13. Marie

THIRTEEN

MARIE

The morning sun streamed through the windows as I entered my father’s home, Belle happily bouncing alongside me. I had spent the night at Jesse’s place, and now I wanted to make sure that my father was doing alright. As much as we’d had our differences lately, I still cared deeply for him. I also didn’t want him to pick up on the fact that anything had changed. I didn’t want him to know anything about Jesse and me until we were ready to tell him. Because I supposed we were going to have to tell him eventually. Especially now.

“Morning, Dad,” I greeted him with a warm smile, hoping to ease the lingering tension that seemed to hang in the air.

He glanced up from his breakfast, and although he managed a small nod in acknowledgment, his expression remained guarded. I couldn’t help but notice the way he held himself, the lines of worry etched into his face.

“Sorry, I missed your messages earlier,” I said, my tone apologetic, as I guiltily thought about the way I’d ignored my cell phone as he was trying desperately to reach out to me. “I was with Belle, and we got caught up.”

My father’s response was a curt nod, and he continued to eat his breakfast in silence. It was clear that something was bothering him, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of concern. But I couldn’t focus on him right away. I had to get Belle something to eat and send her off to play in the living room. But once that was done, I turned back to him.

“Dad,” I ventured cautiously once we were alone, “is something wrong?”

He looked up, his gaze meeting mine, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. But instead of opening up, he simply shook his head. “Nothing you need to worry about, Marie. Just tired, that’s all. I haven’t had the best night of sleep.”

I knew my father well enough to recognize when he was keeping something from me, but I also understood that he had his reasons. Still, the unspoken tension in the room was palpable, and it left me feeling uneasy. There wasn’t any way he could know , but at the same time, I felt as though he knew. This was a small town and news spread quickly, gossip even faster, but I couldn’t imagine how anyone had found out about me and Jesse. It was impossible. Right?

I tried to maintain a conversation with my dad, but it felt like talking to a brick wall. His distant gaze and distracted responses made it clear that his mind was preoccupied. Belle’s playful laughter echoed from the other room, a stark contrast to the heaviness in the air.

After a few more futile attempts at conversation, my dad finally made his excuses, his voice carrying a weariness I hadn’t heard in a while. “I should get going, sweetheart,” he said, offering me a weak smile. “I have some matters to attend to at the chapel.”

I nodded, unable to shake the feeling that something was bothering him, something he wasn’t sharing with me. “Alright, Dad,” I replied, trying to sound understanding despite my growing concern. “Take care, and if you need anything, you know where to find me.”

He patted my shoulder affectionately before heading towards the door. “I’ll be back later,” he promised, though the uncertainty in his eyes told a different story. With a final glance in my direction, he stepped out, leaving me alone in the quiet living room.

As I heard the front door click shut, a sense of unease settled over me. I couldn’t help but wonder what was weighing on my father’s mind, and whether it had anything to do with the recent events that had shaken our small community. With a sigh, I decided to distract myself by checking on Belle and making sure she was safe and content, even if my own worries continued to nag at me.

While my father retreated to his chapel, seeking solace in the quiet confines of his sacred space, I found myself alone with my thoughts at home. The mid-day sun filtered through the windows, casting a warm and gentle light that seemed incongruous with the heaviness that had settled over us. Belle, ever the energetic bundle of joy, played with her toys nearby, her laughter serving as a poignant reminder of the innocence that still thrived in our lives. But my mind was preoccupied with the events of the past night and the uncertainty that lay ahead.

I couldn’t help but think about everything that had happened with Jesse, his presence looming large in my thoughts. The previous night had been filled with a potent mixture of emotions–desire, longing, and a burgeoning affection that I had tried to deny for so long. The undeniable connection between us left me both elated and conflicted.

As I watched Belle play, my heart swayed like a pendulum, torn between my desire to explore the burgeoning romance with Jesse and the unease that had settled within me, courtesy of my father’s recent behavior. Dad’s tension was palpable, and it was impossible to ignore the turmoil that seemed to engulf him. But if he was reacting like this and we hadn’t even told him yet, what would his reaction be when we were honest? It was a terrifying prospect.

The thought of confronting my father about my feelings for Jesse was daunting. I couldn’t shake the fear of his reaction, his anger or disappointment. Yet, I also couldn’t deny my own desires and the pull I felt toward Jesse. It was a complicated web of emotions that left me feeling entangled and uncertain. I had to do it, even if it terrified me. Otherwise, I would always be a child in his eyes, and I would never be able to break free. I would always be stuck as the twelve-year-old, unable to do anything on my own. I couldn’t stand for that, no way.

As the evening deepened into night, Jesse arrived to take Belle back home. I watched them go, a heavy sense of concern gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. Once they had left, the house seemed emptier, and I was left alone with my worries.

The conversation with Jesse had been brief, mostly centered around Belle’s return and the events of the day. Yet, as he prepared to leave, I couldn’t help but seize the opportunity to voice the apprehensions that had been swirling within me.

“Jesse,” I began, my voice tinged with anxiety, “I’m worried that my father knows. About us, I mean.”

Jesse paused, his eyes filled with understanding. He had always been perceptive, able to discern the unspoken worries that weighed heavily on my mind. “I’ll try to talk to him,” he said gently, his voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. “I’ll do my best to reassure him, to make him understand.”

His words offered some comfort, but the later it grew, the more my worries intensified. I knew that my father’s concerns ran deep, and he was not one to easily let go of his convictions. The thought of him discovering the truth about my feelings for Jesse and the budding romance that had blossomed between us was a daunting prospect. Was that why he wasn’t home at the moment? Was he hiding away from me to avoid having this conversation?

Jesse’s hand had rested lightly on my shoulder, a reassuring touch that grounded me in the present. “Marie,” he said softly, “things will work out. We’ll find a way to make this right.”

His confidence was unwavering, his determination to keep us together evident in his eyes. I couldn’t help but be grateful for his presence in my life, for the way he had stepped into it and filled it with warmth, love, and understanding.

As he turned to leave, I couldn’t resist one final plea, my voice trembling with uncertainty. “Jesse, please be careful. With Ophelia out there, and everything else that’s happening, I worry about you.”

He gave me a reassuring smile, his eyes filled with a mixture of tenderness and determination. “I promise, Marie, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you and Belle safe. You mean everything to me. Nothing is going to happen in this town with me in charge, watching over us all.”

With those heartfelt words, he had departed, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the hope that, somehow, we would find a way to navigate the turbulent waters that lay ahead.

As the night stretched on, I found myself alone in the house, my thoughts restless and my heart heavy with worry. Jesse had left with Belle, promising to address the issue with my father, but uncertainty still hung in the air like a thick fog.

I considered visiting the chapel to try and work out what was going on with my dad. But in the end, after wrestling back and forth with my decision, I decided to give my father some space. He had been distant and quiet throughout the day, and I suspected that he was grappling with his own concerns and fears regarding Jesse and me. Pushing him further would only exacerbate the tension between us. I was going to have to wait until he was ready to talk to me.

As I waited in the dimly lit living room, a sense of unease settled upon me. The night outside was shrouded in darkness, broken only by the occasional flicker of moonlight that filtered through the curtains. The old house seemed to creak and groan with the weight of its history, adding to the eerie atmosphere. It was almost as if I had settled right in the middle of a horror movie and I was about to be attacked by the big, bad wolf who hated me because she felt like she still had a claim on Jesse.

Suddenly, my worst nightmare came to life. I heard noises from outside, soft rustlings and faint whispers carried on the night breeze. My heart quickened, and my thoughts immediately turned to the rogue wolf that had been haunting our hamlet. Could Ophelia have returned, lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike? She wanted me gone, out of the picture, and now that I was on my own it might be the perfect chance for her to get me.

I strained my ears, listening intently, my senses on high alert. The noises persisted, growing slightly louder and more distinct. My imagination painted vivid and unsettling images of Ophelia prowling just beyond the reach of my vision. Time seemed to stretch on as I sat there in silence, my apprehension building. The noises outside continued, becoming increasingly erratic and unpredictable. My muscles tensed, ready to react at a moment’s notice.

Then, as suddenly as they had begun, the noises ceased. A heavy silence descended, broken only by the soft hum of the night. I exhaled a shaky breath, realizing that whatever had been outside had moved on or disappeared into the depths of the forest, leaving me alone, and hopefully everyone else as well.

Relief washed over me, but a lingering sense of unease remained. The events of the past days had heightened our collective sense of vulnerability, and the threat of the rogue wolf hung over us like a shadow. I decided to stay vigilant, to keep watch over the night, and to be prepared for any unexpected developments. My thoughts returned to Jesse and the dangerous pursuit he and his pack had undertaken, and I sent a silent prayer into the night, hoping for their safety and a swift resolution to the looming threat that had disrupted our lives. If it was Ophelia, then I wanted her gone. Out of town. Wolf Mountain didn’t deserve any of this. We were a small community with our own issues. We didn’t need anyone else getting in the way.