Opposites Attract

21.

She nods and I guide her to the couch. Jacob sits down on the one farthest away from her. Obviously nervous.

It's been so long since I've seen her. Almost an year. She has aged a lot since then. Her auburn hairs have many streaks of grey now. Her skin has more wrinkles than I remember. She has grown thin and look worn out but her eyes still have that sharp glint.

I hug her. She hugs me back after a while. "I missed you." I say.

She pats my hairs and rubs my back. "I missed you too Era." She is back to my sweet aunt.

I pull away. "Introduction first. Aunt Aurelia, meet Jacob Woods, my fiancé. Jacob this is my aunt Aurelia, my father's sister."

"Pleasure to meet you." He says, a gentleman forever, and extends a hand which my aunt doesn't take and he has to pull back.

"Aunt, be nice. He is already nervous." I say, stifling a laugh. Jacob is rarely so uncomposed. It's cute.

Aunt narrows her eyes. "I'm not sure if I trust him." She concludes.

This startles Jacob. "I assure you ma'am, my feelings towards your niece and pure and innocent." He says in a pleading tone.

"What's all this noise early in the morning?" Caroline questions, coming down the stairs.

The current scene unfolds before her.

"Is she your sister in law?" Aunt asks me.

Caroline laughs. "No. I'm Jacob's mother." She tells.

Aunt's eyes widen. "Step mother." Jacob clarifies. Aunt sighs in relief.

"It's all relief your mother in law is staying with you. Your uncles would kill you if they knew about all this."

Caroline laughs again. "It's all pleasure to finally meet Sierra's mother."

This shifts the air. "Oh no. I'm Sierra's aunt." Aunt tells. Caroline's mouth forms an o. "Her parents are no more. You didn't know this?" Aunt asks suspiciously.

Caroline shifts uncomfortably and regards me with a 'you're dead' glare. "You see, it all happened so fast that Sierra and I barely got any time to talk about things this private."

"Why don't you go freshen up aunt? I'll make breakfast." I suggest.

"Yeah. I'll guide you." Caroline volunteers.

Aunt shrugs and gets up, ready to leave. But she turns. "You're not off the hook young man." She says to Jacob.

When she is no longer in our view, Jacob sighs loudly. "You never told me you had an aunt so scary." He accuses.

I smile awkwardly. "The topic never came up. And she's not scary to me. She's just really protective of me and Sina. I'm surprised she didn't kill you." I tease.

Jacob mortifies.

I laugh. "I'm kidding."

"It's not funny. How do I get on her good side?" He is totally stressed.

"Just be yourself. She's gonna like you. She went pretty easy on you." I say from the kitchen.

Jacob sits on the counter while I make the breakfast. "Still. Some tips? I'm afraid I'll say something which is a taboo in your family or religion or something and it'll offend her."

I put my hand on his. "Nothing will go wrong. And anyway, it's not like we'll actually get married in future and she'll be your aunt in law or something. This is probably the first and last time you'll meet her."

Unconciously, I put my hand on the hot pan. "Ouch!" I shriek and pull my hand back. A red gash in forming which covers almost my entire right palm.

"Sierra!" Jacob takes my hand and puts it under running tap. "You should be careful. Look, it's all red. It'll probably leave a mark."

I don't reply cause my hand hurts very much.

"Stay here." He quickly brings an ice pack. "Come." He takes me out and makes me sit on a chair and puts the ice pack on my hand.

I try to take it from. "I'll do it." I say.

He doesn't let me take it. "Sit quietly. And don't you dare go near the stove again." He orders.

"How will I cook then?"

"Don't cook."

"What will we eat then?"

"We won't eat."

I laugh out loud. Even he has to smile at this one.

I touch my forehead to his and cup his cheek with my left hand. "I'm alright." I assure him. I know how much he cares about me.

"It scares me so much when you get hurt or sick. I can't see you in pain." He says.

The atmosphere shifts between us again. There's the attraction but there's also the awkwardness.

"I told you my son is a good one Aurelia." Caroline says from the end of the hall.

There she stands with my aunt Aurelia who is looking at us with a genuine smile.

"I know now." She replies.