Page 38 of Eternal Pieces
“You’ve heard from your mom?” I ask.
“Why would she talk to us?”
Violet sighs, her head knocking back against the shower wall. “She was here when I got home. She’d let herself in with the keys she still had from your dad.”
Jeez, I know the woman reeks of entitlement when it comes to her daughter, but to actually let herself in like that?
“We’ll get the locks changed.” I shake my head and hold the towel out for Violet. “Let’s get you dry.”
She takes it, but before she can use it, Max lifts her and carries her to the bedroom. He snatches up her watch from the sink on his way out. I follow behind and see that he’s shaking, but he doesn’t let his pain show any more than that.
He sits her on the bed and stands next to me in front of her, taking a similar stance to mine with his arms crossed over his chest. I don’t think he registers the water he’s dripping onto the carpet.
“What did your mom say to upset you?” I ask Violet. “Your eyes are red. Don’t tell me it’s from the shower.”
Looking between us, she must know there’s no hiding anything from us. “Pass me my bathrobe so I don’t freeze, and I’ll tell you everything.”
We’ve spoken in depth about the woman before. After all, we were all part of the same family once. I saw firsthand the manipulative shit Charity said to Vi, the way she put her own daughter down with a haughty smile. From the sound of what she did today, she hasn’t changed a bit.
“You’re not to see her again,” Max says, making his thoughts extremely clear. I feel the same, but I’m hesitant to back him up. As much as it pains us, we’re supposed to be giving Violet more freedom now that she’s ours, not less.
“Oh, you forbid it?” Vi snarks back. “You can’t stop me from seeing people. I’m not sure what I want to do about her yet. I need some time to process. But it will be my decision in the end.”
Sensing Max about to object, I cut in, “We respect that. Don’t we, Max?”
“Not when it comes to Charity saying harmful shit in front of our children. It’s bad enough what she does to Violet. I’m not allowing someone who can slut and fat shame her own daughter anywhere near them.”
My head snaps to Violet. He shouldn’t have said that.
“Fat’s not a bad word. I don’t mind if you say it. I know I’m fat, and you two don’t seem to find anything wrong with it.”
“Because your goddamn perfect,” Max states.
Violet smiles at him, then drops her head. “Things were tense today, and a lot has happened since Mom and I last saw each other. She’s hurting from the divorce and probably didn’t mean to word things the way she did. I’ll let the air clear, and if she ends up coming to my graduation, then maybe that’ll be a sign that she can change.”
Charity doesn’t deserve that kindness. She’s had more than enough chances in the past. Our Violet is far too good. Too nice. That’s why she needs us, so she can keep being the sweetheart that she is while we deal with any darkness threatening to touch her.
Max grunts out a noncommittal response and lays down on the bed next to her, his feet dangling off the edge. At least he’s not fighting her on it anymore.
“You didn’t tell me why you’re here,” Violet says. “Why were you so scared?”
Max doesn’t look like he’s going to admit what he’s been doing, so I tell her instead. “The heart rate monitor on your smartwatch is linked to Max’s phone. He saw it go up and came to get me.”
Her nose scrunches, making her look even cuter than she already is, as she figures out what I’m saying. “What heart rate monitor?”
“There’s a fitness app on your phone,” Max states. “I downloaded it and connected it to your watch and my phone. I track your heart rate, how much sleep you’re getting, your water intake, and your weight to make sure it’s not going down.” He holds up the watch as he speaks and is about to put it back down when he thinks better of it and puts it back on Violet’s wrist instead.
She gets a mildly surprised look on her face. I can’t believe she’s not angry about this. Then again, she learned to expect the worst from us in the past.
“I’ll make sure it’s deleted if you don’t want it,” I reassure her.
“No, you won’t!” Max snaps, sitting up and glaring at me.
Violet pushes him back down and straddles his lap, her robe sliding off her shoulders.
“Fuck,” I murmur under my breath. She’s a goddess. My body is drawn toward her luscious curves, pulling me closer until I’m sitting on the bed next to them, ogling her cleavage.
“I’m not deleting it,” Max reiterates, still glaring at me. “It’s for the babies’ well-being as well as Violet’s. You know damn well she has to keep her blood pressure down.”
