterday? You seemed a little quiet during dinner." Jenifer smiled at me.
That's because you all left me out of every single conversation.
"It was fun. It's been a while since I've been to the mall." I told her.
"Well that's good." She smiled and I nodded.
There was a stretch of awkward silence between us and I turned to look at the large tree in the backyard.
I watched as a squirrel ran up the tree and ran right back down.
"Rose." Jenifer said quietly and I turned to face her.
In her hand was a small squared box. The exterior was white and it was held close with an elegant soft pink ribbon.
"It would mean a lot to me if you said yes." Jenifer smiled at me and I frowned at her and back at the box.
"What?"
"Just open it." She smiled. She placed the box on the outdoor table before standing up and walking back inside.
With a little bit of hesitation, I picked up the box and tugged at the little bow, I lifted the top and on the lid, was a question that I never expected.
Will you be my Bridesmaid?
I didn't even get a look at what else was in the box because I quickly closed it and placed it down.
She wants me to be a bridesmaid?
For her?
At her wedding?
The screen door opened again and I jumped out of my seat.
Katelyn gave me a look as if she's questioning my sanity and I relaxed a little.
"It's just you." I breathed out and she frowned at me. Finally, she noticed the small box on the table and she grimaced.
"Oh, she trapped you too."
She took the seat that her mother was previously occupying and shook her head at the box that was sitting between us.
"I don't know what to say." I confessed. I have literally known the woman less than a month and now she wants me to stand beside her at the altar?
"And that makes perfect sense. You literally met us five minutes ago, she shouldn't have sprung this on you like that." Katelyn replied and I noticed the annoyance in her voice.
"Well it's not like she's forcing me." I explained for Jenifer's sake.
"If that's really what you believe, then knock yourself out. But your only choices are either be a bridesmaid or be the step-child that she despises for however long this marriage lasts." She shrugged.
I already feel like the step-child that she despises.
"But it's really up to you." Katelyn shrugged before standing up. "I came out here to tell you that we're leaving in about ten minutes. My mom and your dad probably weren't going to tell you because they literally keep you in the dark about everything." She rolled her eyes and I let out a hard, humorless laugh.
Talk about an understatement.
"But I don't want you to be too sad because you didn't get to say goodbye to me so I'm saying goodbye now." She said with a half-smile and I let out a real laugh.
Unlike her mother, I like Katelyn. She's fun and outgoing and she always speaks her mind. She's also rude when she wants to be.
But for some reason, she talks to me.
And in that time, I found that that she's a junior in high school. She has three best friends Veronica, Anne Marie, and Jada. And together they are four peas in a pod.
She's a swimmer and when she's not in the water, she's on some sort of dancefloor with a red plastic cup in her hand that's filled with cheap beer- her words not mine.
She said that she's single but there's a boy named Matt who helps her when she doesn't want to be single at times- whatever that means.
"You are absolute right." I stood up and gave her a hug.
"I have your number now so I'll text you when my mother decides that she wants to surprise your dad again. Of course, it'll probably be when we're seconds away from your house but at least you'll have a warning." She gave me a teasing smile and I shook my head at her.
"A warning is a warning, so I can't complain. Plus, any seconds that I have to prepare myself for all of the kissing is a second I will cherish." I told her and looked inside were our parents unashamedly making out.
"Ugh." She shuddered and I nodded.
"We should head inside before we're gifted with a new sibling." She groaned and I grimaced.
I picked up the box on the table and the two of us made our way inside.
"Ready to go?" Jenifer asked Katelyn who nodded.
"I'll see you soon Charles." Katelyn smiled before giving my dad a hug.
"Maybe you two can come to North Carolina sometimes soon." Jenifer smiled and I nodded awkwardly.
There was an exchange of hugs and dad grabbed Jenifer's and Katelyn's luggage's and brought them out to the car and we followed.
"Please don't feel any pressure to answering right away." Jenifer told me and I nodded. I made eye contact over her head with Katelyn and she gave me a look that indicated that Jenifer was lying.
I should be pressured to answer right away.
"Thank you for visiting." I smiled at her before giving her another hug.
"I'll see you soon." She smiled before getting in the driver's seat. I walked over to the passenger's side and gave Katelyn one last hug.
"Text me if things get a little too crazy for you." She winked and I gave her a genuine smile.
It feels good to know that even though everything is changing in my family, Katelyn might be a good change.
My dad bid the last goodbye and together we watched as they backed out of the driveway and finally out onto the street until their car wasn't visible anymore.
"It was a good Valentine's Day." I said to dad as we made our way inside.
Better than previous ones.
"Uh huh." He nodded as he closed the door behind him with a slam.
"What did you and Jenifer talk about when you two went outside?" He asked me with hostility.
He's upset.
Usually I can pin point my father's distaste in life that made him upset but I can't this time. He just spent the weekend with his future wife and daughter that he likes very much. So, why is he in a bad mood?
Maybe it's because I'm here.
"She, asked me to be a bridesmaid for the wedding." I replied quietly.
"And what did you say?" He asked before looking me in the eyes.
There's no way that he doesn't already know. Why is he asking me?
"I told her that I'd have to think about it."
"What's there to think about Rosalee?"
My eyebrows pulled together and I took a step back to observe him.
He cannot be serious.
"Dad, I don't know her. As of a month ago, I didn't even know that she existed."
"So, you're going to say no?" He narrowed his eyes at me.
"I didn't say that." I recoiled.
"Well what the hell are you saying?" He asked and I took a cautious step back.
"I'm saying that I have to think about it." I said quietly.
"What's there to think about?" He thundered and I jumped.
"I-I don't know."
"Then call her right now and tell her yes." He ordered and I shook my head no.
"What?" He hissed and I swallowed nervously.
"I don't know if I want to say yes."
He growled in anger and I took another step back.
"Why the hell not?" He shouted.
"Because I don't know if I want to see you marrying someone that isn't mom." I confessed before looking him in the eyes.
The fury in his eyes disappeared and was replaced with something lighter, but just as it came it left and the anger returned.
"Well who's fault is that?" He asked and I sucked in a breath.
"Who's fault is it that I have to remarry?" He asked and I looked away from him in shock and shame.
"Answer me when I am speaking to you." He ordered and I shook my head without looking at him.
"Please don't make me say it." I begged.
He ignored me and took another step towards me. "Who's fault is it that I have to remarry?" He asked again.
I shook my head and blinked repeatedly to fight back tears.
"WHO'S FAULT IS IT?" He shouted in my ear.
"WHO'S FAULT IS IT?" He shouted again.
"It's mine." I cried. I quickly covered my mouth to keep the tears back.
He never likes it when I cried. It makes him feel... guilty.
"It's my fault." I told him and he looked at me with more hatred in his eyes.
"Call Jenifer and tell him that you would love to be her bridesmaid." He said before going upstairs. I heard the door slam shut and I slid down to the floor and grabbed by knees.
I tried so hard to keep the tears back.
But having to confess that you were the reason that your mother is dead, there's to no keeping those tears back.
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Hey, click the little star at the bottom of the screen if you liked this chapter.
Is anyone else starting to dislike Jenifer? Because I am a little bit 🙄.
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Commingled up: Daisy gets a bad grade.
This book is updated on Saturdays