Mated to the Alpha Twins by Jane Doe
Chapter 25
An hour was much too long to get ready.
I brushed my hair, and changed my clothes in ten minutes. That left me fifty minutes to contemplate what the hell was going on. Fifty minutes to realize how horribly my fractured life had been upended.
Once hour passed, and Garrett knocked on my door. He didn’t wait for me to answer, he simply poked his head inside until his eyes locked on my own.
“Ready to go?” Garrett asked, his eyes shining brightly.
I nodded, grumbling something unintelligible and stood to my feet. While my face was somehow miraculously healed, my ankle was anything but. Occasionally dull pain would twitch up my ankle, making me wince.
Garrett and I walked downstairs, to where Melissa and Frank were sitting on the sofa. Frank was drunk, as usual. Melissa was desperately trying to keep her gaze off of Garrett. Her eyes kept flickering from the TV to his towering form. I resisted the urge to scoff, she’s more interested in Garrett than she’s been in me for three years. A blind man could see how taken Melissa was with Garrett, even seventeen years later.
“Try and have a good time, Aurora.” Melissa spoke gently.
Her hand lifted, reaching towards my face. Call it a instinct, but I stumbled back. I didn’t stumble back because I was afraid of her hitting me, I stumbled because not once had she ever touched me. This move was too intimate, too caring. It might’ve made sense for any other mother and daughter, but not for us. The action was unwarranted. I didn’t want her comfort or her false sympathy. She noticed my reaction and her face fell, her washed out eyes flickering to Garrett.
‘Watch closely.’ The voice murmured in my head, ‘Her concern isn’t for your benefit. It’s for his.’
For once, the voice was actually helpful. It was right. Melissa wasn’t taking on the roll of a caring mother because she somehow realized the error of her ways, she was doing it for Garrett’s benefit. She truly can’t stand for others to see her as the dead-beat parent. Her mask was thin on her weathered face, and I could see through it clearly.
“I’ll be outside.” I mumbled, tripping on the chunky boot but somehow managing to make it to the front door unharmed.
I stood outside taking deep breaths of the crisp afternoon air. The breeze was picking up, chilling my skin in a way that brought me some semblance of comfort. Looking out into the woods was the most peaceful I had felt in days. Everything was so silent. The only sound was from birds and the quiet ‘whoosh’ of the wind against the tree’s. Some small part of me wanted to bound off into the woods, and not come back out.
Garrett came outside just a few minutes later. I glanced up at his face and snorted, he looked uncomfortable.
“Something funny?” Garrett raised his eyebrow at me, and I marveled at how similar we looked.
“You seem uncomfortable.” I noted, leaving him behind as I walked down the porch steps.
“Something you can relate to.” Garrett responded once he had caught up to me.
I resisted the urge to laugh spitefully. Of course he’d say that, and of course I could relate. This was all brought on by him, not by me. If he hadn’t ignored the existence of his child for seventeen years, the two of us might not be so uncomfortable.
Garrett opened the passenger door of a large and flashy sedan. I had never been in a car this fancy before. Melissa’s car was a ’95 Buick, practically falling apart at the seams. This car had all the flashing lights and fancy b*tton’s you’d see on a brand new car. So it seems Garrett here had money, something that could easily be beneficial for me, not that I’d ever be caught asking.
We arrived at the only restaurant in town, the one I worked at.
Cameron gave me a strange look as she walked Garrett and I over to one of the many tables. Garrett excused himself to go to the bathroom, and I grunted in response. If I was dreading an hour long dinner with the man, how the hell was I going to live with him?
“Oh look, your face is all better.” Cameron gave me a side-eyed look.
“Lots of cover-up and ibuprofen.” I nodded absentmindedly.
“Who the hell is that?” Cameron snorted, her eyes flickering towards the bathrooms.
“Long lost spe-rm donor.” I shrugged, picking at the napkin on the table.
“Spe-rm donor?” Cameron scrunched her nose, “I thought Frank was your Dad?”
Her specific information about my family didn’t phase me. This was a small town after all. I had heard my fair share of gossip and drama about the other townspeople, choosing to ignore it all. The typical rumors flew around. Who slept with who, couples getting divorced, and the occasional gambling or cheating scandal.
“I don’t have a Dad.” I shook my head, “I have Frank, and I have a spe-rm donor.”
Sure, it was childish but I felt like I had that right. I had spent years taking care of myself, didn’t I deserve just a single childish moment?
“Well, it looks like spe-rm donor has some money.” Cameron shrugged, “Might as well get what you can from it.”
I nodded in agreement, but I truly didn’t want anything from Garrett. I didn’t need money, or some poorly constructed relationship. I was seventeen years old and spent my life without a single father figure, what makes him think I needed one now? The only person I wanted was my Grandma. She’d understand how I was feeling and take me away from all of this mess, as she had many times in the past. I also wanted Alec and Kade, not that I’d admit it to myself or anyone else.
Garrett came back to the table and sat across from me, looking as awkward as I felt. The awkward silence was picking at me, making me grow more irritable with each passing moment.
“So, do you have any other kids?” I blurted out, nearly cringing at the hostile tone in my voice.
Garrett nodded, “I have a daughter. She’s two years younger than you.”
Two years–That’s all it took for Garrett to forget about me and have another child.
“And you have a wife.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement. He had his own little family, while mine was left in shambles.
“I do.” Garrett cleared his throat, “Not that I didn’t love Melissa-“
“Don’t.” I held my hand up, “Yours and Melissa’s relationship doesn’t concern me.”
“It was brief.” Garrett gave me a painful smile, “The relationship was a mistake–but the outcome was a blessing of sorts.”
I inwardly cringed at his words. It didn’t hurt to know his relationship with Melissa was a mistake, what hurt was hearing how he called me a blessing. A blessing he had openly chose to ignore for seventeen years.
“Do you normally toss your blessings to the side and ignore them for seventeen years?” I asked, “Placating them by throwing money their way.”
Garrett pursed his l!ps, “Ignoring you–That wasn’t my intention.”
We were interrupted by Tori walking up to the table, a notepad in her hand. She paused for a moment when she saw us, her eyes running over my face slowly. It was obvious she noticed my healed face, and something told me she suspected the cause.
“Hey, Aurora.” Tori smiled at me, her eyes wandering over to Garrett questioningly. “Do you two know what you want to drink?”
“Coke.” I murmured, giving her a small smile. Her eyes flickered between the two of us, and I could practically hear what she was trying to tell me.
‘You better give me a good explanation.’ Her eyes practically screamed. I couldn’t tell if she was referring to Garrett or my newly healed face.
“Just a water for me.” Garrett nodded, “We will need q few more moments to look over the menu.”
“Of course.” Tori peeled her eyes off of me and gave Garrett a polite smile, “I’ll be right out with your drinks.”
Tori walked away and I sighed as Garrett picked up where he left off.
“I had—let’s just call it an arranged marriage.” Garrett looked uncomfortable, “I was with Melissa right before meeting my intended, resulting in you. My wife–well she’s not fond of Melissa.”
His statement held another meaning, and I found my face turning into a grimace as I understood his words.
“I’m sure she’s not happy you have another child by some other woman.” I pointed out, and the look on Garrett’s face told me I was correct.
“She doesn’t.” Garrett paused, “But you are my firstborn child. That means something where I come from.”
“Where I come from it means I’m a mistake.” I shrugged, unfazed.
Tori brought out our drinks, and I ordered some alfredo pasta. In all honesty, I was tired of eating the food from this restaurant. I didn’t cook for myself, so I’d often bring home leftovers. I’ve been eating this food for two weeks now, and it was getting old. The food wasn’t bad, but the repet*ition was tiresome. Garrett ordered something for his self and the two of us watched as Tori walked away.
“That is a friend of yours?” Garrett asked, his gaze showing interest.
“My first friend since moving here.” I nodded.
Garrett sat quiet for a few moments, then finally opened his mouth.
“I would like you to tell me what happened to your face.” Garrett’s voice was soft, yet incredibly fierce. He sounded almost, protective. That tone made me feel nauseous.
“Not important.” I dismissed him, “As you can clearly see, my face is fine.”
Garrett didn’t seem surprised by my magical healing, if anything he seemed to have expected it. That fact only left me more confused.
“Very well.” Garrett nodded, “I’ll drop it, if you tell me what happened to your foot.”