Page 26 of The Marriage Narrative
Zinnia’s stomach dropped straight out of her body and wasnow being roasted in hell. He didn’t tell them she was coming. He hadn’t told themanythingabout her.
“Well. That sure is…something. We’re just happy you’re finally here.” Amber’s neck and ears had turned a burning shade of furious, but the color didn’t make it past her jaw. Full glam on an ordinary afternoon must’ve been the house standard. She turned to Zinnia with a feral smile on par with Wylie’s. “You as well. Welcome to—” She paused, as if the words were choking her on the way out. “Welcome to our family.”
Resounding silence filled every inch of empty space in the high-ceiling room as they all stared at Zinnia. She could practically hear the camera zooming in on her face.
Her traitorous costar gestured with his eyebrows for her to say something, but she didn’t know her lines because no one had given her a script.
“Can we have a minute?” Jordan asked. “We’ll meet you in the dining room.” Once they were gone, he tapped his mic—a reminder to watch her words. “What’s wrong?”
Why did you lie to me?She shook her head. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Nothing is happening.” He laughed nervously, eyes darting to the camera pod who’d stayed behind. “Just be yourself. They’re gonna love you.”
And with those very loose directions, he led her back into the fray. His family was huddled in front of an intense-looking wooden dining table. The intricate summer flower centerpiece ran the entire length, and all eight places were fully set with glittering gold plates, polished cutlery, and blue napkins folded into elaborate fans.
Their whispered conversation came to an abrupt stop and a shiver ran down Zinnia’s spine.
“Hi.” She waved through her unease. “Jordan has told me so…um, well he’s told me about you. Very much looking forward to getting to know everyone.”
“Oh, that’s for us.” He pointed to the beautiful black-and-white cake with rainbow-colored flowers at the head of the table. “It’s from Sadie. Since she couldn’t be here.”
“There’s a card.” Lulie handed it to him. “They wouldn’t let me open it.”
“Because it’s not for you, damn,” Wylie snapped.
“Hey, watch your mouth,” Damon warned.
Jordan read the card, and Zinnia swore there was a manic twinkle in his eyes as he showed it to her.
Congratulations! I can’t wait to meet you, Zinnia.
All my best, Sadie.
PS Thanks for taking my spot! I couldn’t have gotten out without you.
If Zinnia felt one more chill, she’d need to be treated for hypothermia. There were seven flowers on the cake—each one the color of a lucky bracelet. Sadie definitely knew about Zinnia because she’d emailed theZaffre Hourscontract. But no one else in his family did?
To create more drama,a perfect mimic of Grace’s voice said.I told you so.
Use your brain before they eat you alive!Fake-Fiona pleaded.
Lulie handed Jordan a giant knife. “You two should do the cake thing. You know, to celebrate.”
They cut the cake together, his hand over hers, while Amber took pictures. He placed the slice on a plate, and they politely fed each other a forkful. It was fluffy and filled with cream andstrawberries—she barely tasted it, let alone enjoyed it. She felt like a robot following directives, creating a sad imitation of what this moment was supposed to be with her equally robotic husband.
“Oh my god, do it right,” Lulie whined. “I’ll show you.”
Wylie suddenly pushed Jordan out of the way and like intelligent raptors closing in for the kill, the twins attacked Zinnia on both sides, smashing handfuls of cake directly into her face.
Chapter 8
Zinnia
She really wasn’tthe crying type. She preferred to bottle up all her would-be weepy blubbering and store it in a wine cellar for at least a hundred years. That way she’d be long dead by the time her tears accumulated any actual value.
It had only taken twenty minutes for the Zaffres to crack her open.
Zinnia wiped at her eyes with the backs of her hands, taking deep, angry breaths in between sobs. She scraped the globs of frosting off her face and clothes and into the bathroom trash. Bits of cake stuck to her hair and eyelashes.
