Edge of Love by E. L. Todd

You
are still a daughter to me.”
    I had no idea who she was talking to,
but I didn’t care. I opened a casserole dish and saw scrambled eggs
mixed with cheese. Another dish had fresh hashbrowns. The sight of
the food made my mouth water. Now I wish everyone was already awake
so we could get breakfast started. I walked over to the coffeepot
and poured myself a glass. I always liked to drink it black.
Scarlet had to have more cream and sugar than coffee. I found it
disgusting.
    “ No, Sean hasn’t said
anything yet. He doesn’t talk about you at all.” I felt my heart
drop. There was no way she was talking to the person I thought she
was talking to. It wasn’t possible. “Yes, Scarlet is here. Perhaps
that’s why he won’t discuss it, Penny.”
    I felt my mind snap. Before I could
stop myself, I tossed the coffee cup in the sink where it shattered
into pieces then I grabbed the phone from my mother’s hand. My mom
looked at me with a look of shock. “Penelope?”
    She was quiet for a moment.
“Sean?”
    “ WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU
CALLING MY MOM?”
    She stuttered for a moment. “We still
talk sometimes. What’s the big deal?”
    “ Fuck off, Penelope. I
mean it. Don’t call my parents again. You lost that right a long
time ago.” Instead of hanging up the phone, I slammed it on the
tile where it broke into tiny pieces. I glared at my mom. “Why are
you talking to her? I’M NOT WITH PENELOPE ANYMORE. I’M WITH
SCARLET! SCARLET!”
    My mom stepped back and held her hand
to her chest. She had never seen me behave this way. I realized how
crazy I was being, but I was too livid to care. I ran my hands
through my hair and took a deep breath. I knew I needed to calm
down before I woke up the entire house.
    My mom stared at me like I was a bomb
ready to explode. “Dear—”
    “ I asked Scarlet to marry
me and she said yes.” The words were out before I could stop them.
“I’m going to marry her and spend the rest of my life with her.
Penelope isn’t coming back. We’re done.”
    Her eyes widened. “You’re
engaged?”
    “ Yes.” I sighed. “The
whole reason why we came down this weekend was to announce it. But
you seem to care more about my reduced income and my breakup with
Penelope.”
    She was quiet for a moment. “Well,
congratulations, dear.”
    I stared at her. I could tell she
didn’t mean a word she said. “Why don’t you like
Scarlet?”
    She placed her hands on her hips.
“Honey, your father and I love Scarlet like our own
daughter.”
    “ Then why don’t you want
me to marry her?”
    She sighed. “I thought you were going
to propose to Penelope?”
    “ Well, I didn’t. I asked
Scarlet instead.”
    “ Is this just a rebound?
Are you settling?”
    I bit my lip to stop myself from
screaming again. “Of course not.”
    “ Well, you just jumped
from Penelope to Scarlet, and now you’re engaged. How long have you
been together? Six months? You dated Penelope for
years.”
    “ No. I’ve been with
Scarlet my whole life. I was just too stupid to realize
it.”
    Her eyes softened. “I just don’t want
you to make a mistake.”
    I shook my head. “Coming here was a
mistake. I won’t make it again.”
    She grabbed my hand. “Please don’t act
this way. I’m only looking out for you.”
    “ It doesn’t seem like it.”
I heard voices in the hall just outside the kitchen.
    My mom heard the voices too and her
eyes widened. She picked up the broken pieces of the phone and
shoved it into the garbage can. After she was done, she turned to
me. “Let’s not let this episode ruin this weekend.”
    “ I think it’s too late for
that.”
    “ And please don’t tell
Scarlet what I said. I don’t want her to think I dislike
her.”
    “ Well, you obviously
do.”
    She glared at me. “That isn’t true,
Sean. I just don’t want you to hurt the girl if you don’t love
her.”
    It was my turn to glare at her. “I
love her with my whole heart.” I turned away and left the kitchen.
I saw