Butterfly ⚘ Sebastian Stan

10. los angeles

Ava slips from my grip and runs ahead, "Sebby, Sebby, I gotta purse!" He quickly picked her up and sat her next to himself by the window. "That is beautiful and perfect for you! I love that color, Ava!"

I watch as he listens to her as I order her and I's drinks. I hope when we finally talk it doesn't ruin everything, I guess dating my brother's friend was a bold and complicated move.

He smiles over at me and I ready myself for acting because being hurt breaks my spirit and I can't let Ava know anything is wrong. "Hey, Lo, blue is a great color on you," he smirked and I let a small smile spread across my lips.

"Thanks, it's one of my favorite dresses." I smile at the waitress as she approaches to take our order. The moment she walked away I watched Ava coloring the kids menu and felt a lump forming in my throat.

What is Henry keeping from us? Sebastian is such an amazing actor, I wonder if that makes him a good liar.

I felt his eyes on me, I need to get it together. I smile at Ava and squeeze her hand as I move to stand. "I need to use the restroom, I will be right back." I moved quickly to the door marked ladies, 'already in over her head.'

+ Sebastian +

I can see an uneasiness in Harlow's body language today, a few minutes and she already looks ready to cry. I watch her disappear into the bathroom and Ava immediately turns to me, locking her beautiful little hazel eyes with mine.

"Momma heard you on the phone with Uncle Hen last night. She knows he has a secret that you know."

My jaw falls open, "and how do you know that?" I sometimes wonder how much Ava is told by her mother and how much she hears. Brilliant children are a force, that's the best way to describe a little person like Ava.

She smirked, pointing to her ears with her little fingers, "I listen a lot. And you talked loudly."

I nod, "then I need to talk to your Momma later." Ava nods and smiles at her Mom leaving the restroom, "Momma doesn't handle lies well because it's all she knows."

This child never stops amazing me, she is too brilliant for her own good. I smile at her and quickly state, "then I won't lie ever again."

+ Harlow +

Breakfast was quick, quieter than most. I couldn't hide my sadness, so when Saundra showed up right as we left the restaurant in a car, I was able to see that Ava had a good time without the tension. Sometimes having an empath is the most difficult part of my version of motherhood.

I watch Ava drive away sitting in the backseat with Saundra as Pete, our California chauffeur, drives them back to the villa. I felt those cerulean eyes studying me, he cleared his throat. "I have to talk to you about your brother," I breathed out before I could talk myself out of it.

I turned to look at him, my brows pressed together in the curious way, while I feel my eyes flooding with relief. "What about Hen?"

"So, he got hurt."

I feel my brows furrowing harder as I cross my arms, nodding. "Yeah, I know, we watched it happen."

He let out a shaky breath, "he has been using steroids, beyond what doctor orders were for healing."

I felt my jaw clench, choosing to stay silent for a few monents. "So he's abusing steroids." He only nodded and stared at me, hoping to gauge my reaction.

"So the screaming at Ava and I, the pure anger inside of him. Do you think that's why?"

He bit his cheek, nodding, "I had a feeling and then when I went back to check on him, I found him with the needle."