Page 35 of Always, For Love
Katie's eyes widened, and a mixture of disbelief and anger flashed across her face. "You did what? How could you?"
"I'm sorry, Katie," Ariel said earnestly, reaching out to touch her daughter's arm. "I know I shouldn't have, but I was worried about you and wanted to understand why this was so important to you."
"Mom, that's not okay!" Katie exclaimed, yanking her arm away from Ariel's grasp. "You had no right to go through my private conversations!"
"I know, I know," Ariel admitted, her voice thick with regret. "But please understand, I only did it because I care about you, and I worry about you."
"Well, guess what, Mom?" Katie retorted, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I'm going to that summer program whether you like it or not. It's time for me to make my own choices and live my life."
Her chest tightened as she tried to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her – shock at her daughter's bold declaration, guilt for invading her privacy, and a touch of fear for Katie's safety.
Katie's cheeks flushed a deep crimson, her eyes ablaze as she glared at Ariel. The tension in the air was palpable, like a storm about to break. Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the kitchen, her anger propelling her forward like a force of nature.
The sound of her footsteps reverberated through the room, each step punctuating her unspoken fury. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, knuckles white from the strain, as if she were holding onto the reins of her emotions with all her might.
Ariel watched her daughter's retreat, her heart twisting painfully in her chest. She could see the hurt etched into Katie's features, and it felt like a dagger piercing her soul. Katie’s footsteps echoed down the hallway until the door slammed shut behind her, leaving Ariel alone with the weird cacophony of the broken disposal and her thoughts.
It was clear that her protective instincts had driven a wedge between them, but how could she find a balance between shielding Katie from the world and granting her the freedom she so desperately craved? Her gaze lingered on the empty doorway, and Ariel knew she would have to make a choice. But which path was the right one? And could she find the strength to let her child go, even if it meant watching her walk away?
The air felt suffocatingly thick with unspoken words and lingering tension, a palpable reminder of the war that had just been waged between mother and daughter. Ariel glanced around the kitchen, taking in the half-prepared dinner and the still-broken garbage disposal – a symbol of her own shattered control. As a mother, Ariel had always strived to maintain a sense of order within her family, but lately, it seemed as though everything was spiraling out of her grasp.
The weight of that realization settled heavily upon her shoulders, filling her with a strange mixture of dread. She was beginning to see that her need for tight control had negative effects. She couldn’t force her father to come back for the wedding, couldn’t force everything to go right at her bed and breakfast, couldn’t force Miles to ignore what he needed to do for his new business—even if it kept them apart so much, couldn’t force Dale and Miles to become friends again, and she couldn’t force Katie to stay under a microscope all the time.
She reached for her phone, determined to take control of what little she could – starting with the broken garbage disposal.
"Steve, hi,” she said when the other end connected, her voice steadier than she felt. "I need your help."
And as she arranged for Steve's visit, Ariel found herself clinging to the hope that, in fixing the small problems around her, she might find the strength to confront the larger issues that lay ahead – both with her daughter and within herself.
Her next call was to her sister.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
That night, late, after dinner service and cleanup, Ariel and Charlie sat together in the cozy living room of Leeside, nestled among overstuffed pillows on an old, but comfortable couch. The rich scent of cedar wood crackled in the fireplace, casting a soft, warm glow that danced upon their faces. As the wind whispered against the windows, it carried with it the low hum of the ocean waves outside.
"I just wish I had more time with him," Ariel sighed, pulling a woolen blanket closer around her shoulders. She glanced toward the window where snowflakes gently kissed the glass, melting softly against its cold surface. Her thoughts drifted to Miles, who was still down at his workshop. "I miss him, Charlie. And he says he’s forgiven me for the Dale situation, but we’re still just passing like ships in the night. We run from errand to responsibility to shared to-do list, and so there’s been no real time to make sure we’re really okay after all that."
Charlie reached over and gave her sister's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know you do, Ariel. It's been tough juggling both of your careers and planning the wedding. But remember, you have each other, and that's what matters most."
"True," Ariel admitted, her eyes lingering on the flickering flames of the fire. "But sometimes it feels like we're being pulled in so many different directions. I didn't think it would be this hard."
"Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us," Charlie said, her voice gentle yet understanding. "Look at me and my kids. Kurt’s business taking off is great, but he’s out of state half the time. It’s not forever, and we’re grateful for his success, but half the time I feel like I’m raising them all on my own."
“Like mom?” Ariel looked at her older sister, noting the strength in her eyes despite the hardships she had faced. They shared a bond that went beyond blood, a connection forged through shared childhood memories and weathering life's storms together. Ariel knew that she could always rely on Charlie for support and guidance, and she felt a deep gratitude for her presence in her life.
“And Katie. Man, I messed that up.”
“She’ll come around. Remember what we were like as teenagers. Eek, nightmares.”
Ariel managed a laugh. “True, but everything is just piling up. Sometimes I wonder if Dad ever felt this way," Ariel mused, her thoughts turning to their estranged father and what he had said on her visit. "Did he ever feel overwhelmed by it all? Is that why he disappeared?"
Ariel rose from her seat, the warmth of the fire still lingering on her cheeks, and moved toward the antique wooden cabinet in the corner of the room. Opening its doors revealed a collection of various wine bottles. There was a bottle of red wine – a gift from Miles that had been waiting for the perfect moment to be opened.
"How about some Beaujolais?" she suggested, as she carried the bottle toward Charlie, who nodded in agreement. The sound of the cork being pulled from the bottle filled the air, followed by the rich aroma of the wine. Pouring the deep burgundy liquid into two delicate glasses, Ariel handed one to her sister.
"Here's to us," Charlie said softly, raising her glass as Ariel mirrored her motion. The clink of glass against glass echoed through the cozy living room.
As the sisters sipped their wine, the front door creaked open, and a gust of chilled air announced the arrival of bundled-up figure. Snow blew in behind the person.