After Jordin blew her top, she felt bereft.
What was this feeling that was bubbling up inside her? Doubt? No, not that.
Insecurity.
She'd always had the confidence to face any and everything, but now…could she really have been stood up. 𝘏𝘦𝘳?
Her bottom lip began to tremble.
Noticing their daughter's increased state of distress quickly spiraling toward water works town, Kea made a call.
"Eric, you can say something now."
"Now?"
"She needs a soft touch right now."
"Oh." His heart pinched at seeing his baby in pain. "Jordie, whatever you want right now, we'll do."
"Anything?" Jordie's vulnerable layers started to surface.
"Yes, anything you want. We can go for ice cream, or go shopping, or, what about that spa day you wanted? It's yours."
All that stuff sounded nice, but it wouldn't make up for this moment
"I…I think I—" and then a buzzing sound broke in.
It was him!
He was calling!
"Everyone shut up!" Jordie shushed them all as she answered the phone.
"Hellooo." She said with a sickeningly sweet lilt to her voice. It was almost scary how quickly she could turn off the morose and flip back on the confidence. "Babe, are you pulling up?"
There was a pause as someone spoke frantically on the other end.
"I see. Well, if we're going to be late already there should be several shops on your way to me for you to buy me gifts to make it up to me. Should I text the list to this number?"
But then a palpable coldness accompanied the next extended pause. Jordie's jaw drew tight.
"Unacceptable—you can't! You—" And then it became clear there was no longer any frantic talking on the other end of the line. Whoever it was, he had hung up.
After that, it wasn't just the line that went cold, the room had grown cold to match.
Jordin had gone eerily still and silent. However, she visibly began to tense up. Her fists began to ball. Her face began to strain.
"Should we… say something?" Eric whispered to Malachi to his right on the couch.
"What we should do is take cover."
"Take cover?"
"She's about to blow."
"Blow?!"
And then almost in answer to that question, Jordin did blow. A scream that could've shattered every mirror in the house.