Thursday November 25th
Me and Aurora both put on similar tight white long sleeved shirts except she overlaps hers with a plaid cami dress and I tuck mine into black skinny jeans. My shoes are black chunky heeled boots like Aurora's. We didn't talk about matching, it just happened.
She gets Ari dressed in a white oversized sweater and black leggings with little black boots. Ari asks for her hat so she's wearing a white beanie as well.
When we get in the car and I connect my phone to the Bluetooth, I hand it to Aurora knowing she's gonna take it anyway.
She smiles. "Thank you."
"Yeah. Whatever." I mumble.
****
I park in front of her parents big ass mansion and we get out. I open Ari's door and Aurora stands beside me.
"I can hold her," She insists.
"I don't want you to strain yourself." I unbuckle Ari.
"I'm not, I can do it."
I sigh and start to pick Ari up. "Just let me help."
I hear Aurora whimper beside me as I'm about to pick Ari up, knowing she's crying my heart sinks. I should have known that'd make her cry. Everything does.
I stop what I'm doing leaving Ari in her car seat and look down to find Aurora with tears on her cheeks.
"Bebé don't cry." I cup her cheek in my hand.
She leans into my touch. "I-It just feels like you don't t-think I can d-do anything anymore. I-I'm not even that pregnant yet."
I wipe the tears from her rosy cheeks with my thumb. "I know you can do it, I just don't want you to do everything on your own. I'm here this time, let me help." I kiss her temple. "But if you really want to hold her you can."
"No it's fine, I'm sorry. I'm such a crybaby lately." She sniffles.
"It's ok." I wrap my arms around her waist and place a tender kiss on her lips. "I love you."
She hugs me back and rests her chin on my shoulder. "I love you too, so much."
"Hold me before the doggy comes." Ari says frantically pulling at my shirt.
Me and Aurora giggle and pull away so I can pick up our big baby.
There is only one car here. But it's only 9:00. Aurora's family eats at lunch time. When I use to spend Thanksgiving with Shane his family didn't eat until five. Which is around the time Silvia's family is going to eat.
The door opens, revealing Brinda.
"I've already put Bea up." She smiles at Ari.
"Promise?" Ari says trying to look behind her.
"I promise." Brinda steps aside for us to come in.
I attempt at setting Ari down but she holds onto me. "No, just hold me." Is all she says.
I laugh before following Aurora and Brinda to the living room.
"Who's here?" Aurora asks.
"Just Mom." The only Grandparent Aurora has alive is Brinda's mom. I just refer to her as Ms.Greer.
We get into the living room where Ms. Greer is sitting on the couch. Michael is sitting in his chair and doesn't acknowledge us.
"Aurora! Come give me a hug." Ms.Greer holds her arms open for Aurora. Aurora is her only grandchild and Brinda is her only child.
Aurora hugs her. "How have you been, dear?"
"Good." Aurora stands back up and smiles.
"Who is this?" Her grandma looks me up and down. "You look familiar."
"This is my Girlfriend." Aurora says without hesitation.
The women's white brows raise. "Ah, yes Brinda told me about that. You know I don't understand it but it's your life."
Aurora frowns a little but sits beside her so I sit next to Aurora with Ari on my lap.
"Are you pregnant again?" Ms.Greer asks in a condescending tone as she eyes Aurora's baby bump.
"Yes, another girl." Aurora smiles.
"You aren't even married and you keep popping out these babies." She sighs as if it's a crime.
"We will get married eventually." Aurora grabs my hand and smiles at me. "Right?"
I hum and squeeze her hand. I would love to marry her but I'm not in a hurry to propose. Next year I'll propose but I want to until after the baby has been here for awhile.
"That should have been the first thing that you two done." I never understand why people put so much importance into a piece of paper. I love Aurora, that should be what matters.
We sit and talk with Ms.Greer for an hour or so before people start arriving. Aurora has a big ass family. Four uncles and three aunts plus all of their kids and grandkids. So she has about thirty cousins. Then some of her cousins have partners so they're here too. Its a lot.
A lot of the little kids are near the toy box playing. But Ari remains seated on my lap.
"Mija why don't you go play with them." I suggest.
"Ok." She slides off my lap as if she's been waiting for me to say that.
I watch her start a conversation with one of them and then her little head hangs low as she comes back in less than a minute with tears in her eyes. "I can't."
"Why not?" Aurora asks.
"I don't knows."
With a frown Aurora stands up and grabs Ari's hand.
I watch as she talks to the little kids and looks pissed at whatever they say then she turns to Ari and talks to her. Ari looks sad by whatever she tells her and Aurora comes back leaving Ari to play by herself.
"They said they're parents told them that. I just told Ari to play by herself."
Aurora sits down but I stand up. She looks sad playing by herself. "I'll go play with her."
Aurora smiles. "That's sweet."
I go and sit down criss-cross in front of Ari and she grins adorably. "You play with me?" She holds out one of the LEGOs for me.
"Yep." I take the block from her.
"We're building a bigggg Castle."
"¿Cuan grande?" I smile.
She takes a second to think about what I said before holding her arms far apart to demonstrate. "This big."
I start adding blocks to the structure shes already started building, which looks nothing like one of a castle.
I notice some of the people who walk by give me a judgmental look. That's nothing new they use to always give me those looks before, Marcus too. I know they have more reasons to judge me for now though.
"Can I play with you?" Jaxon comes up to ask us. If he's here so is Elena. Ew.
Ari smiles and nods.
I stand up. "I'll leave you two to play then, I'm gonna sit with your mommy."
"Ok." Ari smiles.
I'm surprised Elena didn't tell her kids not to play with Ari.
A lot of people are standing around talking. I look at Aurora and see Layla and Marcus sitting beside her.
"Hey." Layla says drawing out the word. "How's it feel to not be kept in the dark?"
They move over so I can sit by Aurora.
"Layla." Aurora groans in annoyance.
I chuckle as I sit sit grabbing Aurora's hand out of her lap and holding it in mine. "It's great, really."
"Guess that means you will be her plus one to the wedding after all."
"Yep." Their wedding is in a few days.
We continue talking.
When the food gets done everyone goes tot he dining where their are two tables, one for kids and one big one for the adults. I remember when me and Aurora had to sit at the kids table.
The table we're sitting at is lined with food. Traditional Thanksgiving foods, like Turkey, ham and that nasty canned cranberry stuff. Everything else looks great though. There are already plates and silverware laid out in front of every chair.
I sit in the chair with Ari in my lap. "I want to sit with mommy." She looks at Aurora sitting beside us next to Brinda. Michael sits at the head of the table by Brinda.
"Ok Mija that's fine."
I hand her to Aurora.
Elena sits right in front of us along with her husband. He gives me an apologetic look. Layla sits beside me and Marcus beside her.
"Kids sit at the kids table." Elena says looking at Ari in Aurora's lap.
"Why are you sitting here then?" Aurora smiles and casually rests her chin on Ari's head.
I chuckle.
Elena rolls her eyes. "How funny."
"She likes sitting with me. Plus some people here think it's ok to tell their kids to not play with her. She's a child, how she was born isn't her fault."
"That child is an abomination and It's not just the fact that your raising this little boy like he's a girl it's where he comes from as well." Michael says casually.
I clench my fists under the table refrain from saying anything. These people really test my self control.
Aurora instead sits up straight and glares at him. Her entire mood changing. "Are you fucking serious?! You're an abomination along with everyone that has your ridiculous mindset. My daughter is perfect, unlike yours who you've taught to be hateful to anybody you don't deem normal, you tried to make me like that too. You should be ashamed. It's no wonder mom cheated on you and your first wife divorced you. Clearly god is trying to tell you something. You're a terrible person and you deserve to be alone." Her voice waivers with emotion and she wipes a tear that falls. "I'm glad I'm not a McCree, it's embarrassing enough having it as my last name." Everyone looks too stunned to speak. Honestly I'm not surprised about it, she is pregnant and I've learned that it brings out the worst in her. But I'd be in tears if I was Michael.
"Aurora we're all thankful you're not one of us, just leave nobody wants you or that wet**** you call your girlfriend here and certainly not your little fucked up creation." Elena says.
I clench my jaw, that wouldn't be the first time she's called me that so that wouldn't have really bothered me but referring to Ari as a fucked creation that takes the cake. Aurora, without a word grabs her glass of tea and throws it on her, soaking her in it. "Don't ever say some shit like that again. My daughter is a blessing and Kya is more successful than you'll ever be in your pathetic life and she definitely didn't have to sweat for it. It's disgusting that you would even use that as insult when those people you are referring to are out working their asses off for what they have while you do nothing for what you have you ungrateful bitch." Aurora grits, voice wavering with her anger.
Everyone is silent and Elena only blinks at her looking too stunned to speak as tea drips down her face. I think she might be crying but I can't tell with all the tea. I only grin proudly. I love this woman next to me so much. It's so unlike Aurora to something like that she's always so sweet around her family so everyone is shocked. I glance at Ari and she looks scared and confused. Layla on the other hand looks amused.
"Get out!" Michael demands, his eyes holding anger.
"Michael, she can't say stuff like that." Brinda defends Aurora.
"Mom it's fine but your right it was deserved. Elena thank you for giving us a reason to leave because I'd rather not sit with a family full of racist assholes. And since I won't be here when everyone says what they're thankful for, I'm thankful for Kya, Ari, and the baby we have on the way. Come on Kya." Aurora stands and starts walking away without another word, I follow behind her still a little surprised walking a little faster so I can catch up and take Ari.
I get beside her. "I'll hold her." Nobody stops us as we leave.
"Mommy you said bad words." Ari says quietly sounding a bit scared as I take her.
"I'm sorry baby." Aurora says with a small smile at Ari but tears in her eyes. Her eyes then go to mine. "I'm sorry to you too."
We leave the house as I reply with frown. "Don't be, everything you said needed to be said." Although we could have ate first.
"No, im not sorry about what I said, at all. I'm sorry that most of them think of you as lesser than them, even more than they use to. I know you saw the way a lot of them eyed you the whole time we were there. You and Ari are perfect and I just wish they could see that."
I smile as a warmness fills my chest at her words. That's all I need. "I don't care what they think. The only opinions that matter to me are yours and our kids." I kiss her cheek.
She smiles at me. "Like I said perfect."
"If I'm being honest I wanted to leave as soon as we got here. I can't believe you threw your drink on her." I grin. I've been dreaming of a moment like this.
She giggles. "Are we going to Silvia's early?"
"If you want."
"I don't mind"
"We're going to Silvia's?" Ari asks excitedly.
"Yep."
We get to the car and I put Ari in her car seat. "Will I get toys?" She asks.
"I don't know, but there will be a bunch of kids for you to play with." I pull at the harness to make sure it's tight enough, it's a habit now.
"I don't wants them to be mean."
"They won't and Jayden will be there." I adjust her beanie.
She smiles. "JJ?"
Although she's only met Jayden one time and they're three years apart they get along great. He likes Legos just as much as her. She's even given him a nickname.
"Yes JJ." I kiss her cheek.
I close Ari's door and go to the front seat.
****
"Oh you guys are early." Silvia says when she opens the door.
"If it's too early we can come back later." I suggest.
"No it's not, none of my family are here yet but Jules mom and Jayden are." She ushers us in and we follow her to the living room.
Jayden is sitting in the middle of the floor playing with some Legos.
"JJ!" Ari squeals and runs to him.
"Hey Ari." He smiles.
"Can I play?" She sits across from him.
"Yeah."
I notice an older blonde women with blue eyes sitting on one of the many couches. Beside her is an orange striped cat. I assume she's nan, although I didn't expect her to look like that. I guess Jules looks like her dad.
"A kitty!" Ari yells before running to the women forgetting the LEGOs. I don't remember Silvia having a cat.
Jules comes up to us and chuckles. "Mom doesn't go anywhere without that cat. I forgot to mention she'd be here. Hope none of you are allergic."
"No, we're good." I smile.
"Can I pet her?" Ari asks the lady.
"Well aren't you just the cutest. Of course, you can pet her." The women smiles at Ari.
Ari pets her and turn around to look at us.
"You see the kitty?"
"Yeah." Aurora smiles and we walk to her
"I love kitty's." Ari smiles.
I don't trust cats. The only kitty I love is Aurora's.
Jules introduces us to her mom and we talk until Silvia's family arrives. When they arrive Silvia introduces me to everyone and I spend the most time talking to her parents. Ari has a good time playing with the little kids.
Every one goes to the long table in the dining room. A lot of Spanish and even some Brazilian food was made but there was still a turkey.
Unlike Aurora's family they don't have a kids table. All of the kids are sitting by their parents. Ari is sitting on Aurora's lap and nobody complains.
"Does everyone come back here for Christmas too?" I ask Silvia, who's sitting in front of us.
"Yes, will you all be coming?" Silvia's mom answers.
"Yeah we will." I smile.
A/N: Merry Christmas