unconditional (BOOK #2) [TO BE PUBLISHED]

Chapter 78 - Chelsea POV

Yet that wasn't what intrigued me at all, it was that all the rules or the ideas she had ran like a song in the background, while the foreground was absorbed in the here and now. It was like she literally has a million things going on in her mind right now... but somehow she was able to still focus on the now.

As I sit mesmerized with her mind, wondering just what gifts she possibly had if any, Ava tucks right into her bowl of potato soup, trusting. Angel... lowers her head sniffing it first, still looking apprehensive at the contents. "Angel, eat. Good soup. Nona make soup," Ava says after swallowing a mouth full. I chuckle not correcting her speech, and after Ava has eaten a few mouthfuls, Angel begins easting with gusto, "Good?" I ask kindly.

She nods, but for the most part she also keeps her face expressionless, Violet never speaks but I can feel her watching this interaction, as if it were a tennis match. When we're done she leaves with the empty bowls, leaving us in silence.

For once it gets uncomfortable. For me. Angel and Ava? Not so much. They are both silently observing the other "Is there anything you like to do for fun? We can get you any books? Or maybe a movie? Music?" I offered waiting as she thought over her options giving me another look into her mind and how it works. I half expected to find that all her interests would be childlike, however it's not. Stories she thinks of... the authors I recognize aren't children's authors. While at the same time, here and there she thinks of an activity that one would play with a child. Her interests were eclectic.

"Mama cards," Ava points, asking for her flash cards. Her new fascination still going strong, especially since she had variety, "Match game," she clarifies, and I grab the last three Casey must have purchased for her, Cars, Beauty and the Beast and Frozen. When I pull the cards out and hand them to Ava I see a slight smile on Angel face, the same one she had when Russell was reading a book, 'My Antonia,' if I was correct.

"Angel play?" Ava asks her, but Angel looks at me, unsure and despite my smile, I'm seething inside. Angry at whoever made her this way, afraid and unable to behave freely, make decisions on her own without glancing for some sort of sign. Seeking permission.

"You can play if you want too Angel." Instead of giving her a simple nod, granting her permission when it really isn't needed.

"Play," she says nodding to herself, helping Ava put the cards face down, glancing each time at her babies and I search her thoughts and find she's thinking a lot about Cody. Wondering if he is okay? How long before her babies will be big like Cody and Ava... on top of everything else, wondering if Russell doesn't want her and maybe not the babies either because she turns into a wolf... she thinks of the wolf tattoo on his back, smiling to herself that at least he doesn't have a tattoo of Amara... deciding that he will like her even though she's a wolf because he has that wolf tattoo.

And while she thinks of everything and all things she plays with Ava, having fun, finishing one game, then another until five matching games later, Violet comes in with new shopping bags. Target.

"I got you this," she says pulling out a breast pump and placing it on the empty tray between Ava and Angel. Angel looks from the box to Violet, then from the box to me, but touches nothing. Not even when it had her focus... when Angel said nothing, Violets smile fell, "You might have to tell her what it is," I offer after reading her confused thoughts.

"Right," she says, back to being chipper, "You can't feed all three babies at the same time, so this is a breast pump, it'll take your milk, and we save it so-" she stops when Angel cocks her head to the side. I bit my lips smiling, not wanting to laugh at Violet being flustered.

"Here let me open it," she offers and does show and tell with the device that at first startles Angel, but after a while, she begins to understand and listens dutifully to the instructions.