The Price of a Toxic Love

curtains. Twirling the hem of her dress in her fingers Dora sat on the ed

ver thinking again." His tie was half done, and a

ave enough of is knowledg

k and forth between her brows. 'You're in

s Dora laughed. "What

nees, Donald knelt in fr

a world she wasn't sure she was a part of. His family was privileged, he was born with a family name that mattered in such a small town. Bar

going to love you. If they don't, they can only keep reminding t

as they walked to the car. It was a drive to his family's

ugh the trees blur by, her mind returning t

a rainy one. It had been while they were sitting on his couch

your fam

s She delayed. "I don't

s hand gently rubbing her arm ha

I was little." "... My dad, he did the best he could in the fac

d pulled her closer. It's amazing it's allowed

her, but didn't make

lf, with tall columns and acreage of garden that looked like it'd fit in a

?" he

as in knots b

d a woman, older version of Donald,

pulling her into a hug. "I've read

the warmth. Here is the word for

call me Margaret,' she

rniture. My sister, Clara, was in the living on her nose buried in a book. When

Dora couldn't put her finger on, 'So you'r

iling as he w

hand and said, '

m and she shook

feeling of Clara sizing her up, determining her in some way. Before dinner, Margaret suggested D

rows of blooming flowers, but

at Dora and did n

articular." I thought he would end up wit

but she calmed herself. "A

ose from the bush. "Driven.

I'm

r eyes did not fol

he same privileges that I've worked for everything that I had growing up.'

turned to study her, before nodding. "Go

as the night wore on, Dora found he

d took her hand. "See? I

t she couldn't get the feeling out of her head that Donal

at Clar

the kind for which the wealthy would send their children for learning. At first, Dora had b

day. Dora could just tell that Clara was professional

f the week. It was in the staff room

her tone seri

wn her pen

sat across from Clara. "I have to k

inten

s..." He is the glue of this family. I als

d feel her heart ache. She simply said, 'I

her and then nodded. "Good. You'l

at that point that Clara's protectiveness was ver

ttempting to prove herself. Eventually, slight tension be

way out of the sch

hug and said, "Hey"

s with Clara's words,

sitated and nodded. "No

a moment and nodded. "C

ing was coming, that was going to

e was

e hadn't seen her father in years, and it was him who had taught

ords, but they had

ee you. It's

t was as if her mind was in fast motion.

the present by Donald's hand on

, and so she reached out

expression darkened. "D

true, her past was catching up to

was something she couldn't shake,

e was

e to the schoo

dow. As she walked down the hallway her heart was racing and thinking abo

was. He

ardships, but his eyes were the same-sharp, calcu

voice rough but famil

years? It's also about how Donald's relationship

however, was to be done about cursing her past – her