A Big Kind of Little Love

Chapter 13: Extended Family

💜Hey y'all! I'm so so so so sorry for SUCH a delay in updating. Life has been stuffed full of craziness, chaos, and schoolwork. But I'm hoping to get back on a more regular schedule of updating. As always though, I'm super appreciative of all of your support and friendly feedback about this story. Can't wait to bring you more!!💜

-✨Starry✨

"Hello! Come in! Come in!" 

Marcella was her normal cheery self, though this time there was a notable increase in her excitement. Camilla entered the open door with a sizable tray of her famous homemade lasagna. 

"Where is she? Where is she?" Marcella asked eagerly, looking out behind Camilla in search for the one person she's been waiting to meet.

"She's coming Marcy," Camilla answered with faux exasperation as she welcomed herself into the kitchen and put the tray down on the counter. 

The two women had been best friends since they were roommates in college and they both worked as teachers at the same middle school. Needless to say, they were very close. Now that Evie had been in Colossus for awhile and had settled into being the newest Levarion, Camilla and Lucia thought it was a good time to introduce her to Marcella, Adrian, and, of course, their little Bella. 

Bella was human, just like Evie. She was brought to Colossus by the agency a few years ago, and has since become like family to the Levarion's. Evident by the fact that she calls them Auntie Camie and Auntie Lucie. And now, she has a little cousin, and she's been very excited to meet her.

"Bel, honey! They're here!" Marcella announced, giddy with excitement as Lucia and Evie came up the stairs of their porch. 

Evie clung to her Mommy's fingers as they walked, feeling her anxiety grow with each step. She was always shy around new people, even if she knew she could trust them. With Lulu held tight to her chest by her other arm, Evie and Lucia approached the excited women.

"Well aren't you just the cutest little thing!" Marcella gushed as she knelt down to meet the girl's eye line. "Your Mama has told me so much about you!"

Evie's shyness kept her from giving any coherent answer. Instead, she clutched Lulu tighter and turned towards her Mommy, looking up at her as though asking her to talk for her.

"Can you say hello to Aunt Marcie, babygirl?" Lucia asked as she petted the girl's head. 

Overcoming her shyness for a split second, Evie let out a mumbled, "Hi." 

"Aww, someone's a bit shy, huh?" Marcella asked with a chuckle.

This only made Evie blush harder as she raised her arms up, signaling to her Mommy that she wanted to be picked up. As soon as Lucia placed the girl on her hip, Evie felt a sense of safety. As Lucia and Marcella exchanged pleasantries, the two of them not being quite as close as Marcella is with Camilla, shuffling and talking could be heard from the kitchen. 

As Evie nestled comfortably into her Mommy's hold, the two made their way from the home's entrance into the kitchen, where they found Adrian and Camilla. In Camilla's arms was little Bella, who was very excited to see her Aunties after a few weeks apart. 

"Auntie Lucie!" Bella yelled excitedly from Camilla's hip, squirming her way out of the woman's grasp so she could run over to Lucia. 

"Bella, sweetie, ask politely to be put down," Adrian scolded gently from the stove he was cooking on. 

Ignoring his remark, Bella ran energetically towards Lucia before stopping in her tracks. She apparently hadn't noticed the little girl that the woman was carrying, and the sight of Evie startled her.