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024 - Everything Changed

작가: Gift Patrick
last update 게시일: 2026-04-11 07:27:57

We were all still standing, smiling.

I never understood the point of a forced smile. Why fake it? Why stretch your lips so wide your cheeks hurt just to pretend everything was fine?

I had so many questions to ask my mom, and even more to ask my weirdly calm sister. She said Mom and her man threw Anthony out.

“Man”.

It’s not that I didn’t support same-sex relationships, but my mom had never given the slightest hint. She adored masculine affection openly, enthusiastically, sometimes embarrassin
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  • Terms and Conditions Apply   024 - Everything Changed

    We were all still standing, smiling. I never understood the point of a forced smile. Why fake it? Why stretch your lips so wide your cheeks hurt just to pretend everything was fine?I had so many questions to ask my mom, and even more to ask my weirdly calm sister. She said Mom and her man threw Anthony out. “Man”.It’s not that I didn’t support same-sex relationships, but my mom had never given the slightest hint. She adored masculine affection openly, enthusiastically, sometimes embarrassingly just like Tahlia and Liz.Am I not supposed to be surprised?Denise eventually closed her teeth, nodding as she spoke. “You look so much like Eloise.”Her voice sounded as that of woman who smoked cigars in a penthouse overlooking the city. Low and gravelly, almost masculine. “I don’t think so,” Mom objected, running her fingers through my hair. “Liz looks more like me. Andrea is everything like her father. They both worship working themselves to death and getting absolutely nowhere.”The

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   023 - Confused As Hell

    “Yeah. You've done nothing for this family, Andrea. And also, not everyone needs to work.” She flipped her hair over one shoulder. “Some of us are born to be queens.”I stood, dazed.I sent money whenever Mom called unless I genuinely didn’t have any. I even secretly covered Liz’s fees more than twice, quietly funneling it through Anthony so it looked like it came from him.Why did she make it sound like I did nothing?We walked into the kitchen in silence.Mom was at the counter, completely oblivious to us, dancing lightly to the music playing through AirPods that glowed in her ears.The kitchen looked incredible too. New cabinets, fresh paint. Copper pots were hanging over the stove.She reached for two tomatoes, about to cut, but the dish towel tucked at her side slipped to the floor.She bent, looked up and then realized.“My girls!” she cried out, flopping out the AirPods. I ran into her arms, laughing.When we pulled apart, I noticed the streaks of gray in her hair. It made my

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   022 - What Exactly Have You Done?

    I raised the test stick up, squinting at it.“Andrea freaking Thompson!” she yelled, sounding one second away from kicking it down. “If you don’t answer me, I swear I’m filing a missing persons report!”I burst out laughing, slipping the kit behind my back as I headed to where she was. Her eyes were still blazing.“I won,” I finally announced.“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Am I preg—” She froze. “Oh my God. Oh my God. If I am, I’m literally going to pass out.”I smirked, shoving the kit against her chest. She snatched it, her eyes darting over it like a gambler reading the final card. “If you were pregnant, it would've been a disaster,” I said. “Which is exactly why I won.”Tahlia exhaled so hard her whole body sagged. She fell to the floor. “One red line. Not two. Jesus. I just got my life back.”“And maybe learned that if you insist on having sex, you should at least do it safely.”“No. No, no, no.” She pointed the test at me. “What I should do is keep at least three p

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   021 - Fourth-to-last Time

    The weekend came way too fast. No schedules with Mr. Langston, but the days after that hellish Monday were jam-packed. I was stuck babysitting Tahlia’s wounded heart while scheming the perfect meetup for Miss Laurent and Mr. Langston.I opened my wardrobe after my shower, skimming through the many sundresses hanging in neat, colorful rows. Two rows in and I was still skeptical about which one to pick. A soft yellow, a floral blue and I finally plucked a white cotton piece off the hanger, pressing it against my towelled body as I walked over to the full length mirror.Tilting my head from side to side, I admired my pick as I ran my fingers through my straight hair.It’s added a little length.What’s this newfound gorgeousness?I’d had the urge to color it especially after Tahlia went from brunette to burgundy, but Mr. Langston’s very vocal hatred for blondes had made me want to keep mine exactly as it is. I played with the strands. “Should I lighten it, or—”A wet choking retch came f

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   020 - The Two Women

    One minute passed. Then two. The officer opened his mouth to speak, but Tahlia cut in smoothly. “Yes, she’s right. We went to Bloom’s Bar to have a night out.” She gestured lazily, then sniffed, her expression hardening. “That man, Jeremy, or whatever name he’s using latched on to us there.” “Pookie—” Jeremy tried to interrupt, but Tahlia shot him a glare that could knock that thought right out of his head. “Don’t,” she warned. “He’s asked me for money three different times. Always large amounts. He called it some urgent investment opportunity and swore it would double overnight. I was lucky I never had enough to give him everything.” The officer turned to Jeremy, brows raised. “I meant it,” he said quickly. “I needed that money for business. Legitimate business.” “So what was your intention?” I asked, folding my arms. “A fresh start,” he shot back. “I was done with that life.” The officer flashed a thin smile. “The law doesn’t erase prior offenses. You don’t get to walk a

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   019 - Betrayal?

    Everywhere was suddenly quiet, and we all had puzzled looks on our faces.My father was a smart devil, but he never quite fooled me, no matter how hard he tried.The officer dropped the phone slowly. He reached into a tray, and brought out a form, sliding it across the desk with a pen.“Fill this out, sir.”I took it. “How much?”He mentioned the amount. I dug into my coat, pulling out my wallet. Soon, the full amount was resting on the desk.He glanced at it, then at me, and quickly gathered the money.“I’ll have this processed right away.”He stood up, handing over the cash to another officer behind the counter. A few quiet exchanges followed. Then the sound of paper stamping and scribbling of signatures.Minutes later, he returned.“Kate Langston,” he said. “You are free to go.”“Her belongings.” I reminded. An evidence pouch was brought out—her phone, bracelets, and her small handbag. I checked everything in one sweep before handing it back to her.“Bear in mind,” the officer ad

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   018 - Trouble

    *** • Everett • ***Family is one thing I don’t joke about. I could joke about money—you know, how much of it I could burn on a whim and never notice, or run on two hours of sleep, ignoring a pounding migraine, just to sign contracts worth millions. But you’re in for trouble when you hurt any mem

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   016 - This Admiration Would Fade

    ***• Everett •***I choose not to believe that I just had that feeling again, after six whole years -the warm little pull in my chest making it hard for me to swallow, and the ridiculous urge to keep myself from staring like an idiot. Before Andrea even stepped foot into the building, I had alre

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   015 - Déjà vu

    The number of times I blinked after that statement could probably qualify as a medical emergency. I had always believed Mom’s marriage to Anthony was perfect. The way she talked about him made it sound effortless —like he could read her moods even before she spoke, like loving him didn’t require a

  • Terms and Conditions Apply   014 - The Surprise Outside

    He let out a short, ridiculous laugh.Amber’s breathing grew louder as she stepped closer. “Say that again. I dare you.”“Or you’ll do what?” he shot back. “Pfft. I’m literally nauseous just staring at your face.”“You two,” he said, flashing a crooked grin. “Are ugly. Uglier than a frog in a crown

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