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With a deep inhale, I dial my mother’s number.
“Amara,” she answers, underlying annoyance tainting her voice.
I ignore her disdain. I don’t ask what’s wrong this time. There’s always something wrong when it comes to me.
“Hey, Mom.” I rub the back of my neck, pacing the room again. “Got a minute?”
“You need money, don’t you?” she whispers. She’s exasperated. What’s new? “I knew it. You and your silly florist dreams. It was only a matter of time before you failed.”
Jesus, tell me how you really feel.
“Mom, Carnations is doing—”
“Case, come here a second, honey,” she calls my dad, her voice dripping with sweetness. She’s fake. So fake.
Judging by the chatter in the background, I’d say they’re entertaining guests at their penthouse. That explains why she sounds extra nice. None of their acquaintances would ever learn what a disappointment I’ve turned out to be.
Unlike Melina, my older sister. The lawyer. The one who’s about to make partner at one of the biggest criminal law firms in Manhattan.
I sink my teeth into my knuckles. The pain helps me snap out of my pity party. Fuck them. Fuck them right up their asses.
The sound of a heavy wooden door slamming is followed by my dad’s voice. “What’s going on, Elora?”
“It’s that daughter.”
“Hmph,” he grumbles. “Yes, Amara?”
This isn’t one of Killian’s huffs. Dad’s hatred and exasperation seep through the phone. There’s no mistaking his annoyance. He’s been that way toward me ever since I instructed our housekeeper to stop watering the plants around the penthouse and started taking care of them myself. Like I’m a disappointment.
I ignore him too.
I have my Daddies here.
A laugh escapes me at the thought of calling either of them that. Daddy one and Daddy two.
“What’s so funny?” The underlying warning in his voice shakes me through the phone.
“Nothing, sir.” I clear my throat.
“Money,” Mom whispers loud enough for me to hear.
“Is that it?” he parrots Mom’s accusation. “Or drugs? Maybe your business is failing? Maybe all of the above?”
“What?” It takes everything in me not to shout at him. That’s the fast track to getting them to refuse what I’m about to ask. “No. I’m not doing drugs.” Unless you count Carter and Killian’s cum as one. Fucking addictive. “And Carnations is doing just great.”
“What is it then?” Mom snaps. I should’ve guessed they’d put me on speakerphone. “This isn’t a social call, and we have guests waiting for us. The mayor’s daughter and her husband are here.”
More people who are so much more important than I am. Who you’d rather be around, I think but don’t verbalize. Trying to convince them to love me is a losing game. They haven’t invited me over to their home in an eternity. They won’t start anytime soon.
Besides, it’s not their affection I’m after. Solving my rent problem is.
“I need you to sign off on something. I’m going to put up the apartment on Airbnb for a month or two.” Since I’m not interested in having a repeat of this conversation, I clarify, “Maybe longer. I haven’t decided yet.”
Silence. They’ve either muted the call or I’ve shocked them into silence.
“Absolutely not,” Dad thunders eventually.
I imagine his gray eyes glittering. His thin, brown eyebrows pinched together. His anger exploding from him, turning him into an ugly, ugly man.
