Chapter 148
1281words
"I have no idea why they are out here right now." Paris rushed on to say, and I turned to look at him,
"It's okay. I don't think you invited them. In any case, the whole ruckus with the horses must have gotten their attention. Plus, this is their home, after all." I said and sighed. And of course, this was one of the reasons I did not want to come here in the first place.
"I'll be damned." Luna Lara announced when she got closer and I gritted my teeth, "You really brought her here, Paris."
"And now you have a fixed roof. You're welcome." Paris said coolly, and Luna Lara wasn't too pleased,
"I never asked for you to bring this girl into my household."
"Well, this girl is the reason why the rain won't trouble the horses when it pours. You owe her some gratitude.
"I owe her nothing. " Luna Lara said and I narrowed my eyes at her,
"you best be careful how you speak to her."
"Is there a time you actually don't disrespect me when she's involved?" Luna Lara asked
"Is there a time you don't disrespect her whenever she is present?" Paris retorted, and his mother looked as though she was ready to blow her top.
"There are various other carpenters, Paris. Why did it have to be her?"
"Because these stables belong to her. They will always be Ember's and nothing you say and do is going to change that. Now, I'm grateful you brought the situation of the stables to my notice, but no one else would have handled the situation with the urgency and intentionality that she did. So give her some credit or leave her alone." Paris said and I fought the warmth I felt inside of me because of the way Paris stood up for me.
"Luna Lara, I'm sorry you don't feel okay with the way the roof was fixed. You are more than welcome to take out the remedying sheets and look for a carpenter to do it the way that you deem fit."
"you don't get to talk to her that way," Kate said and I glared at her,
"and you don't get to talk to me."
"Insolent damned girl." Luna Lara spat,
"Enough. Mother, Kate, please leave."
Luna Lara glared at her son,
"don't get to tell me where and where I can go on my own grounds, Alpha Paris."
"fine then. We'll leave,"
he turned to me,
"Are you ready to leave?"
"yes, I am. I believe I'm long overdue anyway." I said and started to walk off.
I heard footsteps running after me and cast my eyes skyward,
"Ember? Ember, hold on." Paris said, reaching for my hand. I aggressively tugged free from his grip, but when he came and stood in front of me, I didn't try to sidestep him,
"Paris, what do you want?"
"I'm sorry for the way they spoke to you." he said and pressed his hand to the bridge of his nose, "I don't know why they are hell-bent on being very annoying all of the time. "
I sighed and shrugged, "That's just the way they are I guess. And I don't blame them, seeing as I am actually in their territory, after all. You don't fight people when you meet them in their own land. At the very least, not when you are unprepared."
And God knew I was not in any way prepared for a tumble with Luna Lara. I was still somewhat exhausted from healing Gracie. It wasn't something I had done before, and doing it now pulled a whole lot from me.
"The woman was close to hysterics about the stables earlier, now all of a sudden, she's picky about who works on it. I don't understand her."
Luna Lara did not like me, but she liked Kate. So of course she had a hard time accepting any work I did at the barn. Which I didn't have a problem with. But to be honest, there wasn't so much that was hard to understand in all of that.
"I do, so don't worry, she does not get to me."
I was about to leave when I thought about something and looked at Paris,
"What do you think? Can I go see Grandfather? It's been ages." I didn't want to come and leave this time around without seeing grandfather, I would feel guilty afterward. After all, he was the only one who truly loved me while I stayed in this house. So the least I could do was pay him a visit because I didn’t know the next time I would be visiting or what would lead to it.
"Grandfather?" Paris asked and looked toward the house, "I suppose you could. He's been a bit cool lately, but I mean if you're sure,"
I smiled and nodded, "I'm sure."
The idea of Grandfather being very mean and cold to everyone made me want to laugh, because if only they understood him a little bit more, then perhaps they would see a much more sensitive side of Grandfather from time to time.
I walked toward the house, knowing if Lara saw me right then, what happened earlier would be regarded as a minute. The woman was bound to declare war on me for entering her house and trying to have a friendship with my grandfather.
But what life would I be living if I didn't try to get on that woman's last nerve?
I got into the house successfully enough, and allowed Paris to lead me to a quiet room where Grandfather sat in a rocker, moving back and forth, reading a newspaper,
"Well, I'll be damned." he said and let out a low whistle at the sight of me, "is that you, Ember? Well, you look at you! You look just like your grandmother from back in the day,"
"Grandfather." I cried and rushed to his side and sat on the edge of the rocker and wrapped my arms gently around his head, "I missed you, grandfather."
"Well, you can trust that I missed you just as well, sugar. I was wondering when you'd finally keep your word and drag your two left feet in this direction,
"Come on, grandfather, I don’t have two left feet," I said but giggled at the joke,
"alright. Alright. Maybe not. But it's really nice to have you here."
"don't speak to the girl, father. She's insolent and rude you don’t have to put up with her,
"Ahh, Lara, the truth is, you’r the one that has to be the one who keeps tiring people if you ask me.
"Father!"
"don't father me. You've been nothing short of obnoxious and demanding this past couple of weeks. I've done my best to not meddle. But don't come here telling me who exactly to entertain and who not to."
"This manner of speaking to me is unnecessary," Lara said and I could have sworn I saw tears gather in her eyes. If I had known this was what it took to really put Lara in her place, I'm sure I would have come up with an encounter with a situation that would make Luna Lara have tears that were like water, I would have used it while I was still married to Paris and needed reprieve.
But well, better late than never, right?
"It's okay, grandfather, I'm already used to her behavior," I said meekly,
"Well, you don't have to deal with her now. not under my watch," he said firmly, and I smiled evilly at Lara who merely glared at me.
Ember 1, Luna Lara 0.
