Chapter 76 A Decade of Procrastination
Eden's POV:
I return to my grandmother's house after my lunch with Stacey, hoping that I might actually see her this evening. She's not home when I arrive, probably at the company. Grandma doesn't usually work on the weekend but I'm too scared to ask her if she's okay. Lately, I've felt like she's keeping secrets from me.
Since I have the house to myself, I wander up to my bedroom. It's ridiculously over the top luxurious. It's huge but then again, I guess it has to be to house the seven doll's houses. I approach the last house, the one we never finished. I've thought about doing it myself countless times but I've never actually been able to bring myself to do it.
It had always been too painful even thinking about it. We'd barely even started this particular house when my parents died.
Sitting down in front of it, I pull out the old sketch book we used to collect our design thoughts. We had it all planned out. My fingers brush across the sheets of paper as the sight of my father's handwriting brings a tear to my eye. I try to shake off the sudden onslaught of emotion.
My hands are shaking slightly as I reach for the box that contains my dad's old tools from where I'd hidden it under the table on which the seventh house sits. I set myself a small task, telling myself I can do just one thing and then walk away again. I just want to try. Leaving the house unfinished like this feels wrong somehow.
What starts as one small task, papering the walls in the little kitchen, quickly turns into several and I lose complete track of time. I don't notice when my grandma returns home, too focused on the doll's house or when the room begins to darken. Only realising when it begins to hinder my work.
Stretching, I get to my feet to venture downstairs for something to drink. Grandma is standing in the kitchen in her pajamas when I enter the room.
"Eden!" She exclaims, surprised by my sudden appearance. "I didn't know you were here."
"Sorry. I lost track of time."
She smiles at me but I notice that it's not her usual happy smile. She looks exhausted with black circles under her eyes. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she looks a bit sick, but my grandma hasn't taken a sick day in her life so that's not likely.
"I'm sorry I missed dinner last night," she tells me as I grab a bottle of water from the fridge.
"It's alright," I say, shrugging it off. "Are you okay? You look..."
"Don't say it," she cuts in. "I no doubt look dreadful. I'm dog tired. It's been a very long week."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I try to offer but she shakes her head.
"No, darling. Just stuff I need to deal with."
"I don't mind helping," I try again.
"I know, Eden but it's my responsibility and I won't push it onto you. There's some things I've been putting off dealing with."
I want to ask her what she's talking about. I have a sneaky suspicion that she's talking about the embezzlement.
"That's not like you," I say. "You're always telling me not to procrastinate."
She laughs gently. "You're right. I do... I think I was a little bit scared."
That's hard to believe. I can't imagine the great Eliza Clancy being scared of anything.
"We all get scared sometimes," she tells me. "So, what were you doing that had you losing track of time?"
I'm not sure I'm ready to tell her. For one thing, I'm scared I won't do the house justice. That without my dad, I won't be able to do a good job. But another part of me, wants to share it with someone.
"I wanted to see if I could," I begin but I'm cut off when her mobile phone screeches at us from where it rests on the counter.
"No rest for the wicked," she says with a sigh. "Sorry darling."
Then she's picking up the phone and making her way out of the kitchen. I stay there routed to the spot for several minutes, feeling a little hurt. I'm not sure why. It's not like my grandma regularly has to abruptly end our conversations because of her work. She tends to put me before everything else so it's not that.
I think it's more about the doll's house than my grandma's lack of time.
Making my way back up the stairs, I return my focus to the doll's house. I probably should just get some sleep but I don't know if I would be able to sleep if I tried, not when I've started something that I've been putting off for a decade.
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