Rose

24

"But they're your family Aiden."

"I know Rose, I know. After seeing your family, I grew envious and I wished that I could have a family that I could go through thick and thin with. But it always seems futile to try when my own mother pushes me to the limit."

"There's no mother in this world who truly despise their own children." I replied and he gave me a soft smile.

"Thank you for saying that but Rose, if things aren't going well we're leaving." Aiden replied and before I had my chance to speak, the doorbell to the suite rang.

Aiden unwrapped his arm around me and placed his cup of coffee on the table before answering the door. I heard some muffling and soon Luke appeared with a hotel staff strolling in a cart of food and Aiden following behind them.

"Well Luke how kind of you to buy me breakfast." I joked and he snickered.

"It's a welcome present from me but I'm paying it with Aiden's credit card." He replied and I laughed.

Aiden tipped the staff member just before he left and we sat down on the sofa, enjoying our breakfast. Except for the fact that I was enjoying it while Luke and Aiden started talking about business while their food was getting cold on the table. I ignored them and allowed them to have their meeting. I borrowed Aiden's laptop as I searched for what I could do by myself in the city.

(-)

I didn't know what to expect when we arrived at the Kingsley's household in LA that evening. I had pictured the family to be leaving in a wealthy and luxurious home considering Aiden's wealth. But I should have known better, Aiden and his family weren't exactly on the best term. I peered out of the car window and found myself staring at a small house away from the richer part of the city. I had spent the entire day wondering what I should bring to his family and I ended up purchasing a cake...typical of me I know. It was a shame that I couldn't bake one for them instead since I didn't have any equipment in the hotel to do it. Aiden climbed out of the driver's seat and rounded the car to open the door for me. I took his offering hand and stepped out and the smell of polluted air was all that filled my nostrils.

"If things get out of control later, we are leaving immediately." Aiden warned.

"You can't always run away when things are getting tough Aiden." I said and he squeezed my hand.

"This family of mine is not perfect, it is dysfunctional."

"No family is perfect Aiden. You may think it's too late to patch things up with them, but it's better late than never." I replied and he sighed. He took a step closer to me, leaving a long kiss on my forehead before guiding me up to the door. Aiden rang the doorbell and the ring could be heard on our side of the door. Suddenly, I heard yelling from the other side of the door and I heard the voice getting louder. The front door swung open and a woman that looked older than she should stared at us. She had the same dark hair as Aiden but there were streaks of grey coming out from her roots. She also had a cigarette in the corner of her mouth, her skin dry and aging from the years of nicotine consumption. I could tell that the woman in front of us was Aiden's mother, she had the slight resemblances.

"What are you doing here again?" She barked at Aiden and I felt his hand tightening around mine.

"I told you I'll be visiting tonight, there is someone I wanted you to meet." Aiden replied and her eyes flickered to me. I smiled softly at her as she studied me from head to toe. She muttered a few words to herself that I'm sure neither Aiden nor I could make out. She glared at the both of us but eventually she stepped aside to allow us entry.

Aiden entered first while he tugged me in after him. I felt Mrs. Kingsley's eyes on me as I passed and I gave her a gentle smile as she closed the door behind us. The house smelled like cigarette smoke and a hint of a home cook meal lingered faintly in the air. I stared at Mrs. Kingsley as she walked past us without a second glance and she ordered us to have a seat in the living room. Even though she was so cold and harsh to Aiden, it seemed to me that she was looking forward to the dinner if she was preparing it. We took off our shoes and headed to the living room just a couple of steps away from the front door. Aiden's hand never left mine and he never loosened the tight grip he had on it either.