Chapter 21
Noises drifted upstairs. Zinnia peeked down and frozeโMaelis, Betty, and Howard were there. Without a word, she turned and headed straight to her room, refusing to talk.
โZinnia, youโre up!โ Betty called when she spotted Zinnia on the landing. The living room fell silent.
โZinnia!โ Maelis said, pausing mid-chat with Sofia. She looked up, excited. โZinnia!โ She jumped up, voice trembling.
Itโd been two days. Maelis wanted to know if Zinnia was feeling okay. Maelisโs mind racedโhow was she sleeping? Was her room cozy enough?
Zinnia froze halfway down the stairs. She stared at Maelisโs eager face, expression blank, and said nothing.
โZinnia,โ Sofia sighed, seeing Zinniaโs icy glare. The rift was realโMaelis had pushed Zinnia away, and mending it wouldnโt be easy.
Sofia glanced at Betty, sitting calmly beside Maelis. Her face was unreadable.
Noticing Sofiaโs look, Betty smiled politely, as perfect as ever. Zinnia looked away. Zinnia couldnโt match Bettyโs guile. Even with her practiced swings, Betty was too sly. But Maelis was clueless, always siding with Betty.
Sofia didnโt want to imagine the fallout if Maelis ever saw the truth and Zinnia cut her off completely. She wanted to warn Maelis, but Maelisโs mixed signalsโpraising Zinnia yet sticking with Bettyโgave her a headache.
โZinnia! Momโs calling. Get down here,โ Howard suddenly shouted, standing up.
โHoward!โ Sofia frowned. โDonโt talk to her like that.โ
โGrandmaโฆโ Howard trailed off.
Zinnia came downstairs. โGrandma,โ she said flatly, eyes cold as she scanned the others, then ignored them entirely.
โCome sit by me, Zinnia,โ Sofia said, tapping the cushion next to her.
Zinnia sat right down. She only came downstairs because Sofia called her.
โZinniaโฆโ Maelis watched Zinnia walk by without a look. She felt her throat tighten. They hadnโt talked much since that day.
โDid you sleep okay?โ Sofia asked, holding Zinniaโs hand and avoiding Maelisโs sad eyes.
โYeah,โ Zinnia said, her voice softโway different from how she talked to the Shaws.
โGood sleepโs important. I just want you to eat, rest, and be happy,โ Sofia said, her eyes all loving.
Nearby, Bettyโs hands balled into fists, staring at Zinniaโs fancy new dress. โWhy?โ she thought bitterly. โAfter all these years trying to impress that old lady, she still ignores me. Told me to stay away from here! If it werenโt for Mom, I wouldnโt even see her. Why does she dote on Zinnia after just a few meetings?โ Betty felt extremely jealous.
She couldnโt get why Sofia hated her for a decade. Sheโd always been quiet and polite at the Lynn residence, unlike the other kids.
โThat old biddy never had a nice thing to say to me, no matter how much I hustled. Whether I was being all polite or trying to show I really cared. Before Zinnia got back, sheโd at least give me the time of day. But now? She acts like Iโm not even in the room, like Iโm her mortal enemy or something," Betty complained inwardly.
Betty had tried for years to please Sofia, but not a single kind look. Sheโd thought Sofia preferred boys. But now, seeing how Sofia adored Zinnia, Betty knew that gender didnโt matter. Sofia indeed adored and cherished Zinnia.
Betty could barely visit the Lynn residence, let alone stay. While Zinnia got to live there, cosseted by Sofiaโs love.
Bettyโs smile was slipping. She seethed, thinking, โWhy? Just because weโre not blood? Iโve called her "Grandma" for twelve years. Ever since Zinnia showed up, she has been stealing what should be mine. No way am I letting my guard down around her.โ
โHowโs it at Grandmaโs, Zinnia? Do you miss home?โ Maelisโs voice trembled. โAbout beforeโฆ Iโm sorry. I shouldnโt have doubted you. I shouldโve trusted you. Will you forgive me?โ
Maelis stood outside, frozen, watching Sofia chat with Zinnia. Her heart hurt. She gently took Zinniaโs hand and said softly, โSweetheart?โ Her voice cracked, like thin ice breaking.
Zinnia frowned at the soft, warm hand holding hers. It made her uneasy. She pulled away and moved her hand off Sofiaโs lap.
โZinnia?โ Maelis felt like her heart was being eaten by emptiness. Her own daughter wouldnโt even hold her hand. Sheโd really hurt Zinnia.
Betty forced herself to apologize. โZinnia, we messed up before, but we get it now. We were wrong. Please donโt be mad. Letโs go home. Mom, Dad, and your brothers all miss you. This is my fault, not theirs. Iโll keep saying sorry. Just donโt blame them, okay?โ
Bettyโs smile froze as she saw Maelis reach for Zinnia.
โZinnia,โ Howard said, frowning. โMom and Betty already said sorry. What more do you want? That talk about sending you away was a joke. We never meant it. Donโt be so silly.โ
Shooting a glance at Betty, Sofia frowned deeply. She got Bettyโs implicationโshe had implied that Zinnia was stubborn. โBetty, Jackson sent new flowers to the garden. Go pick some for your mom. She likes them.โ
โWe can do the flowers later, Mom,โ Maelis said urgently. โWeโre talking to Zinnia now.โ
โBenedict, take Betty to pick flowers,โ Sofia said, ignoring Maelis.
โBetty, please,โ Benedict said with a polite smile, motioning for her to follow.