Good, I think, smiling and waving to her. Now the boys will be distracted as well.

Georgia gives me a happy nod as she heads into the house, looking for the boys, and I pull my legs up onto the little loveseat as well, beaming at Delia and Emma.

“We’ll have some privacy now,” I say, smiling at them.

“Privacy,” Emma says, looking through the window at the house filled with people, “seems to be a…relative term. In this house.”

“Oh, it’s not so bad,” I laugh, tucking my hair behind my ears and shaking my head. “You get used to it – it feels…I don’t know. Like a sports team, or something. Everyone working together towards the same goal. And most of the Betas go home at night.”

“Most of them?” Emma asks, raising her eyebrow. “We always had guards at mom and dad’s house, but we they were always outside the house.”

“Well, here to,” I say with a shrug. “Though I guess it’s…smaller.”

“I think it’s nice,” Delia says warmly. “I always liked a full house growing up.”

I c**k my head to the side and study the two of them, wondering what all of this house talk was getting to. “Are you guys thinking about moving in together or something?” I blurt suddenly, curious.

Emma blinks at me and then blushes, I think not really used to being asked about her private life so straightforwardly. After a life with Joyce, after all, she’s probably not used to anyone asking about her thoughts or her plans at all.

“Actually,” Delia says, unphased by my question (she knows me, after all) and taking Emma’s hand, “kind of…the opposite.”

breathe, sudden horrified. “Are you – you’re not – you can’t be breaking up

purpose,” Emma says, sighing and smiling at her girlfriend, “because she wants you to guess. But I know you’ll have a panic attack if

I agree, nodding eagerly, my eyes

a little shrug and squeezing Delia’s hand. “We’re going to…go away for

I ask, not understanding.

little bit without-home, for awhile at least. We’re going to go wherever we want, whenever want to. Live in a city or a

god,” I breathe, suddenly flooded with mixed emotions.

so much!” Delia finishes for me, reaching out to take my hand as

excited for you! And like – jealous! I want to

with me, but they know

pressing my hands to my chest. “Oh no, I don’t want you

between Delia and me, “it was mostly me, I think. I’ve just been…it feels like, my whole life, I’ve been living…someone else’s life. Or the life that

carefully at

It was…Joyce’s life. Joyce’s life, Joyce’s world, Joyce’s choices. I was…nobody. I

sister hangs her head a little, remembering it,

was always allowed to leave the house? Dad didn’t stop her from doing that?” Emma is choked now,

of horror running through me at the life my sister lived, at the life I was supposed to have lived. And I know that it’s not because she was weaker than me – I would have collapsed to it as well. It was only my desperation to keep my children safe that propelled me to become strong enough to run, to build a life for myself, for Alvin

picking up where Emma left of. “Since we started…discovering our feelings for each other. And spending time for

given me that freedom, Evelyn?” Emma

emotion that rises in me. This, I think. This is why Victor and I want to lead.

little bit and turn to her. I laugh too, then, realizing that Delia is right – it was

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