Meant to be half

~13. Motherhood by choice.~

Happy New Year babes<3
May you all stay healthy and kind and find luck, love and laughter in the following year.

Lots of love, E.
——————

*Emery's POV*

Arms wrapping around the old man's body, I greeted him in a short side hug.

"Oh, you've gotten quite the looks yourself." Armand exclaimed in a deep and raspy voice. It sounded just like the last time it had blessed my ears.

Years ago he had been at our house for dinner. It was a work dinner ish thingy. I was way too young to understand if it was a real thing and I also did not care enough to find out. In the end, all that mattered was that I had a good time hearing about some stories my dad was involved in.

"Such a sweetheart." I grinned and a wrinkle added to his face, making me know he pitied something.

Old people always had the same expression. One that screamed "I've seen god and the world, but you eventually will get this..." Just so strange.

Hand placed on my shoulder, he voiced. "You look more and more like him. At least the eyes, but I'm sure you discovered a few characteristics too."

There you go. Just as predicted. Some tarot card kinda shit. Perhaps I should look into my magic ball next time and I'll know what to do.

I slowly nodded and Armand patted my shoulder and walked away, leaving Cate and me alone in the hallway.

She looked at me. She saw I was caught up in my mind again.

"Honey—" I cut in, as the tone of her voice reached my brain.

Intensely making eye contact with the blonde, I had to gather my thoughts all over. She was such a distraction. In a good way of course. I was glad she wasn't anyone I would see in the car next to me at a red light. If so, I would not be able to start the ignition or breathe correctly.

"I told you it was fine, Cate—" Suddenly, I was the one interrupted when a finger placed itself over my lips.

A smirk played over the woman's red lips and it widened, as she caught my cheeks blushing. "You did not give me any opportunity to say it and I will make sure you hear it. Honey, I had no intentions in making you uncomfortable and I'm sorry I did. Please talk to me next time something I do or say makes you feel this way. Okay?" No one ever ensured I knew for certain I could speak up.

I mean, people have told me to say something when anything was not sitting right with me, but I waved it off as politeness. People just say that on the regular. So this... this was a whole new thing. Cate wanted me to actually say something.

Not to mention that no one took their time to ensure I was okay after said uncomfortable situation.

"I will try my best." I nodded and paused. "Why do you care about such things?" I rose my chin a little, catching the other woman by surprise as it seemed.

"It's the bare minimum." Cate winked it off. "You shouldn't settle for less." Before she could see my reaction the blonde strutted off into the kitchen.

Oh she hated Mateo.

Hours after hours flew by and it was not even as horrible as expected. Family gatherings never were pretty, but this one? What was so different? My aunts did not make me feel guilty about not showing up for any holiday or the annual gatherings. This felt so wrong. But a good wrong, right?

So there I stood, leaned against some cabinet, overviewing the scene of family and friends chatting comfortably about life. Eve walked into the room and every head turned around. She hadn't parted her lips yet and all their attention was hers.