Royals

Ty

Sammy's eyes snapped to his and she bit her lip. She nodded slowly. "Ty... Ty, I love you. I really do, but I love her too. I can't explain it. But I can't let this end terribly between us. I love you, and I need you in my life. You're my best friend. I feel so empty without you."

Ty nodded, stepping as far away from her as the room allowed. She had the nerve to come crying to him, acting like she wanted him back when she fucked Jessica again? "I can't believe a single word that comes out of your mouth. You come here and beg for my attention, all the while you were with her against last night. Fuck off, Sammy. Just get out." Sammy looked at him for a moment before quickly gathering herself and left, knocking into his legs with unnecessary force and slamming the door shut behind her.

He shouldn't have called her a whore, and he knew he'd end up apologizing later, but in the moment, he felt relieved for telling her off. "Told you I never liked her," his mother appeared from the other room. "Tell me about this woman she mentioned. Who is she?"

"Her name is Shaylee. And I think she's why I'm not letting Sammy apologize her way back into my life. Among other obvious reasons, at least."

"Oh? Well why don't I get a pot of coffee started and you can tell me about her. Have you known her long?"

Ty followed his mother into the kitchen, leaning against the counter as she prepared the coffee. "That's the crazy part. I haven't known her long; maybe two weeks. She found me through work and then we just...kept hanging out, I guess. I've really only seen her a few times since then, but Ma... Am I crazy for having feelings for a woman I barely even know?"

She shrugged, pouring two mugs. "I knew I wanted to marry your father the minute we shared our first kiss. And he'd tell you that he's known since he first laid eyes on me. He jokes and says I was stubborn," she winked, a smile in her eyes. "He chased me for weeks after we first met and asked me out eight times. Each time, I had a different excuse to say no. Finally, after he had come over for dinner...your Grandmother loved him, you see, and was just waiting for us to get together. We were sitting out on the porch and I turned to him and asked him to be my boyfriend."

"You asked Dad? And he lets you tell people that?" Ty laughed.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Anytime I tell the story he says I'm remembering it wrong. But he's not around to say that anymore." His mother laughed again, nudging him with her elbow.

Even as she smiled, Ty could see the pain in her eyes over the loss of her husband. It'd been years, but one never really got over the death of their soulmate. "So what happened next?" He asked, trying to move past the pain.

"The rest is history, baby. We were wed within the year. Your brother came a year later. What I'm trying to say, sweetheart, is sometimes the heart and the soul know before the brain. Love is never a logical thing." Ty's mother took another long sip of her coffee and he took a moment to study the woman who raised him. Her hair had taken on grey highlights in the otherwise chestnut colored hair, no doubt due to him and Andre. He could see the wrinkles around her eyes from the many years of smiles and laughter shared.

He realized then that he didn't need a fairy family -- he had family here that would feel more like home than strangers related by blood would. He wasn't sure how he would tell his mom or Andre, but rules be damned -- if he was really royalty, then he could change the rules.

"Thanks, Momma. For everything, including taking me in." He reached across the table and squeezed her arm, smiling.

Her eyes widened in surprise before softening, a genuine smile crossing her face. "You'll always be my little boy. To think today, you're one of the most logical men I know. Remember the talk of magic and fairies you used to rave on about?" She threw her head back in a hearty laugh. "You were so adamant they were real. I swear, only my boy," she chided lovingly.