Read Online A Promised Fate by Cat Mann - Free Book Online

helped herself to cream and
sugar.
    “Is that true, Ari?”
    “Uh.” My head bobbed in what could have been
construed as a yes or no.
    “For Christ's sake, Ari! Quit acting like a spaz!”
Julia walked past the spill and joined Rory at the breakfast bar,
kissing him again and messing his short hair with her fingers.
    “Daddy, eww!” The squeal came from Max, who had
spotted the mess on the floor. Ava, held him at her hip and stood
just outside the kitchen with her head tilted to the side.
    “I spilt.”
    “We can see that,” Ava laughed at me and then came to
my rescue, mopping the sticky mess from the floor, tossing the
empty plastic container in the recycling bin and handing me a wet
rag to clean my feet.
    “Ari, you look awful. You’re really pale. Sit. I’ll
make something easy for breakfast. How about toast or oatmeal?”
    “Toast.” I agreed and she kissed my forehead and then
poured me a cup of coffee.
    “I think it’s supposed to rain all day,” Julia
frowned at the weather and stared out the window. “What do you want
to do today, Rory?”
    “Honestly Babe, I’ve had one of the worst nights of
my life. I really just want to go home and spend the rest of the
day with you in our room. Maybe we can talk about some things and
then watch that movie you keep blabbing about.”
    “ Love is Eternal ?!”
    “Gah, sure, whatever makes you happy.” He shrugged
with another grunting noise.
    Julia stood from her stool next to Rory and scooped
up her purse, flinging it over her shoulder. “Sounds perfect. Let’s
go then. Thanks for the coffee, Ari. See ya Monday. Bye Ava! Kisses
for Aunt Jules, Max?”
    Max stuck his tongue out at her but happily gave Rory
a high five.
    Rory didn’t speak to me. He only stood up from his
stool, pushed the mug across the island and then kissed Ava on the
cheek, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll never understand how
you deal with him.”
    “Bye, Roar.” Ava gave him an indulgent smile and hot
toast popped from the toaster.
    For once, Rory’s idea was actually a good one. I
wanted more than anything to lock myself away at home with Ava and
Max for the remainder of the rainy weekend. We did have plans with
the whole family on sailing out to Catalina Island and I had
promised to take Max snorkeling. One look at the choppy waves told
me that plan was not going to happen; he was sure to be
disappointed.
    Biting into my dry toast, I pushed all thoughts of
Julia out of my mind. She had left me in a whirlwind of confusion.
The night before, she hadn't been able to stop the tears from
flowing down her cheeks and the emotion from cracking her voice.
She had dredged up pointless old conversations and had left me
scared that somehow Ava would find out who I was. Then, a scant
several hours later, she had danced through the door acting chipper
and nonchalant. I saw no coherence in her behavior. She had done a
fair job of making me look like a complete and utter fool and Rory
would not forgive me for quite a while, I knew.
    “I’m gonna grab a shower.” I pushed my coffee cup
away from my plate.
    “Are you alright, Ari?”
    “Yeah. I’ll be fine. I won’t take long. Maybe we can
do some couch time, too?”
    “Definitely, whatever you’d like.”
    “You’re so sweet.” Unable to resist, I kissed her
perfectly pink lips.
    ****
    The three of us settled down together in the den on
the huge sectional sofa in front of the giant flat screen. Max
chose the first movie and we spent ninety minutes watching the
newest popular kids' show, a heartfelt tale about some likeable
cartoon dog and his best friend, a very unrealistic looking cartoon
flea. I thought the movie was just on the edge of bearable as far
as kids' movies went, but at the ending, Ava cried.
    “Are you seriously crying?” I teased her and ruffled
her hair.
    “It was sad.”
    “It was not! They were reunited and lived happily
ever after as parasite and host, it’s really gross if you think
about it.”
    Ava