The next morning, there was a knock on my door, and I bit back a small groan and turned in the other direction, not answering the door while I was stirred awake.

I closed my eyes tighter and set my jaw, pulling the blankets tighter around myself. I didn't say a word and tried to fall back asleep, even though there was another knock on my door, the person not caring that I didn't open the door.

Who could be knocking on my door this early? I silently asked and pulled the blankets over my head, burying further into my bed. And why? I don't have to go to school today. I furrowed my brows and groaned, annoyed. Do I..?

There was a third knock on my door, but this time the person opened the door as if they "knew" I was still asleep or trying to at least. "Blaire, Sweetie?" the person at the door asked, softly. "Are you awake?"

"No," I mumbled sleepily and turned the other way so that my back was toward them, pulling the blankets further up my head and moving down until I was in a tighter ball than before while I ignored the pain in my side. "I am not awake. Who's there?"

The person chuckled and didn't move from the door. "It's Jill, Sweetie," the person said softly. "Breakfast is ready for you if you are hungry. You don't have to go to school today, but everyone else is awake and has left for the day except for Justin and I as well as the youngest children."

I bit back a small sigh and opened my eyes, trying to decide if I wanted to skip breakfast or not. I wasn't hungry, even though I knew that I should at least get something in my stomach even if it wasn't much because I hadn't eaten dinner last night or anything the day before.

"Blaire?" Jill asked, and there was a small bit of concern in her voice. She took a hesitant step into the room, staring at me. "Are you ok?"

"Yes," I said and nodded before I pulled the blankets from over my head and turned to look at her, sitting up. I offered her a forced smile, and she frowned, not liking that smile at all. "I am good, thank you. I was just thinking."

She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head, studying me with her deep brown eyes that looked to be speckled with gold. "Are you sure?" she asked. "And what were you thinking about?"

"I am sure," I said and nodded in confirmation. "I was also thinking about how I am not hungry and if I wanted breakfast." I hesitated and shifted a little, my cheeks turning red. I hesitated and grimaced while I looked at my hands. "The bed is comfortable, and I don't want to move."

Jill bit back a small chuckle and nodded, even though worry flashed through her eyes. "I would let you sleep more, but you haven't eaten anything yesterday." She paused and cleared her throat while she cocked her head and studied me. "When was the last time you even had an actual meal?"

I hesitated before I shrugged and grimaced while I looked at her. "It's been a while," I admitted before I cleared my throat and shifted on my bed. "I don't actually know when I had anything to eat. I can't even eat at school because Ms. Garnes makes sure that we don't have money or food to eat for lunch."

Jill pressed her lips into a thin line before she slowly nodded, biting the inside of her lip. She didn't say a word while she stared at me, studying me and trying to find any secret that I didn't say and might show on my face.

But for some reason, she couldn't...

Finally, she sighed and shook her head before she cleared her throat and shifted on her feet. "Does that mean you will be able to try and eat for me?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "Please?"

I bit back a small grimace before I slowly nodded. "Ok," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted on my bed, grabbing my blankets closer to me. "Can I go ahead and get ready for the day, please?" I asked, changing the subject. "I will be down in a few minutes."

"Of course," she said and nodded in confirmation. Worry flicked through her eyes while she studied me, and I hesitated before I slowly looked down, not able to meet her gaze any longer.

Jill cleared her throat and shifted on her feet and waited patiently until I looked at her again. She smiled when I looked at her, and she bowed her head a little. "I will go ahead and go downstairs and see you in a bit. Ok? I will make sure that there is a plate of food ready for you so that all you have to do is eat."

I bit back a small sigh and nodded, knowing full well that she wouldn't change her mind. "Ok," I said before I pulled the blankets all the way off of my body and twisted until my feet were touching the soft carpeted floor. "Thank you. I will be down in a bit."

"Of course." She nodded before she backed out of the doorframe and started to close it. "I will see you in a bit, Blaire."

And without another word from either of us, Jill closed the door and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts and feelings.

I sighed and moved a hand through my hair and across my face, shaking my head and pursing my lips in annoyance. "Oh, Goddess," I said, my voice barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. "Just oh, Goddess... Help me."

And with that, I went to get ready for the day, praying that I would be able to survive whatever came my way with or without Declan's help...

***

"Good morning, Blaire," Justin said when I walked into the dining room, sipping a cup of coffee with a newspaper in front of him. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," I said and offered him a tight smile. "How about you? How did you sleep?"

"Good," Justin said and nodded in confirmation. He cleared his throat and gestured to the table. "Come and sit. Everyone else is done with breakfast and has gone off to school or is taking a nap."

My cheeks grew red, and I looked down, feeling ashamed about how late I was, especially since I had decided to take a shower before I came down. "Oh..." I said and bit the inside of my lip. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I am sorry. I-"

"Hush," Justin softly scolded, interrupting me. "There is no need to apologize to me, Blaire. Go ahead and sit. Jill will be out with food for you in a second."

I hesitated before I did what I was told to do and took a seat at the table across from Justin, and Justin turned his attention back to his paper.

The silence grew tense between us while Justin read his paper, and I looked anywhere but him, not knowing what to do or say.

"Hey, Justin?" Jill asked from the kitchen.

"Yes, Dear?" Justin asked, flipping his newspaper closed. "Is everything alright in there?"

Jill chuckled. "Yes," she said, and I had a feeling she nodded. "Is Blaire still there? I thought I heard her voice, but she hasn't said anything else in a little while."

Justin looked at me and offered me a tight smile, rolling his eyes. "She is still here, Love," he said. "What did you want from her?"

"Does she want juice for her food? If so, what? I have orange juice, cranberry juice, apple juice, grape juice, a-"

"Basically, we have multiple flavors of juices because everyone likes something different," Justin said, interrupting her while he looked at me. "Which flavor would you like?"

"Orange juice would be fine, please," I said, offering him a tight smile. "Thank you."

Justin nodded and lifted his head back until he was closer to the door. "She will want Orange Juice, Dear," he said.

"I heard," she said, and she poured me a glass of orange juice. "Do you not like anything, Dear?" she asked, and I had a feeling that she was talking to me. "Or is whatever I put on your plate ok with you?"

"Ummmm..." My cheeks turned another shade of red, and I shifted in my seat because I had no idea what she cooked or anything like that, especially since everyone's plate was gone, and there was nothing left of breakfast except for a cup of coffee.

"There are waffles, eggs, bacon, cinnamon rolls, sausage, and some other breakfast foods," Justin said, flicking his newspaper open again. "We eat a lot at a given time."

I hesitated and slowly nodded. "Anything you put on the plate will be fine, Jill," I said. "It all sounds delicious."

"Of course," Jill said with a small sigh of relief. "I also have cut up some fruit if you would like some of that."

"Please," I replied, nodding in confirmation.

There was silence from the kitchen while Jill set me up a plate of food. She pushed open the dining room door with the tray, and I instantly stood to go help her with the tray of food.

"Go ahead and sit down, Blaire," Jill said and smiled at me, the wrinkles around her eyes becoming more prominent. "I have this. I do not need any help."

I hesitated and stayed standing. "Are you sure?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, and she nodded in confirmation.

"I am sure," Jill said, chuckling with a small nod. "Thank you, though." She gestured for me to sit down again, and I did what I was told to do and sat down, even though I couldn't help but be more hesitant.

Jill chuckled again and shook her head. "Mind you, I have a lot of boys in the house that I have to deal with. I am used to doing most things on my own." She flashed me a teasing wink, and her husband snorted and lifted his paper back up to read again.

"The only thing you do on your own is whenever you say that you have it and shove me away," he said. "I have learned long ago not to help you."

"Liar," Jill scolded and narrowed her eyes at her husband. She moved from the door and walked over to me with the tray in hand. "He does a lot of stuff without me asking him and knows how to do the stuff my way."

"And that is why we have a happy household," Justin said. "Always keep the lady of the house happy."

"And make sure that the man of the house is fat." She set the tray in front of me, and I looked at the food before I looked at her, my mouth watering at the amazing scents that filled my nose. "Even though he is getting a little fat." She winked at him teasingly, and Justin snorted a laugh while he rolled his eyes and scowled.

"That is because she spoils me," Justin said and flicked his newspaper closed again so that he could look at us. "Go ahead and eat up, Blaire. You have a long day ahead."

I hesitated before I did what I was told to do and started to eat my food, offering Jill a small smile in thanks.

Jill nodded before she excused herself to do something else, leaving both Justin and I alone to eat in silence.

Well, me to eat in silence and him to read his newspaper, but that's besides the point because we did it in silence and in what felt like peace.