Prologue
Two left feet, a phrase that Laura would often hear people say about her. It stemmed from the uncountable times that she would fall head over heels, down flights of stairs and even up them for that matter. Her clumsiness never went unnoticed, especially on this particular morning when she flew down the stairs the moment the letterbox rattled.
Her morning voice was raspy, and it ricocheted off of the walls of the staircase. ‘I’ll get it.’ In less than a minute, the letter was wedged between her dainty pointers, the chipped nail polish glistening in the morning sunlight that basked through the glass. She turned it over in her hands, reading the handwritten print that signalled it was for her eyes only.
And if it wasn’t for her mother’s obstruction comment, ‘Aren’t you going to open it?’ Laura would probably have continued to turn it over, letting the nerves of anticipation unfold and spiral.
The teenager pursed her lips together, feeling her mother’s stare bare holes into her back. She closed her eyes and inhaled, bracing herself for the content that was inside.
The paper ripped underneath the pad of her thumb, the envelope barely tearing with any force. And Laura soon let the dishevelled envelope cascade to the carpet, like a feather. The hunger in her, to find out the details overrode the anticipation that did backflips in her stomach. The shakiness in her hands continued, despite the tight hold Laura had on the slip of paper.
Ann had high expectations of her daughter, she would always praise her, even the smallest of accomplishments. She would often say, ‘Every accomplishment is an accomplishment, no matter the size.’
The document was handwritten, neat and cursive. And the teen couldn’t quite believe what she was reading, so she read it again just to be absolutely certain.
‘I – I’ Laura stuttered. She turned on her heels with wide eyes. The next three words were a stutter. ‘I got accepted.’
‘That’s fantastic news!’ Ann beamed. Without a second thought, she pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, whilst her heart soared with pride at Laura’s achievements. She’d worked hard all summer and it paid off, the stress that the teenager had harboured, the late nights of studies and weekends of locking herself in the bedroom to focus was worth it.
‘Your father would be so proud of you,’ Ann mumbled.
Laura instantly parted from their embrace, pushing the important document on her mother’s chest. Her eyes filled with anger and disappointment at how quickly her mother had tarnished such a precious moment.
Ann took hold of the paper and read over it with her own eyes, tears falling onto the ink making it run. It was a mixture of emotions, remorse at her recent actions but also happiness at how well Laura had turned out, especially after the turmoil they had recently endured with George, Laura’s father.
Their summer was not plain sailing, it certainly wasn’t without an obstacle or two. Ann tried her best to protect her daughter, shield her from the anguish and upheaval that life often provided, but her attempt was proven to be less than successful when Laura evidently harboured partial hostility.
Ann often prided herself for the protective nature she demonstrated, as well as her, now, independence and strong mindedness. Though, Laura would be quick to disagree, after her mother allowed George to walk all over their lives for far too long. And Ann fell a victim to his manipulative ways, his sneaky and narcissistic tendencies were lost on her. He was a snake in the grass, but the venom the father harboured was hidden, he’d poison Ann’s mind. It was a torturous ordeal.
The teenager thought she would always recognise the signs, be cautious of anyone with those tendencies. But during her period of studies, she let her guard down and before Laura knew it. She was a victim, just like her mother.
