Life in Color ✔️

17~ Walmart

We step inside the house, fake smiles plastered on our faces.

"Aunt Karen, how nice to see you." I offer. We do the awkward cheek kiss, the stench of wine attacking my nostrils.

Someone's definitely had some more work done. Her forehead is tight and her lips look like pool floaties. She had her boobs done a long time ago but I think she may of gotten them done again. Unless someone knew she was my mothers identical twin they would never guess it. Karen's spent good money to ensure she shares no facial features with our mom.

By this point I feel she's more injections and plastic than human. At least she'll float if she falls in the water.

"I'm sure it is." She says before turning and strutting down the hall.

That was it. No glad you could make it. Welcome in. Nothing. She's still wearing black pumps with her dark green pant suit so we leave our shoes on. Saffron grabs my hand as we walk towards our family. Passing portraits of ancestors hung on the walls I'm reminded that there is no personal touch to the house. It was all empty and cold.

Just like Karen's heart.

I think about my house that is full of pictures and artwork, messes and sports equipment everywhere. It's a much happier place to be. It's a home. We enter the living room jammed full of antique furniture that she knew no history about. A waste, honestly.

Nothing screams having money more than buying useless things.

My grandfather, Earl, smokes a cigar propped up in a chair. He eyes us dismissively before blowing out a puff of smoke. A lovely thing to do since it affects Saffron's asthma.

My grandmother, Edna, walks over. "Hello, children, how nice of you to try to be on time." Her voice is so nasally, I know exactly where Avery gets it from.

It was one freaking minute. We can leave if it's truly that big of a problem.

"Grandmother." Sage greats her with a peck on the cheek. He's always been the better asskisser, there's no way in hell my lips are touching that wrinkly old hag.

Avery sits in a chair, her red dress more than showing enough for a family dinner. Her brother, Conner, sits on the piano bench playing on his phone. Our Uncle Rob offers a stiff nod from his spot behind grandfather.

We stand there awkwardly, not really wanting to move.

"Well, sit down or do you children not have common courtesy." Grandfather speaks through another puff of smoke.

We all sit on the empty sofa that's probably older than both my grandparents combined. Although, I have no idea what sitting down has to do with manners. Well, this is fun. Not even five minutes in and they've already insulted us. That's got to be a new record, I think at Easter it was seven.

I study the people in the room. They all look the same: pale skin, straight blonde hair, blue eyes. Out of the five of us Sterling's the closest one to fitting in, a fact that he hates.

"Dinner should be ready in a few minutes." A maid informs us politely before quickly exiting the room.

Thank God, we can dine and dash.

"Scarlett, have you put on weight?" Karen asks, earning a chuckle from my cousin and grandmother.

Sage tenses beside me but I grab his hand. "No, Aunt Karen." I say politely, stopping myself from making a comment about the pudge hanging over her pants. My weights always a topic of discussion, not that I've gained any. In the last two years I've lost more than I should of due to stress, but I'm no longer the bag of bones I was a year ago.