freedom taste like you

Chapter 10

When I finally made it downstairs, the smell of breakfast filled the air, warm toast, eggs, and something buttery that reminded me faintly of home. I hesitated for a moment at the bottom of the stairs before Emma’s bright voice called out from the dining area.

“There you are, sweetheart. Come, sit.”

Her smile was welcoming, but as I walked closer, I noticed the atmosphere at the table was different. Quiet, a little stiff. Her husband sat at the end of the table with a newspaper folded beside his plate, and their son, a boy a few years older than me, poked lazily at his food with a fork.

I sat down slowly, my palms pressed against my knees under the table to stop them from trembling.

“Good morning,” I started softly. “My name is Amber White.”

There was a short pause before Emma’s husband looked up. “Nice to meet you, Amber,” he said politely, though his tone sounded distant, his eyes already drifting back to his plate.

“Yeah, nice to meet you, Ally,” the boy said with a smirk that made my stomach twist.

I tried not to show that it bothered me, but my throat felt tight.

“It’s Amber, young man, not Ally,” Emma said immediately, her tone firm but calm. She turned to me and smiled as if to reassure me that she had my back.

I smiled weakly in return and lowered my gaze to the food in front of me. The tension at the table was almost tangible. I could tell they weren’t exactly comfortable with me being here, and honestly, I couldn’t blame them. I was a stranger who appeared out of nowhere. But still, sitting beside Emma, I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of warmth. She made me feel safe.

“So, you say you were lost, Amber?” her husband asked after a while. His voice was calm but curious, the kind of question that carried more weight than it sounded.

“Yes, sir,” I answered, lifting my eyes to meet his before looking down again.

“And your parents are dead?” the boy, Timothy, asked next.

I froze for half a second, then nodded slowly, my fingers tightening around my fork.

“Timothy,” Emma’s voice snapped immediately. “That’s not nice. Apologise at once.”

I looked up at her, surprised. So his name is Timothy, I thought. Maybe I could find out what her husband’s name was later.

“I didn’t ask anything bad, Mum,” Timothy muttered. “It was just a question.”

“It was too straightforward and hurtful,” Emma said firmly, then turned to me with concern. “Right, Amber?”

I quickly shook my head. “It’s fine, Emma. It doesn’t matter.” The last thing I wanted was to cause more tension.

Emma narrowed her eyes at her son, but Timothy just shrugged and went back to eating, completely unfazed.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, her husband finally spoke again. “I’m Jacob Garfield,” he said simply, as though he felt obligated to introduce himself.

I nodded slightly, offering a small smile before returning to my food.

“I’m Timothy Garfield,” the boy grumbled under his breath after his mother nudged him pointedly.

I already knew his name, but I nodded again anyway, trying to keep things civil.

The rest of breakfast dragged on in silence, broken only by the occasional sound of cutlery against plates. I tried to eat, but every bite felt heavier than the last. The room felt too quiet, too aware of me.

After what felt like forever, everyone was finally done. I stood up immediately, grateful for an excuse to do something, and offered to help Emma with the dishes.

She smiled, clearly relieved to have someone to talk to again. “Thank you, dear. That’s very sweet of you.”

We moved to the kitchen together, the sound of running water filling the silence as we washed and dried the dishes side by side. It was peaceful here, away from the watchful eyes of her family.

After a moment, Emma sighed softly. “Sorry about the tension at breakfast,” she said, her voice gentle as she handed me a plate to dry.

“It’s okay, Emma. I understand,” I said honestly, giving her a small smile.

She looked at me for a moment, and then, without warning, she pulled me into a hug. I stiffened, startled, then frowned slightly, unsure of what to do.

“I’m sorry for hugging you like this,” she said with a little laugh, her arms still around me. “I just get emotional sometimes.”

That made me smile, a real one this time. “It’s fine. I don’t mind,” I said quietly, hugging her back. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed the feeling of someone holding me, even for just a second.

When she pulled back, I already missed the warmth. But I didn’t complain.

“If my son or husband says anything that hurts your feelings while you’re here, you can always come to me,” she said softly, holding my shoulders as if to reassure me.

“Thank you, Emma,” I said, grinning a little.

She chuckled and ruffled my hair like a mother would. “No problem, sweetie.”

We walked back into the living room, where Timothy and Jacob were sitting together watching TV. The sound of laughter from the screen filled the room, but neither of them looked particularly amused.

Emma cleared her throat, and both heads turned toward us almost instantly.

“Timothy,” she said in her calm but commanding tone, “why don’t you and Amber get to know each other better outside by the pool while I talk with your father?”

My eyes widened in surprise. The pool?

Timothy groaned audibly. “But muuuum…”

“No buts, mister,” Emma cut him off before he could finish. “Go on, and be nice.”

Timothy huffed, dragging himself off the couch with a dramatic sigh. I stood there frozen, unsure if this was really happening.

He walked past me, muttering something under his breath, then glanced back with a smirk. “Are you just gonna stand there gaping like a fish, or are you gonna follow me?”

I blinked, heat rushing to my face. “Right,” I mumbled quickly and followed him toward the back door.

As he pushed open the glass doors that led to the backyard, sunlight poured in, reflecting off the surface of the pool outside. My heart raced a little, not just from embarrassment, but from the strange mix of fear and curiosity bubbling inside me.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Timothy, but one thing was clear, this was going to be interesting.