Before I could even plan on suffocating her with a pillow, Mrs Armstrong walked in and studied my shocked face and Lana's gleeful one.

"What happened?" The middle-aged woman asked, "Why does Ella look like she is contemplating homicide?"

Lana replied, "I sent the book Ella wrote to about fifty publishers."

"That is great!" Mrs Armstrong cheered.

I reached for another pillow and covered my face with it then let out a groan "What if they hate it?"

Mrs Armstrong leaned against the door "Then who cares? Loads of writers get setbacks in their career. You can not just hold back and wonder what if."

"I guess you are right." I said quietly.

Switching her attention from me to her daughter, Mrs Armstrong voiced "Your dad and I decided to postpone our trip. I know that you are probably not going to—"

With a wave of her hands, Lana cut her off "I have not told her yet."

"Told me what?" I asked her then I questioned the woman at the door "Were you planning on going on vacation?"

Mrs Armstrong replied first "We were just going to go away for the weekend so the house was free but it is fine. We would much rather be here for you."

"I am okay." I reassured both of them for the fiftieth time today "I just want everything to keep going as normal."

Lana frowned "Mom and dad were leaving so the house was free. I planned you a Halloween birthday party but that is not what you need right now."

"Maybe a party would be good." I said while keeping my voice deliberately strong "A Halloween one, that is. I do not want anything for my birthday."

Mrs Armstrong smiled but she did not look convinced "Ella, you have just lost your dad. It is still new. The funeral has not even past yet."

"I do not want to dwell on everything." I voiced "I will say my goodbyes at his funeral on Thursday and then I will feel much better. Everything will go back to normal."

"Are you sure?" Lana asked, still unsure.

Nodding again, I sent a pleading look to Mrs Armstrong "Please go on your trip. It would make me feel worse if I knew I was holding you back."

The room went silent for a while and then Lana stood up from her bed and walked to the door.

She turned back as she reached the door and said "I will go and get us some snacks because we are going to watch some trash TV and stuff our faces."

Once she had left, I was back to randomly hitting buttons on my laptop. I had nothing to distract myself from thinking about him. I had not stopped thinking about Stone since he left but the book had kept me busy.