CHAPTER 2 – Dinner

Dinners at the Hastings' were always tense, way too much for the linking of the younger of the family, but she hadn't had anything to eat for five straight days so she could eat reasonable quantities and not having her mother blowing the whistle, as she usually did.

Wren entered the bathroom and stared at her from the lintel. She was applying makeup to hide her pastiness and the accentuated bags under her eyes, lipstick to cover her dehydrated lips and wearing some bracelets in order to hide bruises from a recent fall.

He sighed and hugged her from behind, placing a kiss on her hair – We can stay here if you don't want to go, I can make you some warm soup and binge watch on films all night long.

- This is what we have to do – She answered in a whisper, applying mascara and turning to kiss him. Wren made her content, sometimes, and deep down that was the highest she could strive. She did know none of the Hastings was happy.

- Your mother asked me to bring the desserts. I've bought lemon sorbet and prepared the cheesecake you love – Wren informed from the kitchen, making a scared grimace cross her face.

- Great – She lied. Joining him at the door she let him cover her with one of her coats.

Her father received them, pointing that Melissa had just arrived and kissing her carefully on the cheek. Soon he and Wren were speaking gushingly about baseball so she made her way to the kitchen. Her mother was watching a cordon blue at the oven, wearing a pinny her sister had sewn for her years ago, over the expensive channel dress.

- Do you need help with something?

Veronica Hastings kissed her daughter with affection before pointing out everything was ready and requesting her to go to the dining room and join her sister.

Before having greeted anyone the three-year-old girl grabbed her legs, bursting out in laughter. Spencer knew she probably weighed already too much for her little strength, but she picked her up – Hi, Ava – She kissed her niece in the forehead before turning to her sister.

- Where's Ian? – She asked, she knew Melissa and her husband weren't on good terms. She in fact knew that Melissa didn't love him, she was with him because the person she was in love with wasn't good enough for a Hastings, that they had had the girl as quick try to fix things and it wasn't working. She hoped the situation didn't get to out of hand and they ended like their parents, he with his indiscretions and she drowning her frustrations in work and charity projects.

- An emergency came up at the construction. He'll be back in a few days – She took the kid from her arms and flattered the child. If there was something she couldn't reproach her sister was being a bad mother. Hopefully Ava wouldn't end as broken as the rest of them.

- Dinner is ready! – Her mother called them to the table and suddenly they all were on their places obeying the ritual that had become imposed thought the years.

Spencer didn't fail to notice how her mother served her more but she pretended not having noticed, the same way Veronica pretended not to notice how she threw out the meat on the napkin she had placed above her knees.

- How is work going?

Melissa trailed off with how happy she was for having taken a month free to take care of the girl and then it was her turn to tell how much she was enjoying her career, that was her role after all.

- Aren't you going to finish that? – Her mother pointed to the meat, egg and cheese stuffed peppers and Spencer shook her head – I had a snack really late.

- Spencer… - Her father sighed – Your mother has made them with her best of intentions. Please, finish them up.

She noticed how all eyes fixed in her shaky hands, in how cutlery shredded the peppers and the travel of the tiny pieces between her plate and her mouth.

She constrained the nausea, her stomach wasn't used to eat that much, it ached.

- I'll bring the desserts – Wren offered, and before she could refuse her plate had two pieces of cheesecake and two scoops of ice-cream.

Hunger had awakened, in a body that could barely remember the feeling. She ate everything on the plate, making everyone happy, then her stomach revolted.

Before anyone could say a word she dashed out the room and climbed the stairs to her childhood bedroom.

- Darling?

Wren entered the bathroom and tied her hair up as she vomited. She hadn't even forced it, both her hands were resting at the sides of the bowl, simply, her body didn't know how to digest food anymore. When the splash sound ended he could hear another noise, weak sobs that made him worry – Everything it's alright – He promised, stroking her back in circular motion.

- No. It's not.

Hi!

Sorry for taking so long to update but I've been really busy at college.

Hope you like it and, as always, apologize if there's a mistake (English isn't my first language).