Chapter 43: Family Feud

***~STAGE~***

***Just as Paris was about to reveal more, the door burst open, and Sheriff Sarah strode in, flanked by my parents and grandmother. The sudden arrival should have caught me off guard, but my anger had already reached a boiling point, rendering me numb to surprise.***

***I swung my legs over the side of the bed, ready to demand answers from my parents, but my grandmother's icy gaze locked onto Paris, freezing the moment. With a sudden, sharp clap of her hands, Grandma summoned the air with an authoritative presence, her voice dripping with disdain. "Gemini witches are not welcome in Golden Lake," she declared, her tone laced with venom. "You're not wanted here. Leave." The words hung in the air, a clear and unmistakable dismissal, as if Grandma's very presence commanded Paris to vacate the premises.***

***My voice rose to a furious shout, echoing off the hospital walls. "Are you here to offer empty condolences to those whose lives have been shattered by the very people your group let into our town?" I demanded, my anger boiling over. "Or did you come to deliver some sanctimonious message about her Coven not being welcome in town?" My words dripped with venom, and I didn't bother to temper my tone, despite the hospital setting. At that moment, I didn't care.***

***A simmering resentment had been building inside me for far too long, and now it was about to boil over. My grandmother's actions had been chipping away at my patience, revealing a hardness I'd never seen before. The woman I once knew for her warmth and kindness seemed to be disappearing, replaced by a stranger with a heart of stone. I was done holding back.***

***My grandmother's eyes blazed with a fury so intense, it was almost palpable. "How dare you address me with such disrespect!" she thundered, her voice trembling with indignation. "And in front of outsiders, no less." Her gaze sliced through Paris like a razor-sharp blade, its venomous intensity enough to freeze blood in veins. If the weight of her stare could have been lethal, Paris would have crumpled to the floor, struck down by the sheer force of my grandmother's wrath.***

***"Oh, I'm shocked – shocked! – that disrespect can be hurtful," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "I had no idea, since you seem to make a habit of dishing it out with recklessly, completely disregarding the time and place." My words were laced with a healthy dose of skepticism, daring her to pretend she didn't know what she was doing.***

***My voice trembled with rage as I confronted my family. "You all knew the Millers were vampires, and yet you kept it a secret from me. If only you had spoken up, maybe – just maybe – Mr. Moth would still be alive." I turned my anger on my grandmother, my words biting.***

***"And you, Grandma, who remained eerily silent when your voice was needed most, can now keep yours shut and leave." The air was electric with tension as I spoke, my mother's attempts to intervene only fueling my frustration. Her pleading eyes met mine, but I was beyond consolation, my anger refusing to be silenced.***

***"Don't even think about defending her, Mom," I warned, my voice laced with frustration. "Both you and Dad are equally to blame for enabling her behavior. Just because she's an elder doesn't give her a free pass to trample over others. It doesn't mean she shouldn't be held accountable when she's wrong."***

***My words poured out like a pent-up torrent. "She needs to understand that other people's lives have value too. And the more you two stay silent, the more she thinks she's above the law. It's only making her worse."***

***Grandma's eyes widened, her face frozen in stunned silence. I'd never dared to speak to her with such candor before, not even when she'd lashed out at my mother. The words had poured out of me like a dam breaking, catching her off guard. For a moment, I wondered if she thought Paris had somehow emboldened me, but the truth was simpler: someone needed to tell her the hard truth, and I was no longer willing to stay silent.***

***Her gaze sliced through Paris like a cold, unforgiving blade before she turned to depart. But I wasn't about to let her dictate the terms of Paris's presence in our town. As she reached the door, I spoke up, my voice firm and resolute. "Don't even think about it, Grandma," I said, my words halting her in her tracks. "Paris has just as much claim to this town as we do. You can't just banish her from her own home."***

***The air was electric with tension as Grandma's face turned beet red with rage. She stormed out of the room, the door crashing shut behind her like a thunderclap, despite my mom's frantic pleas for her to stay.***

***The sound echoed through the hallway, a stark reminder of the chasm that had opened up between us. My dad sprang into action, hurrying after her in an attempt to soothe her frayed nerves and calm the tempest that had erupted within her.***

***As the door closed, the room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Paris's eyes met mine, filled with a mix of concern and surprise. Sheriff Sarah shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting between me and the door. My mom, still standing frozen, looked like she was torn between chasing after Grandma and staying to mediate the situation.***

***I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. "I'm sorry you had to witness that," I said to Paris, my voice still laced with anger and frustration.***

***Paris's expression softened, and she took a step closer to me. "You don't have to apologize for standing up for me," she said quietly. "Your grandmother needs to hear the truth."***

***Sheriff Sarah cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "I think it's time for us to have a talk, kiddo," she said gently. "Let's step outside and discuss what's going on." I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.***

***As I followed Sheriff Sarah out of the room, I caught my mom's eye. She looked lost and worried, and for a moment, I felt a pang of guilt. But I pushed it aside, knowing that I had to stand up for myself and for what was right. The hallway was empty, except for my dad, who was still trying to calm Grandma down. Their voices were muffled, but the tension between them was palpable.***

***We walked in silence to a nearby conference room, the only sound the soft hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Sheriff Sarah closed the door behind us and leaned against it, her expression serious. "Okay, kiddo, let's get down to business. What's going on with your grandmother, and what's this about the Millers being vampires?"***

***I took a deep breath, ready to face whatever came next. The words poured out of me like a pent-up torrent, and for the first time, I felt like someone was finally listening.***