Chapter 1: The Call

“Hello?” I questioned into the phone quietly. 

“Adelaide?” A deep voice questioned back. At the sound of the voice I sat up right in bed, all traces of sleep gone. “It’s your Bro-,” I cut him off

“I know who you are Nathanial,” I snapped at him, feeling my anger rise already. “What’s wrong? Why did you call me at,” I paused to look at the clock beside my bed, “3:42 am?” I asked. 

“It’s our father,” He bit out. “He’s in the hospital,” He said and left it at that. I waited 30 second for him to give me more information before I spoke again.

“And?” I asked trailing off at the end, still waiting for him to tell me more. 

“and he is fine,” Nate bit out. I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to remain calm.

“What happened Nathanial?” I snapped at him. I could hear him grinding his teeth in anger through the phone. He sighed and spoke once again.

“He had a small heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. Once he arrived he was stabilized and has been resting since,” He said with a monotone voice. 

“Give me to Ana,” I snapped at him. Unable to deal with his vagueness I listened while he shuffled around and handed the phone to my younger sister, Georgiana.

“Nate says you’re being difficult,” She said as she was given the phone. I smiled at the sound of her voice and laughed.

“Never,” I mocked her. “Hi Ana,” I said with a smile on my face. 

“Hi Della,” She said right back with a giggle of her own. My face sobered when she used the nickname my father uses.

“What happened to dad?” I asked her waiting to hear what happened from someone who would tell me everything. 

“Well as Nate said Dad had a small heart attack, he’s okay though,” She said quickly “He was just very stressed and all that jazz,” She said with a small giggle, which told me she had been worried. 

“When?” I asked as I pushed myself out of my bed. I heard her breath in deep and begin to hum, which she only did when she was nervous.

“Now don’t be mad,” She said quickly, letting me know I wasn’t going to like the answer. I sighed and waited for her to tell me “I wanted to call you the second it happened but there was just so much going on and my phone died an-”

“Georgiana just tell me when it happened,” I snapped cutting her off while I walked out of my bedroom and into the living room. 

“Yesterday morning during breakfast,” She whispered. I once again sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose trying to remain calm. I walked over to the small kitchen and started to make a pot of coffee.

“You do realize that they have pay phones in hospitals,” I said trying to remain calm. 

“I didn’t grab my purse and it was just so stressful,” She rushed out. “And there was no time to call you. I know how busy you are with work and Emory and the time difference,” she said quickly. I stopped filling the coffee pot with water and leaned against the counter

“Georgiana you said this happened yesterday morning?” I asked, knowing the answer but wanting her to tell me again.

“Yes,” she muttered

“And there is only and 7 hour time difference between New York and Gregyre right?” I asked again knowing the answer.

“Yes,” she muttered once again.

“So when this happened in Gregyre it was around 9:15 in the morning, you said breakfast right?” 

“Yea it was around 9:15,” She muttered again.

“Which means that it was around 4:15 here in New York. By 4:15 I’m done with work and I’ve picked up Emory from daycare and I’d be home by then or at the store. Therefore I would have been free for you to call me on one of the payphones,” I said with a frustrated tone. 

“Sorry Della,” She mumbled. 

“Whatever,” I bit out. “I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon,” I said and I started to fill up the coffee pot once again. 

“WHAT?!” Ana yelled “You don’t need to come out here, Dad will be fine,” She rushed. 

“I want to see Dad Ana. He just had a heart attack, besides it will only be till he’s back on his feet,” I said nonchalantly. 

“Adelaide do you really think this is the best idea?” She asked me “I mean I don’t think it will be good for dad if you come out and all you do is fight with mother,” I clenched my jaw when she mentioned our mother.

“I’m coming out and that’s final. I’ll stay at a hotel close to the hospital so I won’t have to see Elizabeth,” I said sneering her name. “Besides you and I both know that Dad will like it,” 

“But what are you going to do with Emory?” She asked. When I paused and didn’t respond for a moment she knew she had me. “If you bring her here don’t you think Mother, Sophia, Nathanial,  Matthew or someone else will see her? And then what will happen they will pester you to raise her like the-,” She rambled.

“Don’t even finish that thought,” I snapped “This is why she has God parents,” I chimed in with a sarcastic smile. “I’ll leave her with Daisy Rae and PJ,” 

“Della are you sure you want to do that?” Ana asked sounding worried “Will they even be willing to watch her for that long?” she asked in nearly a whisper

“I’m sure it will be fine,” I said hiding the slight concern I now had. What if they were busy or couldn’t watch her or if something happened to her. “Ana I’ll talk to you later I need to start getting ready for the trip,”

“Okay Della see you soon,” She said. She made a kiss noise at the end and then hung up the phone. 

“Bye then,” I said sarcastically to myself. I reached over to the coffee pot filled with water and started to pour it in to the coffee maker. I pressed the on button and walked back into my room. Maneuvering my way to the small closet in the back right corner of the room I flung open the doors. Standing on my tippy toes I reached to the top shelf and fumbled to grab my duffle bag. Once my hand made contact with what felt like the overly large purple bag I pulled; only I wasn’t prepared for it to be stuck. I stumbled backwards tripping over one of the shoes in my closet and fell bring all my bags and a ton of boxes down with me. “Oof” I said as my a*s hit the floor. I sat there under boxes of shoes and pictures and rolled my eyes at myself. “This is how I’ve kept my secret,” I laughed under my breath. I stood up and started to put the boxes filled with picture of Emory and I back. I stop and stared at one photo which had broken free from a box and was laying face up on the wooden floor. My breath hitched as I looked at the photo of me and an extremely handsome man, with light brown hair and aqua colored eyes. I picked it up and stared at the love that was in his shinning eyes, that was being directed towards me. I shook my head and put the picture on the edge of my bed to continue to put the boxes and extra bags back in the closet where they belonged. I grabbed the purple duffle bag and threw it on the middle of my bed. I started to hum Sit still look pretty, by Daya, as I shoved shirts, skirts, pants, shorts, and one dress into my bag. I swung my hips and grabbed an arm full of socks, panties and bras and threw them in my bag with the rest of my clothes. “This Queen don’t need a King,” I sung softly as I threw flip flops, sperry’s, and a pair of brown wedges into my bag with the rest of my stuff.  I put my hands on my hips and stared down at my bag full of clothes and shoes. I nodded my head and smiled to myself. “That should be fine,” I muttered. I looked at the clock on my nightstand that read 4:15. I sighed and started to walk in the direction of the bathroom. “I might as well start the day,” I said while starting the shower. I stripped out of my tank top and booty shorts and hopped into the warm flow of water. I squeezed a glob of peach scented shampoo into my hands and began massaging it into my elbow length brown hair. I tilted my head back and let the water flow through my hair and down into the drain, dragging the shampoo down with it. Once all traces of the shampoo was out of my hair I grabbed the matching peach scented conditioner and did the same thing. I paused once the conditioner was in my hair and quickly shaved my legs, letting the conditioner set. I rinsed it out of my hair and turned off the water. I hopped out of the shower and wrapped my self in one my my fluffy baby blue towels. I quickly got dressed into a pair of dark skinny jeans, a white flow blouse and a thin woven brown belt. I brushed my wet hair and pushed it back with a brown headband. I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed at the woman who stared back. My elbow length wavy brown hair was dripping wet. My face looked pale which made the mass of freckles across my face stand out more than normal. I looked into my green eyes and grabbed the massacre to quickly brush some on to my long lashes. My eyes trailed down to my full pink lips that I pulled back in to a smile, which showed off my perfect white teeth. I shook my head at my reflection and pushed away from the mirror and walked into the living room. I picked up Emory’s Frozen backpack and pulled out the matching lunchbox. Emory was obsessed with Frozen but then again most little girls seemed to be. Just as I placed Emory’s lunch box on the kitchen counter my cell phone started to ring in the other room. “Crap,” I whispered and ran to answer the phone before it could wake up Emory. “Hello?” I questioned into the phone without looking at the caller ID.

“Adelaide?” I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance. 

“I really gotta start looking at the caller ID,” I muttered to myself. “What is it Sophia?” I asked as I spun around on my heel and opened the fridge to grab a capri sun for Emory’s lunch. 

“Is it true?’ Are you really coming home?” She asked timidly into the phone. I stopped reaching for the peanut butter and stared blankly at the Frozen lunch box. “Are you?” She asked again.

“As of now…” I trailed off “thats the plan,” I said while I turned to lean my back against the counter. “I’m only coming for a visit Soph, NOT!” I said emphasizing the not. “To stay,” I finished. She gasped.

“Oh Della” She said with joy. I could just imagine the large smile that reached up to her brown eyes. I pictured her twirling gracefully in a circle like she used to do when she was especially happy. “We must throw you a ba-”

“NO!,” I yelled cutting her off. I quickly covered my mouth and looked across the small living room to Emory’s closed door. When I didn't hear anything coming from her room I focused back on Sophia who was whining. 

“Why not?” She pouted. 

“My return is temporary and not a cause for celebration. I am only coming home to be with Dad and make sure that he knows I’m still here for him. Sophia listen very closely to what I’m about to say. You can NOT tell anyone. Not the press, the maids, your friends, and defiantly not Elizabeth,” I said urgently into the phone. 

“But Adelaide we must tell mot-“ She began

“Sophia No,” I said a little louder. “Elizabeth must not know,” I said sternly using my, this is final voice that I use with Emory when she want’s Ice cream before dinner. 

“But we need to tell her so we can change the sheet on your bed and so she isn’t freaked out when you appear out of no where. How do you expect to be home without her seeing you?” She pressed annoyed. I pictured her crossing her one arm in annoyance. 

“I’m not going to be staying at home Soph. I’m going to stay at a hotel near the hospital,” I said while grabbing the half finished PB&J sandwich and spreading the Jelly onto the other piece of white bread. 

“A hotel?” She questioned as if the idea was foreign to her. “But why?” she asked shell-shocked.

“Yes Soph a hotel,” I laughed softly. “Its best for everyone if I don’t stay at home. It will just be confusing. This way when I leave it will be like I was never even there. Besides I know if I stay at home someone will try to pressure me into staying,” I said trying to imply that it would be her or Elizabeth.

“Adelaide don’t waste your money on a crappy hotel. I promise if you stay at home no one will pressure you into staying,” She said obviously not wanting to drop the topic. I rolled my eyes at her through the phone and grabbed a snack bag of goldfish. 

“No Sophia. I’m not staying at home and that’s that,” I said in a final tone. My eyes snapped to Emory’s door as it slowly opened to reveal a sleepy four year old standing in a Frozen nightgown. Her long brown hair was pressed flat against her head and tangled in a huge rats nest. Her aqua blue eyes were half closed and she reached up with one hand to rub at them. She lifted her other hand that was holding her stuffed monkey and hugged it tightly to her chest. I smiled at her and waved as she began to slowly walk towards me. “Sophia I have to go and get ready. I have a lot to do to prep for this trip and I have to find someone to watch my fish,” I said while opening the fridge and pulling out a glass of apple juice for Emory. 

“But Adelaide…” She trailed off. 

“Goodbye Sophia, perhaps I will see you in Grygerg,” I said quickly, while placing the glass in front of Emory who was climbing up into one of the chairs. 

“Goodbye Adelaide,” She muttered defeated. 

“Mommy who’s that?” Emory asked softly. I heard Sophia gasp and my eyes widen. I guess not softly enough.

“Adel-“ Sophia started to say. I hung up the phone with a panicked look on my face. 

“S**t,” I blew out under my breath. 

Author's Note

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