Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“After Dorian’s birth, we moved over to Winchester Park.”
Jessamine hummed, her gaze getting misty. Winchester Park was the last place they’d all lived with their father. Before the hard times started and they had to move out to their current house in Buckleford.
“Those early days were so long ago, but I’ve never forgotten them.” His mother stared at him, her eyes cold and fierce. “I have never forgotten what it was like to be constantly hungry and exhausted. To have so little hope of things improving. There were times that I hated your father for not making enough money so our lives could be more comfortable. I hated myself for not being able to help him more. When I wasn’t exhausted and angry, I was scared. After you were born, we had more money and didn’t have to worry about putting enough food on the table, but I was still afraid of it all falling apart. I used to put money in secret hiding spots for later in case our world came crashing down. It wasn’t until Dorian was born that I stopped being so afraid.”
“And then Augustine exhausted us all,” Hugo teased, and she graced him with the smile he’d been hoping for.
“So true.” She sighed and took Hugo’s hands in hers. “Hugo, my perfect sweet boy, I am sorry for that stupid lie I told. It never crossed my mind that it would cause so much trouble. Your mother is not an idiot. She just does idiotic things out of fear sometimes. I don’t want you to suffer the way your father and I did.”
“Working and living a hard life doesn’t frighten me.”
“I know, my darling, but there is a difference between a hard life and a hopeless one. Your father and I had reached a point of hopelessness. It was a stroke of luck that saved us. Maybe it was the goddess stepping in, or maybe it was simply luck that Mr. Davish stopped in that bakery. I don’t know. What I do know is that you can’t rely on luck or a goddess to step in.”
“Or lies,” Hugo added, though he tried to do it gently.
His mother nodded. “Yes, you can’t use lies either. I’m not telling you this as an excuse for my behavior, but I’m hoping that you understand it came from a place of fear. I’m afraid for you and your brothers. There’s nothing I won’t do to make sure you don’t have to live and suffer like we did. I don’t want you to ever think that I’m not proud of you. If this were a fair world, you’d be as rich as a king because you are the sweetest, most generous, most honorable man I’ve ever known. Even more than your father, who was known to pinch bites while dinner was cooking or blame messes on you boys when I knew he was the culprit.”
Hugo was torn between laughter and tears. To solve the problem, he leaned in and kissed his mother’s cheek. “All is forgiven. Don’t worry so much. Dorian, Augustine, and I are all smart and crafty. We’ll find a way, and we’ll never lose hope.”
“Good.” She stood slowly, knees creaking a bit. She appeared less worn but still tired. “Try to get some rest.”
“I will. Would you like a cookie before bed?” Hugo picked up the plate of cookies and held them out to her.
A slow smile spread across her thin lips, but she didn’t reach for a cookie. “You know, I can finally admit it without breaking your father’s heart. I have never cared for his gingersnap cookies.”
“What?” Hugo gasped, drawing the plate toward his body as if to shield them from her hurtful words.
“It’s true. I don’t like gingersnaps. My favorite was always his chocolate chip cookies, but I could never tell him because I was afraid he’d do something foolish like stop selling them despite them being one of his most popular products.” She sighed and grinned even wider as her eyes glistened in the faint lamplight.
“Only because you were his sun and moon.”
His mother nodded. “That’s what I want for you, Hugo. More than a prince or some noble’s rich son. I want someone who is going to treasure you because they see how wonderful you truly are. I want you to be their sun and moon. Though I wouldn’t complain if they could afford you as well.”
Hugo laughed and pressed another kiss onto his mother’s cheek. “Good night, Mother.”
“Good night.”
She ambled out of the study, closing the door behind her. Hugo picked up another cookie but didn’t immediately eat it. He’d heard stories about how tough life had been before their father started his bakery, but he’d never imagined it had been that bad. It was easy to say he’d brave a hard life as he sat in a comfortable chair in his warm house with his belly full. But did he have the same strength and fortitude as his parents to struggle through such hardship?