Chapter 25
The room was up on the third floor, soaking in sunlight. On rainy days, you could watch the leaves dancing as the rain tapped against them. It was still her old childhood room, untouched for three years. Everything was just the way she remembered. The curtains, with their old patterns, were a comforting sight.
Martha cheerfully led Elizabeth into the room. “I have it cleaned here every day. It’s spotless and you can sleep here tonight.”
“Thanks, Martha,” Elizabeth said.
“Don’t mention it. Betty, you’re still a part of the Taylor family. No need to be so formal,” Martha replied.
Family was a bittersweet word for Elizabeth. People in Yaville all said that Elizabeth was the illegitimate child of the Taylor family, not welcomed by anyone. Even before she was born, her mother got cast out, and when she arrived as a girl, she had no place in the family. Yet, it couldn’t be denied that she still bore the blood of the Taylor family.
That was why she returned to Yaville every New Year’s Day. She looked forward to those days around New Year’s Day every year. In the Taylor residence, she could sleep alone in the spacious room, feel the warm breeze, and lie on a large bed where she wouldn’t roll off no matter how much she moved.
Now, the room felt small, the bed less welcoming. A fluffy kitten brushed against her feet, its fur tickling her skin. Martha scooped up the purring ball of fluff, a smile on her face.
“Betty, it seems to like you,” Martha said.
Elizabeth had never seen this cat before, so she asked, “Is this Mom’s pet?”
“Yeah, it’s Mrs. Taylor’s pet. She had been keeping it ever since you married into the Jones family.” Martha rubbed the cat’s head and added, “Your brother isn’t the caring type. He’s always hanging out, leaving Mrs. Taylor alone, so she had to keep a cat for company.”
“It must have been disappointing for her when I got married and moved out, right?” Elizabeth asked.
Martha hesitated for a moment, her smile frozen on her face. “Betty, are you really going to divorce Franklin?”
The gray and white cat licked its paws, looking obedient and cute. Unable to resist its
Chapter 25
charm, Elizabeth held the kitten close, her fingers sinking into its soft fur. “It’s happening,” she said, her tone matter–of–fact,
Martha let out a breath, not appearing too surprised. “I didn’t expect Mrs. Taylor to be right.”
Elizabeth looked up at her. “Mom? What did she say?”
“When you married Franklin, Mrs. Taylor predicted it. She said you two would part ways within a year, maybe three,” Martha told Elizabeth.
“Why would she say that?” Elizabeth was puzzled.
She only decided to get a divorce recently. Although disappointment had been piling up, back when she first married Franklin, she was hopeful and putting her all into it, genuinely wanting things to click between them.
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Martha idly squeezed the cat’s fluffy paws. “She knew you weren’t marrying for love. He’s such a proud man, always having everything go his way. He thought he was getting someone devoted to him, only to realize later you were doing it all for your true love. It’s normal he was upset.”
“I didn’t play with his feelings,” Elizabeth said.
“Still stubborn,” Martha teased, tapping Elizabeth’s forehead. “You’ve always been a clever one.”
Elizabeth stopped arguing. Lost in thought, she gazed at the cat. Her fingers sank into its warm fur, looking a bit sorrowful.
Martha ceased discussing these unpleasant matters. “Since you’ve decided on divorce, then stay here and make the best of it. You’re young, with a bright future ahead. After the divorce, what are you planning to do?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “Back on familiar ground, I guess.”
Her far–fetched wish was dashed during dinner by Helen’s stern rejection. The unique fork clattered deafeningly as it hit the table, causing a few dishes to tremble.
Then Elizabeth sensed the intense glare fixed on her from above.
“If you insist on making a fool of yourself on that wretched stage, then don’t bother coming back home. We don’t want a performer in the Taylor family,” Helen sounded
serious.
