Page 36 of Snow Good to Lose
Amari
Caden was gone. I couldn’t fathom why I wasn’t curled up in a tiny ball in some corner crying my eyes out. Was I so numb I couldn’t even feel it? Or maybe it wasn’t real. If the love of your life dies, you should feel something, right?
I brought my fingertips to my lips. They tingled from our last touch. I replayed in my mind what happened over and over again and came to the same conclusion. Caden was gone, but I didn’t feel it.
Maybe I’m in shock.
I spent the rest of the day watching the activity going on outside and plotting my escape. I had no idea where I was being held. If I made it off the estate grounds, where would I go? I had access to money, but I had to get away first.
They brought in food, but no utensils, and a plastic bottle of water, no glass. Smart. I searched the room for something to either break the window or defend myself, but I found nothing.
I drifted off in the middle of the night, curled up on the small couch by the window. A knock at the door woke me.
“Amari, are you up?”
I sat up and blinked.
I hadn’t expected to hear her voice. Anna had stuck around.
“Oh, good, you’re up. I brought you some breakfast. I thought I would come and give you a rundown of your special day.” She set the tray on the table in front of me. A man followed with a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket.
She set up the breakfast and popped the champagne bottle with a squeal. A huge rock adorned her left hand.
“Nice ring.”
“Oh, thank you.” She looked at the ring and blushed. “A gift from your father.”
The news didn’t surprise me.
She pulled up a chair on the other side of the table and motioned to me. “Eat, you have had nothing substantial for a couple of days.”
The activity outside had ramped up.
They tested the sound system. The wedding march made me cringe. The house smelled like flowers and cinnamon. I snagged the glass of champagne and downed it in one sip. I grabbed the bottle and poured myself another and downed it too.
“Wow, slow down, don’t want to be drunk for your own wedding.” Anna lifted the glass to her lips.
“Yes, actually, I do.” I pouted and filled my glass again. I walked to the window.
The decorations were beautiful. The perfect Christmas day wedding . . . for someone else.
I wasn’t sure what pissed me off more. Being forced to marry somebody I didn’t even know on Christmas morning or forever associating my favorite holiday with the worst day of my life.
Correction: the second worst day of my life.
I closed my eyes and saw Caden’s lifeless body lying on the ground. I searched for something inside of me. I wanted to let go, give up hope. I couldn’t find it.
Instead of finding solace, it scared me. I was going to either be numb for the rest of my life or a colossal collapse of my mental health was on the horizon. I welcomed them both.
“So, the hairdresser will be here in about an hour and a half.” Anna looked at her watch. “I thought you might like to get a hot bath first. There are some lovely bath salts in there that I remember you loved.” Anna pulled a clipboard out from her bag and checked things off. “Have you tried on your dress yet?”
We both looked at the garment bag hanging on the back of the bathroom door. It remained where it had been since I arrived. I couldn’t bring myself to look at it.
“You look like you’ve put on a little weight.” She frowned. “But it has an A-line skirt so it should be fine.”
I looked down at my body and then back at her.
Did this bitch just call me fat?
