Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
I look at Noah, then go on. “But this is the truth. When I saw Layla at the wedding, I immediately fell for her. Not just physically but emotionally. It was like I’d been spending all my life looking for the perfect woman, my woman, and there she was.”
“I felt the same,” Layla murmurs. “Seriously, I thought I was going crazy. I looked at Miles and thought, Yes, he’s the one for me. I want to have his babies.”
Elena gasps. “His babies?”
“I know how it sounds. I’ve always wanted kids but never found somebody I can imagine having them with. When I saw Miles, I didn’t even have to speak to him to know. It’s hard to explain. It’s this feeling inside, like a puzzle piece slotting into place.”
“Suddenly, it all made sense,” I go on. “When I saw her, I knew I could have a family, experience love, a life, marriage, all of it.”
“With your niece,” Elena says.
“Step-niece,” Noah cuts in.
Elena sighs. “Fine, step-niece, but that doesn’t mean it’s normal. That doesn’t mean people will understand. If what you’re saying is true—”
“It is true,” Layla says. “I’ve never felt so sure about anything in my entire life.”
“In all your twenty long years,” Elena snaps.
“Fine, yes, I’m younger than him, but don’t act like I’m too young. We both know I had to grow up fast after Dad passed away. We both know I’ve been independent, and I can make my own decisions.”
Elena waves a hand. “If it’s true, it doesn’t mean your life will be easy. How do you think people will react when they learn your boyfriend is your step-uncle?”
“I don’t care what people think.”
Layla’s voice gets louder, infused with mother-bear ferocity. I’d smile with pride if the situation weren’t so tense. I don’t want to disrespect Noah or Elena.
“What about you?” Noah says, looking at me. “Don’t you care?”
“What people think?” I say, and he nods. “No, I don’t give a damn. The only people whose opinions I care about are sitting around this table. Maybe if I’d known Layla when she was a kid and helped raise her. Maybe there’d be a problem then, but I saw a woman and knew she was the one for me. She just happened to be your stepdaughter.”
Elena groans. “So, you want to marry her one day?”
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation, resisting the urge to add soon.
“And have children?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve talked about this?”
“We have,” Layla says.
“Let me get this straight.” Elena leans forward, animated. “For one week, you’ve been sneaking around, being together, and discussing having a family and marriage.”
Layla nods.
“In a week, you’ve decided that this is what you want.”
“We’ve been together for a week,” Layla says, “but it didn’t start then. It started at the wedding when we first kissed.”
“I’m sorry for doing it there, Noah.” When I clap my hand on his shoulder, he doesn’t flinch or lean away, and that causes my heart to soar. “It was disrespectful, just like sneaking around was disrespectful.”
“For what it’s worth, Miles wanted to tell you sooner.”
“You did?” Noah says.
I’m reluctant to admit this, feeling as if I’m dropping the blame on Layla.
“I just don’t understand how you can be so sure,” Elena says after a pause. “Surely you can see that it’s strange and that people will judge. Your children will have a difficult life.”
“Why?” Layla snaps. “If you’re shocked and angry, I get that, but you don’t know what sort of life our children will have. It’s not illegal to marry your step-uncle. They’ll be normal babies. Nothing to worry about there. Miles and I are not related.”
“This conversation is making me tired. No, it’s making me sick!”
Elena pushes away from the table, standing quickly.
“I don’t want to talk about this right now.”
“We have to, Mom. We need to know if—”
“If what? I approve?”
Layla nods slowly, and Elena stares at her, her eyes watering and her lips trembling.
“You can’t expect a decision right now after you’ve just dropped it on me. You can’t expect me to accept this instantly, can you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then give me time.” She turns away. “Maybe find a place to stay for a few days while I think things over.”
“Mom—”
“You heard me. Both of you.”
She almost runs inside, striding quickly, slamming the door behind her.
Noah winces. “I’ll talk to her.”
“What about you?” I ask. “Aren’t you pissed?”
Noah lays his hand on my shoulder. “Remember the Christmas when the window broke?”
My memory swallows me. Noah and I lay on our floor mattresses on opposite ends of the room with the icy winter chill fluttering the curtain as both of us shivered, teeth chattering, and Dad and his friends partied downstairs. Eventually, he climbed into bed with me, my baby brother, and we held each other, sharing the warmth.
“I talked about having a family one day,” he says. “I’m hoping it will still happen. Elena and I, we’re…”