Chapter 127

Emma’s eyes brightened at the sight of Colin coming down to the breakfast table. It was half ten in the morning and breakfast was completely over. The leftover waffles she’d made earlier for her husband had gone cold. She was about to clear the table and wash up the dishes. But none of that mattered, she was over the moon that her son was finally out of his room and back in her sights. His fractured spirit beaming with resilience.

Colin pulled out a chair and plopped down, he was dressed in a grey suit over a black shirt and ebony tie. He smelt of warm water and expensive cologne. The only part of him that seemed out of place was his eyes. They no longer carried the same outlook and Emma wasn’t sure how to feel about that. This Colin was changed and Emma didn’t like change.

“Would you like some breakfast?” She chirped, hands bracing on the edge of the table to launch her to her feet, but he raised one hand to halt her movements and she sank back into the chair.

“I’ll have what’s on the table.” He responded, reaching for a waffle from the middle of the table while searching for syrup.

“Don’t be absurd, I can make fresh food for you, whatever you’re in the mood for.” She rose to her feet instantly, grabbing the plate of waffles away in the process. Colin exhaled the annoyance expanding in his stomach, his eyes rising to meet his mothers.

“That seems like a waste.” He responded. “Hand me the waffles, I’ll eat that or I’ll leave.” He said, watching as she battled with indecision. The plate in her hand wobbled as her breathing became unsteady. Emma didn’t want Colin to leave, this was the first time in days he’d been without tears in his eyes.

“I-I,” She struggled to voice the words, the options presented to her tugging and pulling at the faucets of her brain, giving her little time to propose a third option.

Colin levitated, taking the plate from her hands and sat back down to eat. What he ate didn’t matter, it’ll all feel like cardboard on his tongue anyway. But he couldn’t be curled up in corner for the rest of his life when Skylar was the one to bare more of a loss. He couldn’t allow himself to be that useless. Not anymore. It wasn’t just about him and he hated that it took the loss of his child to teach him that lesson.

“If you want anything else…” her voice trailed off as her sentence slipped from her mind following the sound of the doorbell permeating the house. Instantly, she walked to the hallway, straight for the front door.

A smile worked its way onto her lips as Nova came into sight. “Dear, I had no idea you were coming over,” Emma shuffled to the side to allow Nova entrance. Two of her children in one day, the tide must have turned in Emma’s favour.

Nova pushed past Emma before she was securely on the side, causing her mother’s stance to sway. Once over the threshold, Nova crossed her arms over her chest, planting her feet where she stood. “What did you do?” she demanded before her mother had chance to close the door behind her. Emma glanced at Nova over her shoulder, one hand pushing the door shut.

“What *did* I do?” Emma echoed the question with equal curiosity. As she turned to face her daughter, she too seemed different to Emma. Nova’s eyes contained a fire Emma had never seen before. Her innocent, submissive Nova was sizing her up. One eyebrow arched and lips compressed into a thin line. Hard to achieve with Nova’s naturally plump lips.

“You really don’t know or are you playing dumb?” Her voice carried throughout the ground floor of the house, tickling at Colin’s ear like a nagging mosquito hovering for a place to settle. Begrudgingly, he rose from his seat and strolled to the source of the disturbance. Lingering in a manner that made his presence difficult to be determined by either woman.

“I haven’t seen you in a long time and this is how you speak to me?” Emma blinked back at her daughter, consumed by the level of disrespect thrown at her, “Have you lost your senses after staying with that Skylar woman?” Emma retaliated. Every day new reasons emerged to fuel Emma’s hatred.

Nova scoffed, her eyes rolling as far back as was possible, “Oh, I am glad you brought that up,” She smiled sardonically, her eyes shooting daggers at the woman that gave birth to her. How disappointing! She’d spent years worshiping her parents and it took her being abused to finally open her eyes to the people she’d trusted with her life.

“I don’t have time for your delusions, Nova. If you are just here to rile me up then go back to your brother’s house. You’re his problem now.” Emma shifted to reach back for the door handle, her mood shifting instantly.

“And you wonder why everyone loves Skylar.” Nova made no attempt to move, she wasn’t done with what she had intended for this meeting, “She doesn’t treat us as some problem to palm off on someone else.” Funny that she found the back of her eyes flush with a prickling heat that extended to her nostrils.

“I don’t care about Skylar; our whole family has gone mad over that woman.” Emma flung her hands in the air, her annoyance untameable.

“Is that why you had a hand in her separation from Austin?” Nova said the words she’d been itching too since she made her mind to come over. “Just because you don’t like her?” Although, Nova never understood her mother’s distaste for her sister-in-law.

“They separated?” Emma’s heaving chest calmed and she peered at Nova to determine whether her daughter was lying. Colin straighten, cocking his ears to the conversation. He’d droned out until Nova mentioned that Skylar and Austin had separated.

“Didn’t you poison Austin’s mind yesterday?” Nova shot back, her hands dropping to her side and clenching at how thrilled her mother seemed. The woman didn’t even try to hide her smirk.

It appeared that the talk the Emma had with Austin had finally gotten through to him. She sighed, her lungs filling with more oxygen than ever before. A huge weight

propelled off Emma’s shoulders at the news. One son had finally gotten a hold of his emotions and the other was ready to be free of that succubus. The day was turning out to be fruitful.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Emma said, her anger quelled and she was as calm as the morning breeze.

“Skylar left, God knows to go where. They were happy, the only person that could have caused a rift was you,” Nova was no fool, although she could admit that she’d been complacent all her life but no more. Yesterday her mother had called her in a mood, asking the whereabouts of Austin. Nova had foolishly told their mother where he was and all of a sudden she was to believe that Emma had absolutely nothing to do with the separation?

Emma had been trying to break them up since they got married. Nova had overheard conversations between Neveah and their mother, but her older sister was not the meddling type and often shut down any untoward behaviour.

“I did nothing, your brother has finally realised that that woman was no good. I for one am happy for him, now he can move on,” Emma titled her head haughtily.

“And what of Skylar?” Colin had emerged from his hiding place, “Her husband has abandoned her after the loss she suffered, is that not reprehensible?” His eyes surging with conflicting emotions. He’d hated that she married Austin and during the entire marriage he wished she’d leave him, but now that his wish was granted, there was no satisfaction. How could Austin mistreat her in such a manner?

“Loss?” Nova was hung up on the word to really care about Colin coming to Skylar’s aid. He’d always seemed indifferent.

“That woman doesn’t deserve your pity,” Emma waved Nova’s words away. She had nothing else to say to her daughter. A daughter who didn’t understand what was truly happening.

“That woman deserves more than you are willing to admit. As a woman I can’t understand why you are so hateful and spiteful towards her,” Colin scoffed, moving past them both for the door. He’d find out the truth on his own.

“A woman who was pregnant with your child and then married your brother to save face doesn’t even deserve to breathe air,” Emma growled as the door pulled open,

Nova’s eyes widened. That couldn’t be true.

Colin glanced over his shoulder at his mother, revulsion emitting heavily from his eyes before he walked away completely. “Do you still love Skylar now?” Emma returned her gaze to a shocked Nova, tears welling up in her eyes.