~ Chapter 101 ~

The silence that followed was like a piercing knife wedged into Lotte’s soul… She watched as Romy took another steady drink, the older woman’s eyes tracing over remnants of the dining room. Her Aunt didn’t seem fazed in the slightest by the mess, but also didn’t seem ready to continue without prompting. Clearing her throat, Charlotte steadied herself before she pressed, “Go on.” With a sigh, Romy set her drink back down again. "Your mother,” her voice broke a little, the same way it always did when talking about Lotte’s Mom. “Janie... she wasn’t just my sister," Romy confessed. "We were foster sisters first… Her father was sent to prison for this and that - he died in there. My mother just couldn’t be bothered to even try to love me… Janie loved me. We were inseparable.”Lotte had already heard plenty of times in her life about how ‘inseparable’ her mother and her Aunt were. When she was younger, it had made her incredibly jealous of the other woman. Romy cleared her throat and cont

~ Chapter 102 ~

“I wasn’t thinking straight,” the older woman confessed, carrying on. “Racing back into that hospital… I snagged you right up and… We disappeared together. I did everything that I could to keep you away from that… man. He was bad news, Lotte. No one ever disrespected him and lived to talk about it… I guess, only me, that is.” Lotte didn’t know what to say, all those years of cramped motels, run-down apartments, and nights sleeping in cars. It was all so that Romy could keep her away from her father. Tears began blurring her vision before Charlotte even knew that she was crying. She wiped them away aggressively, her mind racing to the surreal reality of her biology. "So this is why you wanted to shoot Brandon? You thought he would be like my… Dad.” Romy ducked her head, “I’m a piss poor step mom, and I haven’t even officially been given the job yet.” At the use of the word ‘mom’, Lotte’s mind jumped to the new bit of information that Chris had given her earlier. “If he’s... what you

~ Chapter 103 ~

Leaving Brandon to finish his bath, Lotte entered her borrowed room and found her own pajamas. She only allowed herself a moment of silence when it came to her ‘lost’ bathrobe, before moving to wait outside the door for her little friend to finish up. Luckily, he made quick business dressing and retreated down the hall to find his Uncle. Peeling off Chris’s heavy, copper-smelling jacket, Charlotte stepped under the spray of the shower and scrubbed until her skin was raw. Watching the pink-tinged water swirl down the drain, she felt hollowed out. She grieved for a mother she never knew and a life with Romy that had been a lie from her very first breath. All the sacrificing, all the pain… and never once had Lotte uttered a single ‘thank you’. Finishing up as quickly as she could, Charlotte made it back to the kitchen in record time. Brandon greeted her from the table, where a sly smirk was settled over his face. It didn’t take the girl long to see why: James was out in the backyard wi

~ Chapter 104 ~

The heaviness vanished. She was low to the ground, her paws thudding rhythmically against the cool, damp earth of an endless apple orchard. The scent of overripe fruit and crisp night air filled her lungs, more vivid than any human sense. She wasn't a girl running for her life; she was a predator, powerful and free, weaving between the gnarled trunks of the trees while the moon hung fat and silver above her. There was something out there… Something she wanted. It was mouthwatering in all of the best ways. She could feel hunger… need… taking over. She was going to find it. She was going to have it… She was going to devour it… Lotte shot into a seated position and stared around in the darkness, confused. This wasn’t ‘her’ room… And she wasn’t alone. It took several moments more before the previous night came racing back. Despite insisting that they would be ok on their own, James and Mateo decided to ‘crash’ the sleepover. Piling blankets/pillows all over the floor, Lotte made sure t

~ Chapter 105 ~

“Brandon, Thank God!” The man’s voice picked up, having discovered his son. “Where is Charlotte?” “I’m here,” the girl called out, never moving from her place by the stove. She heard hasty shuffling from the other room, and then David appeared, practically dragging Brandon along. The man looked relieved to see her and didn’t hesitate before wrapping his free arm around the girl. Like his brother, he didn’t seem to care that her hands were sticky with dough. “Sweetheart,” he breathed into her hair, completely pulling Lotte from James’s embrace, “I am so happy you both are alright…” James took a step back, giving his brother some space. “Chris?” The taller man inquired. David nodded, rotating between kissing both Brandon and Lotte on the head and pulling back to take a look at them. “We’re ok,” Charlotte finally assured, her watchful gaze constantly slipping back to the pot of dumplings. “Neither of us was hurt.” “I was almost hurt,” Brandon added. Lotte’s breath caught, certain

~ Chapter 106 ~

Worried about their breakfast getting cold, Charlotte slipped the pot lid over the top of the food and moved to the living room to start picking up. She couldn’t explain herself, but she suddenly had a strong urge to tidy, cook more food, and nestle against Brandon & Matty. Tossing a few pillows back onto the couch, she turned to find David watching her with a raised eyebrow. “We made a mess,” Lotte sighed, “A few of the dining room chairs need to be replaced, too…” The Doctor nodded; however, he said nothing. Lotte folded a few blankets and began stacking them up onto the couch as well. It took everything in her not to hum as she worked. When she looked back, James had joined his brother in watching her. The girl tried to ignore them as best she could, but then the blankets were all stacked before she knew it. Finally, having nothing else to do, Charlotte turned to them. “What? You are both looking at me super weird…” Still silent, David approached Lotte from the side and turned h