𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐘, angelina jolie

𝐗𝐈

"not so little anymore."
chuckled eleanor, angelina smacked her arm gently.

"shush, you're still little to me."
she snickered. she had missed them all so much, it was crazy.

new york without them was far less chaotic, rather more boring.

"so how's it going with the case?"
asked their mother as the kids went to the kitchen to prepare a fruit bowl they could all eat.

"we'll soon need you in new york for the last board meeting before court, we'll go through all the steps, we'll be with you throughout the way. don't worry, we've got this."
eleanor stroked her arm sweetly, angelina forced a tight smile. she couldn't help but worry. she was worried about how this was gonna hit their family, how the media would talk about it.

she wished so badly that all this wasn't happening, that her so called husband could have been faithful and sober, that he hadn't physically hurt both her and their eldest sons. it hurt like hell to think that the person she loved and trusted the most on this earth would also be the one to hurt her the most. her heart was still in awful pain and she didn't think she'd recover any soon.

"who's gonna cross him?"
she asked as she rested her head on eleanor's shoulder.

"i will."

"are you sure?"
angelina looked up to glue her eyes to eleanor's and find the truth in those grey orbs.

"absolutely, but i suggest you keep the kids far away from all this mess."

"of course."
she sighed heavily before forcing a smile on her face as the kids came back to the living room with dozens of fruit bowls.

"thank you."
they handed one to each of them and they all started eating.

"so what are your plans for tonight?"
asked pax before shoving a piece of banana inside his mouth.

"uh, i'll have dinner with my grandparents."

"oh."
they said before ducking their heads down and concentrating on their fruit. the cheerful mood quickly disappeared and was replaced by a rather sad one. the mansion had never been so silent.

"something wrong?"
asked a puzzled angelina.

"we wanted to spend tonight with you!"
pleaded vivi with the cutest pout she had ever seen.

"i'm sorry, but we could always do that tomorrow, right?"
the kids all shared a look which made her feel guilty about leaving them. she had planned on staying at her grandparents, knowing they always kept her room untouched even after all these years, and visiting angelina and the kids.

"i guess so."
mumbled shiloh, a sad look on her face, eleanor felt her heart clenching in pain.

"how about we all attend my grandparents' dinner? it's just the two of them for most of the year so they'll be more than happy to have someone over."
angelina seemed hesitant, she wasn't sure this was a good idea. this people probably hated the woman that abandoned her own child.

"and they'll probably give you cash, but don't let your mum know."
she whispered in pax's ear, a subtle smirk made its way on his face.