May Excerpt of Violets Are Blue

Yes, I know it says "Bree," but this is really Elizabeth Rose. Blogger has been having some problems lately, and for some reason, it won't allow us to sign Bree out of her Blogger account. So, you'll just have to trust me on this. :)

A new month, a new giveaway, all this must mean (you guessed it!)... a new excerpt of Violets Are Blue!

I couldn’t fall asleep that night. Mum and Father were up late talking, and I tossed and turned, hearing the murmur of their voices in the background. My covers felt heavy, and I pushed them away; moments later, I was yanking the sheets back up to my chin, shivering. Was I sick? Placing a hand to my sweaty forehead, I tried to determine whether I had a fever. I didn’t feel any warmer than normal. My stomach churned with nervousness. What were Mum and Father talking about? And what on earth did Mum mean by “no stranger will be staying under my roof ever again”?

Finally, I gave up on trying to sleep. Slipping out of bed quietly so as to not awaken Emma, I tiptoed down the hall to my parents’ bedroom. I couldn’t hear voices anymore, only the sound of deep, even breathing that came through the door. They were asleep.

I raised my hand to knock on the bedroom door, but paused. I hated to awaken them. Instead, I made my way further down the hall to the staircase, and then down to the kitchen. Filling the tea kettle with water, I set it on the stove to boil. I felt like a cup of tea.

“Violet?” someone murmured from behind me. The voice was sleepy. 

I turned to see Mum standing in the doorway. 

“Why are you up, dear?” she asked.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Mum was silent for a while. The only sound in the still room was the quiet bubbling of the boiling water. The pot began to steam. I took it off the stove and prepared the tea quietly.

“Violet…” Mum said softly. She stroked my cheek.

“What is it, Mum?” I asked curiously.  

“Vi, we’re going to America.”

“To-to America?” I gasped, not believing. “You mean—to visit?”

“No, dear,” she answered sadly. “To live.”

All the air in my body seemed to go out.