Before you read:

Some of you might be angry at how Florence is such a 'b*tch', (as someone said). Need I remind you, this is just a book and the characters are a product of my imagination which runs wild. I base my stories on reality, I didn't want it to be all glitter and sh*t like that. If you don't like anyone in this book, here's water 💧so you can gracefully slide outta here.

I get irritated when I see posts like 'she's such an idiot', or she's so feeble. Dude, look around you...do you see perfect? Is anything perfect? I don't effing think so...

*exhales*

You may read now...

Day 3 of the ultimatum.
Time:9:00pm

💭💭💭

"Thanks for the night girls."

I arranged the overstuffed shopping bags on the porch and mom aimed a smile at me. She grabbed two of the bags and dashed into the house leaving me perplexed at her sudden rush.

I abandoned my insignificant confusion and focused on the warmth-emitting faces of Alice and Tanya.

"Save your gratitude lady, we had a great time too." She was about to touch Tanya's arm but she shrank away with lighthearted irritation crowding her face.

"Must you grope me whenever you want to talk?"

Alice narrowed her eyes at her cousin, but remained mute. Instead, she placed her hands on my shoulder blades, staring intensely at me. For a while, my thoughts raced madly in different directions, trying to fathom her actions.

"I'm so exhausted Al, let's get a move on." Tanya grumbled from behind us.

I expected Alice to liberate me, but she didn't, rather she twisted her neck to look at Tanya who was disinterested in our questionable posture.

"Give us a minute, Florence and I need to have a girls talk."

"But I'm a girl." Tanya complained.

"Run along now, shoo." Alice chased Tanya with a wave of her hand. I suppressed the urge to laugh by pressing my lips together.

Frowning, Tanya grumbled and trudged off to where my mom's car was parked. She brought out her phone and engaged herself with it.

Alice stepped away from me, but her eyes still drilled into mine.

"What is it Alice?" I asked politely.

"I don't know how to say this, don't find it weird."

I swallowed as she grabbed my hand and cradled it in between her dainty, properly manicured fingers.

"My brother is in love with you."

I retracted my hand hastily. Alice smiled gently at my reaction.

"He is?"

"Yeah, he is. He was really worried about your psychological health that's why he asked me to come over with my cousin to cheer you up. I'll have to confess to him that I told you because he asked me not to."

"I've never seen him worried like the way he was today. He has never gone into a frenzy over anyone like the way he did."

She pursed her lips and watched my facial expression which was totally blank as I remained silent, still trying to process her words with my brain.

"I've given you a little fodder for your thought. Have a beautiful night sweetheart. And I know you like him too, I told you so."

Alice was so much like my sister, her persuasive personality, her blunt speech, even her irregular childish acts.

I offered to help drive them home, seeing they had no ride to convey them home, but Alice declined courteously. After embracing me for the last time, she skipped away from me and approached Tanya who engaged her in a discussion. I watched Alice flip back her hair and raise her phone to her ear, probably calling someone to come pick them up.

With overflowing joy, partly from the shopping ' therapy ' (as mum called it), I picked the remaining shopping bags and sauntered into the house. Dumping the bags on the grey rug beneath me and close to the staircase, I swung my head up to see mom making her graceful descent down the stairs, she had already donned her night gown, a flimsy see-through orange material that stopped beneath her knees and her black hair, one of the things I inherited from her was trapped in her black woolly hairnet.

"Hey mom." I hugged her tightly, lifting my shoulders to fully consume the warmth radiating from her body. The lovely smell of her bath shampoo still lingered on her body.

"Florence, I need to discuss something important with you, can we go to the balcony?" She requested.

I pushed the shopping bags away so that one wouldn't accidentally trip over them. After doing that, I followed her to the balcony upstairs which was close to Tamara's room which held nothing but emptiness. I averted my gaze from my sister's room door and approached the balcony adjoining her room.

On an ordinary night, Tamara would have been seating on one of the sofas with her laptop perched on her legs, researching. But this night wasn't an ordinary night.

A gentle breeze kissed me and mom's face as we held the thick rails that protected us from tumbling to the earth under us. My hair billowed wildly in the air but I didn't bother it. Everything and everyone needs freedom once in awhile.

"It's been a long time since we had a mother and daughter moment. I felt we should...you know, relieve the strain."

She laced her fingers with mine on the railing. Lacking words to speak, I kept mute and my eyes travelled in a straight line to the darkened horizon.

"I haven't really seen you around Peter, I believe I'm not imagining things."

My nails pierced the inside of my other hand as I recalled the images of Peter and Maya in a heated make-out session.

"Florence?" Mom touched my arm lightly and I lifted my teary eyes to her.

"He cheated on me, he cheated on me mom!"

I yelled and keeled over the railing, mom's grip on my hand tightened as she tried to restrain me from subconsciously committing suicide. I dived into her arms in a firm embrace, wishing I could go back into her womb to be saved from my emotional wreckage. She weaved her fingers through my silky hair, trying to pacify me.

"You're going to be okay baby, I know that, and we're going to get through all these things together. We will fight for Tamara, we will." She whispered into my ear and my sobs lessened. I have to fight for Tamara.

We stayed at the balcony conversing about other trivial things. Mom asked me how her Empire's doing and I fed her with the much needed news. She told me that Doctor Michelle had approved her to begin work as her body had fully recovered from the stab wounds.

When I slept later on, I slept in great peace.

Hey lovelies, thanks for reading this chapter. Don't forget to vote and share your thoughts in the comments section.

I love you all so much,

Tris.