Octavia's Time [The Klawinken] (Siren Publishing Allure) Read Free Page A

had been told she didn’t have long to live, and all she wanted was to see you girls.”
    “You did the right thing. How could you have not allowed her to see us? I’m just sorry her mind was already gone. It’s a shame she hadn’t wanted to see us a long time before that.”
    “I told you there were harsh words between us. Terrible, hurtful things were said when I married your father. The estrangement was on both our parts.”
    “I know, Mom…I’m sorry.”
    “Now don’t worry yourself about that. What’s done is done. Besides, your father will be home soon, and I promised him I’d make stuffed pork chops tonight. Why don’t you go take a little nap? You look exhausted. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”
    Octavia knew her mother well enough to know she was dismissing her for a reason. She obviously needed time to herself to further digest her daughter’s news. That night, at dinner, Octavia asked if she could see her sister’s letter.
    “Your sister’s letter contained things that your father and I prefer not to share…hurtful things that would serve no purpose for you to see. It would only cause all of us more unhappiness. Even now that your sister says she’s happy, she still wants to punish us for whatever demons she struggled with when she lived at home.”
    “I know, Mom. But I’m old enough to handle whatever she has to say. I would really like to read it.”
    “Well, that’s impossible because I’ve already destroyed it.”
    “Destroyed it! Oh, Mom. How could you?”
    “After I showed it to your father, I couldn’t bear to have it in my possession one more minute. Just remember, she’s living the life she’s always wanted with the family she always wanted, in Boston. Her new husband and family have her now.”
    The hurt and sarcasm in her mother’s voice was not lost on her. She also knew when she was in this state of mind there would be no changing her mind.
    Her mother’s voice rose in pitch as she continued. “She wants nothing more to do with us, and there’s nothing we can do to change that. You need to forget about her completely.”
    Initially Octavia had thought Evenela’s leaving home might be a good thing because she never seemed happy and was constantly fighting with their parents over the most trivial of issues. She had hoped that if her sister went somewhere new, she might learn to appreciate the family she left behind. She also hoped that the man she ran away with would help her find the kind of happiness that would spill over into all their lives. She still missed her sister regardless of what she had done. If only she could have read Evenela’s letter, it might have helped her understand. Now she would never know how her sister had worded the letter and if she had made any reference to her younger sister.
    “We wish your sister no ill will,” her father spoke softly, breaking the silence, his voice full of emotion. “I want you to know that sometimes, no matter how hard it is, letting go is for the best. Your sister was always so stubborn and wild. Hopefully this man she has married will be able to tame her and give her life direction.”
    “You, on the other hand,” her mother interjected, “have always been more grounded and even tempered. Evenela tried to convince herself that she was something she wasn’t. My advice to you is to learn from your sister’s mistakes. Your father and I have always tried to do our best by both of you. I hope you know that and don’t decide to leave us without a care the way your sister did.”
    Sadness tugged at her heart as she looked at the two people she loved most in the world. “You know I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you,” she choked out. “I’m sorry Evenela still hates us. I’m sorry about everything that’s happened. I don’t understand any of this, I really don’t.” With that said, she practically knocked over her chair as she ran from the table and up the stairs to her room and