Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 47626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Once I get to the main house, I am unsure if I should ring the bell or walk in. I spend too much time debating I guess because the next thing I know Aurora is opening the door smiling at me.
“Couldn’t decide if you wanted to come in or not?” I shake my head trying to not offend her.
“No it’s not that. I didn’t know if I should ring the bell or not.”
“Ah I see,” she says moving out of the way and nodding for me to come in. “Let’s clear this up now. You’re family now. Feel free to walk in. This space is family space. All business is handled in the southernmost part of the downstairs. You are welcome there as well, but it is pretty boring. The front and middle of the house is the family/living space where we converge, eat, laugh, play, watch movies and overall hang out. Anything private takes place in my family suite which is on the third floor. The middle floor is for overnight guests.” Wow.
“Okay. Good to know.”
“Now, you are just in time. My two sisters and both my cousins in law are here. We are having an impromptu girls' day.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. I will just go back to…” I begin to flee suddenly hit with a set of nerves and like I am being another. I can feel the tears forming and I am mortified. I turn quickly to go back when her hand latch son to my wrist. I can’t bring myself to look at her.
“Satine, please look at me.” Shaking my head I continue to cry in silence, hit with so much emotion and shame because I don’t know how I am supposed to be in public. I never had the experience of being around others. I have been a nuisance my entire life that now I feel like a bug no matter where I am. Well, except for when I am with Larabee. I know I fit with him. I know where I belong. “Satine please.” Slowly I look into her eyes and see compassion. “You are never a bother or an intruder. You are my family and always welcome. All I meant was that you are in time to join us. The girls have been dying to meet you, but Cain wanted to keep you all to himself for a while.” That brings a smile to my face. I know she is telling the truth because he said it out loud.
“I’m sorry. Being around people that are not men with guns is new to me.”
“It’s okay. No apologies needed. Let’s go have fun.”
Walking into the room I am not sure what to expect but what I find are four other women all smiling and doing very normal things like looking at girly magazines, polishing their nails and sipping what looks like iced tea.
“Ladies, I would like for you to meet Satine, Larabee’s wife. Satine are my sisters, Diamond and Emerald and my cousins, Daffodil and Lily.” All of them perk up and call to me waving and welcoming me. I never realized I was shy until now, because right now, all I want to do is hide behind my husband like a kindergartner. Instead I quietly say hello and follow Aurora to a seat.
The first thing I notice is that all but one of them is pregnant right now. Emerald is the only one not currently sporting a bump.
“Do you want some tea?” Lily asks.
“Sure. Thank you.”
“So, how is being a newlywed?” Diamond asks, smiling and wiggling her eyebrows. I giggle and then stop myself feeling a little self-conscious until Daffodil starts kissing the glass, mimicking making out and all of us are in a full-blown belly laugh. It feels good to laugh with young ladies like me.
“So are all of you due around the same time?” I ask them, sipping my tea.
“Yeah, give or take a month or two.”
“Except for me.” Emerald says. “I just had number two. My husband and I are done for the next few years until he is done with school.”
“That makes sense.” I nod, looking at everyone else.
“Do you and Larabee want babies?” The question makes my heart go pitter patter. The truth is I want them more than anything other than some words spoken in the heat of the moment, I don’t know if he really does or not.
“I don’t know. We are just getting used to being married, you know.” They all nod. We begin talking again and then some cute little pixie comes down the stairs.
“Ro, I’m hungry,” the cute little girl says yawning.
“Alright Bella. First, come in here and say hi to the ladies.” She runs into Aurora’s arms and waves her hands at all of us. “Bella this is E.E’s wife, Satine.” My eyebrow raises at the name. “She couldn’t say Larabee when she younger, so she called him E.E., and it stuck.”