Nora kept glancing at Lily as she drove, Lily’s eyes were closed and she rested comfortably on the car seat.
She had no idea of what happened between her and Axel, but out of the blue, she saw Axel’s text saying she should come to pick Lily up at his company.
She was surprised when she got to the company and met Lily leaning on his car and crying. She couldn’t ask questions because of the state she was in.
She kept wondering what happened, she knew Lily wasn’t meant for Axel, she was too good for him. No matter how they try to make things work out, he will keep hurting her over and over again.
After a while, Nora parked her car in front of her house and got down, Lily remained in the car and Nora walked to the passenger seat. She opened the car door and tapped Lily, she opened her eyes and Nora smiled at her.
“We are home.” She told her and Lily looked around, she slowly walked out of the car and Nora helped her into the house.
Lily took a seat on a couch as they got in and Nora also sat opposite her.
Nora wasn’t so happy with Lily’s mood, she was looking so sad. As she stared at Lily, she noticed something odd about her, something different.
“Lily.” Nora called and she looked up at her.
“You are getting fat.” She said and Lily looked down at her body then at Nora again and shook her head slowly.
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. What the fuck is Axel feeding you?” Nora asked and Lily rolled her eyes at the question and lay on the couch, she closed her eyes and breathed out heavily.
Nora groaned loudly and lay on the couch too. She was tired of Lily’s mood.
An hour later, Nora was making lunch in the kitchen while Lily was still lying on the couch. She wasn’t sleeping anymore, she was now watching the television.
Suddenly, they heard the doorbell ring.
“I will get it.” Nora yelled from the kitchen and walked out, she walked to the living room and walked past Lily then opened the door.
Lily sat up and tried to see who it was but she couldn’t, she tried listening to the conversation too but she couldn’t hear anything. She was feeling too lazy to stand up too.
She had cried so much that her head hurt and her body was so weak.
“Thank you.” She heard Nora say and she shut the door.
“Look, Axel sent you a dress for the ball tonight.” Nora said lifting a bag in the air, Lily rolled her eyes and lay on the couch.
“What? Why are you still so mad? You haven’t talked to me for over an hour like I am the reason you and Axel got into a fight and now… ”
“I don’t want to go to the ball.” She cut Nora off and she scoffed.
“You will go to the ball. Axel’s stepmother is the one hosting it and she is your step mum, you have to be there.” Nora said and Lily didn’t give her a response. She continued watching the television.
At that point, Nora was getting tired and frustrated. She dropped the bag on the couch and walked back into the kitchen to continue preparing lunch.
**********
Lily stared at the mirror and watched Nora as she styled her hair, they were both fully dressed and ready for the ball. After so much persuasion from Nora, she finally gave in.
“I’m almost done.” Nora muttered and smiled.
“Why is Mrs. Blackwell hosting a ball out of the blue?” Lily asked and Nora shrugged.
“I have no idea. That woman has a mind of her own.” Nora replied.
“Can I ask a personal question?” Lily asked and Nora paused in what she was doing then looked at her through the mirror.
“Yeah, of course.”
“It’s not about you though, it’s about Axel.”
“Okay, go on.”
“What of Axel’s biological mother? Did she and Mr. Blackwell get divorced?”
“No. She died.” Nora replied and Lily’s eyes widened a little.
“What?”
“She died at birth. He never met his mother. I think his father got married to Susan when he was five.”
“It’s so sad.”
“Yeah, it is.” Nora replied and continued with Lily’s hair.
“What about you Lily?” Nora asked.
“What about me?”
“During the last family dinner, you said your mother was dead. When did she die?” Nora questioned and Lily looked away from the mirror as she thought of a way to avoid the question.
She suddenly picked up her phone and checked the time.
“I think we are running late already.”
“Oh, I am done already.” Nora said. She forgot about her question.
Lily stood up and smiled at Nora, she smiled back at her and they both walked out of the room.
They got out of the house and got into the car.
The ball was at the Blackwell’s mansion which wasn’t so far from Nora’s house.
In less than ten minutes, they arrived there.
Just like every other ball, it was crowded but the crowd seemed to be so much more because it was a ball the Blackwell was hosting.
Nora parked her car and walked out with Lily, there weren’t so many cameras around and Lily was glad.
They both walked to the entrance of the ballroom. They got to the entrance and met two men standing in the way, they seemed to be checking guests’ names which surprised Nora.
It wasn’t done that way.
“You can go in ma’am. Your name is on the list.” One of the men said before Nora could speak up.
“Come on Lily.” Nora said and held her hand, they were about to walk in when the men stopped Lily.
“What is going on?”
“I’m sorry ma’am but her name isn’t on the list.”
“What?” Nora and Lily chorused.
“But she is a Blackwell. What do you mean… ”
“Her name isn’t on the list ma’am. Please step aside, madam.” The men said and pushed Lily aside. Everyone around gasped and watched.
Lily stood embarrassed and wished the ground could open up and swallow her.