Family
"Are you still upset?" I asked Celine as we got ready to head downstairs the next morning.
We had both gotten up pretty early this morning, my reason being that I could not get any sleep after our fight last night and C, probably for the same reason, or something else, I could not tell.
There were only ever rare times when I and my best friend had serious disagreements like this, and it had never been over a dick. That was my cue to fix this. As much as I loved Lucas, I would never give up my relationship with my longest friend and favorite person in the universe for any reason.
She did not look at me as she spoke, "Alex will be here to pick me up in an hour, you coming?" she did not answer my question directly either, and I got my answer from that.
"C," I started slowly, inching towards her, "I'm sorry about last night."
"What happened the last night?" she feigned ignorance, "oh do you mean when you called me a nosy bitch for only trying to look out for you?"
"I would never call you a nosy bitch C," I said with a grim look.
"Implied. You implied it by your words and actions." she hissed and folded her hands across her chest. "and forgive me for caring so much that you are just welcoming back with open arms a man who hurt you so damn much...your words, not mine."
"He made a mistake Celine, but Lucas did not hurt me on purpose. It's not his fault that Sarah decided to come back and make everyone's lives difficult."
"Why are you defending him so much bess?" she said in a softer tone.
I looked away, swallowing hard, "because I love him, I love him so much that I'm willing to see past whatever has happened in the last few days and give him a second chance"
I half expected her to explode into more flames as I spoke about giving him a second chance, but instead, she walked to where I stood beside the bed and hugged me. "Believe it or not, I only want the best for you bess."
"I do not doubt that," I hugged her back. "and I promise Lucas is the very best for me, so please don't hate him anymore."
"I'll try, but only because I love you." she feigned a frown, but it only came out as a grin.
"I love you too bess." I returned her smile with an even bigger smile. "Also you were joking about the jail thing right?"
She scoffed and shrugged, "I guess we'll only ever find out if he hurts you again, and I'm hoping he doesn't." The edge with which she spoke made me wonder if this was one of those times she was serious or if she was kidding.
Celine and I went downstairs for breakfast after getting ready.
Thanks to daylight, it was easier to find our way through the hallways and to the breakfast table downstairs.
Almost every seat on the table was filled with all the members of the Maxwell family, extended too.
Martha sat next to Calvin who sat at the head of the table, Lilan next to Rob, Mia and Mason were there too, the three kids occupied three seats next to each other, though Zoey's chair had been replaced with a breakfast bar chair for toddlers.
"Do they always have breakfast together?" C asked as we took a few steps towards them.
I whispered to her, since we were already close, "I've had dinner with them like this a few times so I guess yeah."
"That's fucking sick," she grinned, "I love them already,"
"Good morning Christine," Martha pushed her chair back and wrapped me in an embrace the moment she saw me. She had developed a fondness with me since the last time I was here and I could not say I was complaining about having a great relationship with my boyfriend's mom.
"I trust you slept well," she asked.
"I did," a half-lie.
"Chris!" Abby and Aiden said happily, jumping off their seats.
"Be careful you two," Martha chuckled as they stole me from her embrace.
"Good morning my angels," I pressed a kiss on each other foreheads, before making my way to Zoey who was babbling my name and trying to come out of her chair.
"I'm right here my princess," I kissed her forehead too, making her giggle loudly.
"You're like a superstar," Lilan said, amused.
"It's not my fault they all love me," I grinned.
"I'm not sure I have met your friend before," I turned around as Martha spoke.
"You would have if you were not so furious last night," Calvin said flatly, earning a glare from Martha.
"And she was at my engagement," Mia added.
"Well I am allowed to have an oversight," she tipped her chin up, before turning to Celine, "hello darling, I apologize for my oversight. what's your name."
"Celine," she said, returning her smile.
"She's my best friend," I added, "more like big sister."
"Well in that case you are most welcome love, any friend of Chris is always welcome in my home."
"Thanks," she said with a sad smile, it looked like a normal smile, but I could see the sadness in her eyes.
I had a good idea what the reason was. She was probably thinking about Alex and how his family had treated her, which in my understanding was a great contrast to what she was receiving now.
I could only hope though that they got to see too how amazing my best friend really was.
"Where's Lucas?" I looked around in search of him as I put Abby and Aiden back in their seats.
"Right here Muffin," he came up behind me and grabbed in a tight embrace, not minding our audience. "Good morning."
"Good morning to you too," I giggled, then whispered, "you do realize we have an audience don't you?"
"Which is why I just finalized our trip so we can be without an audience for a while," he said more loudly than I expected him to.
"Get a damn room," Mia said in mock annoyance. My cheeks thrummed with heat as I turned to see all the pairs of eyes at the table watching us, some were glares, via my best friend, and most were amused, Lilian and Mom though watched us with adoration.
"Also what trip are you talking about?" Celine asked curiously and I realized I had not told her I would be leaving soon.
Lucas ushered me to my seat first, pulling the chair out for me, and I managed to hold back a giggle as he kissed my forehead before taking his seat too. "Well, since you are all so curious..."
"We would not be if you decided to get a room.." Robin cut in.
"Shut up Rob..." Lucas chuckled, "I'm taking my family on a vacation." I held my breath for a second, waiting for him to add "and Chris," as everyone usually did, but he didn't. I blinked back tears because there was no way someone just actually referred to me as their family.
"Chris and the kids need some time off and away from all of this drama and I need to oversee the breach in Milan," he explained, as everyone paid close attention to him. He took my hand and kissed it softly, before turning back to them, "it's the perfect opportunity and getaway for my family."
This time it was harder to hold back from crying as he said it again. He probably did not even notice that I was probably going through the most emotional time of my life right now.
Celine was the first to notice the look on my face and she mouthed, "are you okay?" to me.
"Perfectly fine," I mouthed back there with a small head shake.
"That's terrific," Martha spoke first, "finally you're doing something to make me smile."
"Mom!" Robin and Mia sid at the same time.
"What?" she shrugged, "just because he's my favorite does not mean I have to let him off the hook when he's making the wrong choices" my eyes widened as she openly stated that Lucas was her favorite right in front of the others, but it was more surprising to see them wave I off with an amused shake of their heads like it was nothing because it really was nothing.
I had never had a real family before, but I could feel it in me that this was what a family was supposed to be like.
Happy, looking out for each other, no one trying to e better than the other and none envying the other either.
It was near perfect, if not perfect and now I was thrilled to be part of them too.
I never wanted to lose them. Or Lucas.
"Well in the light of traveling and trips," Mia grinned as she placed her hand over Mason's, he was smiling too. "Mason and I thought it would be a great idea to have the wedding in London. He lives there and I would be moving there after my wedding."
Martha gasped, holding her chest, for a second I thought I was imagining the tears in her eyes. "My little princess is getting married soon." she got to her feet and rounded the table to hug Martha and Mason together. "I'm so happy for you both, actually, I'm overjoyed."
"Thanks, mom, but you're kind of squeezing too hard," Mia chuckled, and Martha sid a small apology before releasing them. Everyone said their congratulations before the next question was thrown at them.
"So what date did you pick?" Calvin asked.
"We haven't picked a date," Mason said simply and all heads swiveled in their direction.
"We canceled the former date and before you ask, we had good reasons to.
" mia paused, then sighed and continued speaking, "I'm still trying to recover from having my engagement ruined, it was very special and I hate that it's become a topic for jesting and mockery by the press all thanks to that creepy woman," everyone's mood dropped at the mention of the dark cloud in our lives.
"Nope," Mia said sharply, "I did not say that so we could all ruin breakfast with those long faces.
Also in case, I have not made it clear before, I do not blame anyone seated at this table for what happened at the engagement, Sarah was just bad luck and I will not give her a chance to divide our family with that stunt she pulled.
But, I also will not be getting married until I know for sure, that's she's where she belongs.
She might be in jail for a few days now, but I want her far away from our lives, for good. "
"Good thing I have a great plan to make that happen," Lucas said with a smug smile, and everyone turned back at him, confused.
He cleared his throat softly and held my hand tighter before speaking again, "I made a recent discovery that Emma has been working with Sarah and feeding her information on our home and family. "
"What?"! the shock on my face mirrored everyone else's.
"That slimy little bitch!" Mia cursed before she could hold it back.
"Grammy aunt mia said bitch," Abby said. I was almost amused at the weird way she said it.
Martha gave Mia a glare, before calling one of them helps to take the children for a walk, just in case anyone else decided to curse again.
"I cannot believe she would do that to us," Mia clenched her fists on the table.
"Why would she do that? I mean you pay her well enough," Martha said with scorn and disgust.
"Sarah paid her double," Lucas said cooly, "and as much as I hate how she betrayed us, I have a great way to make sure Sarah never comes back."
"What are you going to do?' I asked curiously.
"Nothing much," he smirked, "just use two allies against each other."